LAND AND HOUSING
171
Building Design. Housing in the urban areas falls into two clearly defined types-Chinese and European. Chinese type tene- ments consist of a large living space with kitchen and lavatory. The large space is then subdivided by wooden partitions about 6' 6" high it may contain one family, or several, living in sepa- rate cubicles, and using the kitchen and lavatory in common. A large block may contain two or three hundred tenements on anything up to 16 floors: lifts are normally provided where there are seven storeys or more. New European type housing, with few exceptions, is usually built in large blocks of flats provided with lifts. Public Buildings, offices and factories follow western practice in planning with comparatively minor local variations.
Legislation. New legislation to extend the operation of the re- vised Buildings Ordinance, 1955, to the New Territories came into force at the beginning of the year. This measure was essential in view of the development of the New Territories.
The full effect of the increase in fees for balconies projecting over streets was felt this year, and a total of $7,500,920 was collected. The corresponding amount in 1959 (1960 must be ignored as it was a year of transition) was $157,180. The imposi- tion of these higher fees does not appear to have reduced the number of applications for permits.
New Building Works. The activity of the building industry can perhaps best be summarized by the fact that during the year the Building Authority received a total of 2,707 applications for approval of plans of building works.
In an attempt to meet the requirements of the many tourists to the Colony, developers have been directing their attention to building modern hotels and during 1961 another new hotel was completed and a further six were under construction.
New Territories' Buildings. The revised Buildings Ordinance, 1955, which now applies to the New Territories, made special pro- vision for the exemption from the need to submit to the Building Authority plans of small village buildings. Plans for these buildings continued to be handled by District Officers.
Modern shops and tenement buildings in Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Yuen Long, Shek Wu Hui and the other market towns differed little from those in Hong Kong and Kowloon. Well-designed