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LAND AND HOUSING
classroom school in Prince Edward Road were approved on 27th May 1960. The school was built and equipped in just over 3 months and was opened by the Director of Education on 9th September in time for the beginning of the Autumn term.
Legislation. A revision of the Buildings Ordinance of 1955 came into force in 1960. It provided for closer control of natural lighting and ventilation and introduced new regulations for sanitation, refuse chutes, lifts and escalators, all of which are becoming in- creasingly complicated with the growth in the height of buildings. A Code of Practice published at the same time laid down fire escape standards for buildings.
New Building Work. Plans for 1,202 new buildings were sub- mitted to the Building Authority during 1960, of which 868 were for houses, flats or apartment blocks, housing schemes and Chinese-type tenements. Several thousand other plans dealt with works other than new buildings such as reconstruction, alteration or enlargement of existing buildings, site formation schemes, drainage works, demolitions and amendments to plans previously approved. 497 permits were issued allowing the occupation of completed buildings.
New Territories' Buildings. Legislation was enacted during the year by which the provisions of the Buildings Ordinance will apply to the New Territories with effect from 1st January 1961. This new legislation provides for the exemption from the need to submit to the Building Authority plans of all domestic buildings of any type of construction with an area of 700 square feet and a height of 15 feet or less. The same exemption will apply to domestic buildings of the same area and of a maximum height of 25 feet, provided that no structural reinforced concrete is used.
During the year a procedure was in force whereby plans of all buildings, other than of small houses of traditional design which the District Officer approved at his own discretion, were for- warded to the Building Authority for his advice and scrutiny before formal approval was given by the District Officer. This arrangement ensured that, in effect, the provisions of the Buildings Ordinance were followed in large or more complicated buildings.
Occupation certificates were issued for 126 new domestic build- ings and 44 industrial and other buildings in the New Territories