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Land, Public Works and Utilities
LAND is one of the most important and valuable commodities in Hong Kong, being the raw material upon which all development, public or private, residential, commercial, industrial, governmental or institutional, must take place. Since all land in Hong Kong is Crown land, its disposal by lease for private development is also an important element of government
revenue.
The development of land by way of public works projects is normally the government's largest single item of expenditure, covering the formation and reclamation of land; its servicing by roads, drains, sewers and the provision of water supplies; the construction of highways, bridges and tunnels; port and airport works; public buildings; and the disposal of liquid and solid wastes.
For the financial year 1983-4, the approved provision of funds for capital works was $7,595 million, some 21 per cent of the government's total expenditure. Of this sum, the largest portion, $3,880 million, was allocated to the development of new towns. Outside these towns, $984 million was to be spent on roads, $660 million on water supplies and $69 million on public housing other than that built by the Housing Authority. In addition, $1,700 million was earmarked for the acquisition of leased land for the projects involved.
These projects are carried out by the Building Development, Engineering Development, New Territories Development, Water Supplies and Electrical and Mechanical Services Departments which, with the Lands Department, form the Lands and Works group which was created in 1982 out of the former Public Works Department.
Policy responsibility for land, public works and private building is that of the Secretary for Lands and Works. He heads a branch which, in addition to its policy functions, monitors the performance of the six departments of the group through its three divisions. The Lands Division is responsible for the formulation of policies relating to the planning, supply and use of land to meet the needs of the government and the private sector and for the preparation of a territorial development strategy. The Works Division is responsible for the comprehensive planning and co-ordination of the physical development of the territory, planning and provision and efficient use of resources, both financial and manpower, and monitoring their use in capital works and maintenance programmes. The Administration Division is responsible for branch administration and the provision of certain services common to the 'works' departments.
Land Administration
Since April 1982, responsibility for all land matters in Hong Kong has been brought under a single authority, the Director of Lands. The unified department co-ordinates all aspects of land administration - surveying, planning, land sales and development, and legal matters – throughout the territory. In addition to its headquarters, the Lands Department has 12