HOUSING AND LAND
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published for public inspection 14 draft statutory plans including draft outline zoning plans for Diamond Hill, Tze Wan Shan, San Po Kong and Sha Tin. Following con- sideration of objections by the public and the holding of hearings for objectors, the board amended some of the draft plans and exhibited the revised plans for further public inspection.
Of the 39 planning areas in the urban areas, 24 are now covered by draft or approved statutory plans. In the New Territories, the new towns of Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin are covered by draft statutory plans and a draft plan for Tuen Mun New Town is under preparation.
The notes attached to a statutory plan provide for uses which are permitted in a particular zone and other uses for which the Town Planning Board's permission must be sought under Section 16 of the Town Planning Ordinance. This procedure allows greater flexibility in land use planning and the development control process to meet changing requirements. During the year, the board received and considered 90 applications for such permission, the processing of which involved a considerable amount of planning work. The present trend indicates that the number of applications is likely to increase with the revival of building development and the property market. The Town Planning Office of the Public Works Department provides services to the Town Planning Board, the Land Development Policy Committee and the New Terri- tories Development Progress Committee. The office prepares draft outline zoning plans for the Town Planning Board, and departmental outline development and layout plans and planning guides for the Land Development Policy Committee and the New Territories Development Progress Committee. It is responsible for develop- ment control and for the reservation of sites for government departments, utility com- panies and other community uses, and it provides planning advice to government departments, advisory bodies and the public.
Planning studies for the future use of released military lands continued in 1978. Planning proposals and layout plans for the use of the former Royal Air Force station at Kai Tak, Sham Shui Po Army Camp and Victoria Barracks were prepared.
Site investigations were carried out and planning briefs were produced for the processing of sites for the development of public housing estates, Home Ownership Scheme projects, and private sector participation in schemes to meet the government's housing target. Feasibility studies were also carried out and the Housing Department and other departments were consulted where necessary.
The Hong Kong Outline Plan, which provides the framework for district planning, was under active revision in the Town Planning Office. The plan lays down general planning concepts and guidelines for future population distribution and land develop- ment, and defines planning standards and locational factors for the provision of com- munity facilities. Most of the chapters of the plan were brought up to date and approved by the Hong Kong Outline Plan Steering Group and the Land Development Policy Committee. Land use, floor area and building condition surveys were carried out to update the data bank of planning information, and to provide background in- formation for the revision of statutory plans and departmental plans.
Many departmental plans for new development areas were prepared and existing plans were revised to take into account recent changes in planning policies, planning standards, population estimates, extension of the Mass Transit Railway and other