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LAND AND HOUSING
immediate and precise information about the effect upon their own development schemes. The revival of the property market has also produced a marked increase in the number of plans submitted for approval. The result has been that delays are occurring in the processing of plans for the first time for many years but every effort is being made to keep these delays to a minimum.
The opening of the 800-bedroom Hong Kong Hotel linked with the Ocean Terminal shopping centre coincides with a renewal of interest in hotel construction. As jumbo-jets begin to supplant existing forms of air travel, it is expected that there will be a further large increase in the number of tourists visiting Hong Kong. In anticipation of the demand for accommodation a number of medium and large hotel schemes are known to be either in the planning stage or under construction on both sides of the harbour. In September a circular letter was issued clarifying the concessions announced in October 1968 under the Buildings Ordinance for hotel buildings. This letter defined more precisely the terms under which the Building Authority will permit more intensive develop- ment of sites for hotels.
Amongst other private developments of note completed during the year was the $20 million, 28-storey, American Insurance Association commercial building. This is constructed with prestressed column-free floors and is prominently located above Happy Valley approximately two miles to the east of the main business area of Central Victoria. The new 24-storey St George's Building situated between the Mandarin Hotel and Union House costing about $40 million is easily identified by its bronze metal and glass curtain wall cladding.
The year was free of typhoons and the dangerous buildings divi- sion of the Buildings Ordinance Office was able to continue uninterrupted with its task of dealing with buildings which due either to dilapidation or to structural damage have become so dangerous that, in the public interest, they must be either demolished or made safe. The closure and demolition of 164 buildings mainly in the Western district of Hong Kong Island resulted in the eviction of 7,337 people. The steps taken by the Government to alleviate distress in these circumstances are described elsewhere in this
report.