LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
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once exhibited for public inspection. Any plans related to building works submitted under the Buildings Ordinance may be disapproved by the Building Authority if they contravene a statutory outline zoning plan.
In 1990, the TPB exhibited 18 statutory outline zoning plans for different districts. In general, areas are zoned for residential, commercial, industrial, government/institution/ community, open space or other specified uses on outline zoning plans. Attached to and forming part of each plan are notes setting out the types of land use which are permitted as of right in a particular zone or which may be permitted with or without conditions on application to the TPB. This permissive system allows for greater flexibility in land use planning to meet community needs. The ordinance also allows an unsuccessful applicant the right to request TPB to review its decision. During the year, the TPB considered 266 applications for planning permission and 39 applications for review, as compared with 282 and 33 respectively in 1989.
An area may be designated a 'Comprehensive Development Area' on a statutory out- line zoning plan. This is intended to promote development in a comprehensive manner, often including the provision of a range of related community facilities and open space. Developments within these areas must have planning permission from the TPB and applications for planning permission should include a master layout plan. During the year, 19 applications for approval of master layout plans were considered by the TPB. - In order to improve the environment and not overtax existing infrastructure, additional controls on building intensity and types of land use have also been introduced in some districts.
As a result of a structural change of the industrial sector, characterised by a move towards high-technology and high-quality products and increasing relocation of the more labour-intensive parts of the industrial process overseas, there is an increased demand among industrial firms for more floor space to be set aside for management, admin- istration, design and quality control, in addition to the more conventional storage and other industrial activities which cannot be accommodated in normal commercial/office buildings. To cater for this demand, the TPB has approved the introduction of a new composite industrial office building concept to provide accommodation which can be flexibly used for both industrial and office purposes. Within these dual-purpose industrial- office buildings, there would be no limit on the size of offices to be permitted provided that the offices are ancillary and related to industrial operations in the building. Initial response from the private sector has been encouraging. During the year, 21 applications for such dual-purpose buildings have been submitted, of which seven were approved by the TPB, including conversions of existing industrial buildings.
Meanwhile, outline development and layout plans are also prepared at district level. They are departmental plans prepared within the framework of the statutory outline zoning plans to show the land use and road framework in greater detail. For those areas not yet covered by outline zoning plans, they are prepared as a guide for land formation, implementation of public work projects as well as subsequent land sales and allocations.
Other than the preparation of statutory outline zoning plans and departmental outline development plans, the District Planning Offices of the main urban area have also carried out and/or provided inputs to a number of studies in 1990, including, inter alia, the Central/Wan Chai and West Kowloon Reclamation Feasibility Studies. They provide the essential bases for the forward planning of these future development areas.