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HOUSING AND LAND
Kong Outline Plan, statutory outline zoning plans, and departmental plans. These depart- mental plans, in the form of outline development plans, layout plans and planning guides, are used administratively within the government to guide and control development. The office also scrutinises development submissions, reserves sites for various public purposes, undertakes special planning studies and provides planning advice to other government departments, advisory bodies, consultants and the public.
The Hong Kong Outline Plan is a document which lays down general planning concepts, defines standards and locational factors for the provision of government and other com- munity facilities and so provides a framework for the preparation of statutory outline zoning plans and departmental plans. The document was first prepared in the late 1960s but is kept under constant review to take account of changes in government policies, population forecasts and other social and economic trends. Since the last revision was approved by the Land Development Policy Committee in 1979, a further review of some of the chapters has become necessary to take account of changing circumstances. This work continued during the year.
Statutory outline zoning plans for existing and potential urban areas are prepared under the provisions of the Town Planning Ordinance while the Town Planning Board is respon- sible for their preparation and revision. These plans show, in general terms, areas set aside or zoned for residential, commercial, industrial and other specified purposes. During the year, the board published for public inspection 11 draft statutory outline zoning plans including draft amendment plans for The Peak area, Kowloon Tong, Aberdeen, Shau Kei Wan, Causeway Bay and Cha Kwo Ling, and a new plan for the South Lantau coast. A total of 10 objections to the published plans were received and considered by the board and, as a result, some of the draft plans were amended for further public examination. By the end of the year, 26 out of a total of 39 planning areas in the main urban areas were covered by draft or approved statutory plans. In the New Territories, there were six draft statutory plans covering Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi, Sha Tin, the South Lantau coast and Tai Po; draft plans for Tai Po and Tuen Mun were under preparation.
The Town Planning Ordinance makes provision for a schedule of notes to be attached to each statutory plan. This schedule shows the land uses always permitted in a particular zone, together with other uses for which the Town Planning Board's permission must be sought under Section 16 of the ordinance. This provision to apply for planning permission allows greater flexibility in land-use planning and improves the control over development, in line with changing needs. During the year, the board received and considered 111 applica- tions compared with 127 applications in the previous year. Where the board refuses to grant permission, the applicant can apply for a review of the decision. In 1980, there were 38 applications for review, compared with 25 in 1979.
Compared with statutory plans, departmental outline development and layout plans are normally drawn to larger scales and show road proposals and the disposition of sites for various uses in greater detail. They are 'action' plans to enable land to be prepared and released for public or private development. Many departmental plans for new development areas were prepared and existing plans were revised during the year to take account of changes in population forecasts, government policies, planning standards and other trends. The work of the Town Planning Office can generally be classified into two main streams, outline planning and district planning. The first aspect of the work is undertaken largely by the Outline Planning Division, whose main duties - besides reviewing and revising the Hong Kong Outline Plan and preparing a 10-Year Development Programme to implement it - are to carry out planning surveys and studies to provide background data for planning