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HOUSING AND LAND
the auction of sites within the scheme. It is planned to auction further sites at regular intervals within this area, which is bounded by Queen's Road Central, Queen's Road West, Hollywood Road, Shing Wong Street and Gough Street.
Private property zoned for open space and government, institutional and community uses in the town plans for Western District, Wan Chai and Yau Ma Tei was purchased by the government during the year. Eighty properties were acquired at a cost of $43 million. All eligible tenants were offered rehousing and given ex-gratia compensation. The cleared sites, in most cases, will be developed and managed by the Urban Council as open space
areas.
The Urban Council plans to redevelop the existing Western District Market, with the associated widening of Morrison Street abutting the proposed market complex. The scheme is designed to improve the area's general environment and market facilities; the complex, which is expected to be completed in 1982, will include a modern market, a district library, indoor games halls and other facilities.
Acquisition for Public Purposes
When private property needed for the implementation of public works projects cannot be acquired by negotiation, the use of compulsory powers becomes necessary. Property is then acquired under either the Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance or the Mass Transit Railway (Land Resumption and Related Provisions) Ordinance. These ordinances provide for the payment of compensation based on market values at the date of reversion. If agreement cannot be reached on the amount payable, the case can be referred by either party to the Lands Tribunal for determination. In the new town areas of the New Territories, acquisition is usually effected by a system involving the payment of cash compensation in respect of at least half of the land acquired, and the issue of land exchange entitlements in respect of the remainder. These entitlements give the landowner an opportunity to participate in the development of sites.
The compulsory extinguishment of marine rights, usually required for reclamation projects, is effected under either the Public Reclamation and Works Ordinance or the Foreshores and Sea-bed Ordinance. These ordinances provide for the lodging of objections to a scheme and for the payment of compensation where private rights are affected.
Public works affecting existing highways but not involving the acquisition of private land are dealt with under the Streets (Alteration) Ordinance, which also has similar provisions. for the lodging of objections and the payment of compensation.
During 1979, some $100 million was paid in compensation for land and buildings acquired in the urban areas of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, either under compulsory powers or by agreement, to be used for government projects, excluding urban renewal and environ- mental improvement programmes and Mass Transit Railway acquisitions. Approximately 110 hectares was acquired in the New Territories for the implementation of town develop- ment programmes and public works projects.
Survey
The Survey Branch of the Crown Lands and Survey Office provides a network of trigono- metrical stations and bench marks upon which all land and engineering surveys are based, and for the mapping of Hong Kong and the delineation and physical marking of boundaries of lots.
The branch's Photogrammetric Unit supplies detailed survey plots for engineering and development purposes; during the year it was also able to make good progress on con-