14
LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
192
THE primary objectives of the government's lands and works policies are to ensure an adequate supply of land to meet the short-term and long-term needs of the public and private sectors, to optimise the use of land within the framework of land use zoning and development strategies, and to ensure co-ordinated development in infrastructure and buildings.
Policy responsibility for land, public works and private development rests with two -separate policy branches the Planning, Environment and Lands Branch and the Works Branch, each headed by a Secretary. Both secretaries are members of the Land Development Policy Committee, which is chaired by the Chief Secretary and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the physical development of the territory and for giving broad approval to all major proposals affecting the development or planned use of land.
The Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands (SPEL) is the Chairman of the Development Progress Committee, which is responsible for monitoring the general progress of the physical development of the territory as well as considering and approving detailed planning briefs, layouts and development plans. He is also Chairman of the Town Planning Board.
In addition to his policy functions, the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands oversees the operation of the Buildings and Lands Department, Environmental Protection Department, Planning Department and Drainage Services Department, as well as the Land Office of the Registrar General's Department and part of the work of the Territory Development Department, Civil Engineering Department, and Agriculture and Fisheries Department.
The Secretary for Works oversees and has policy responsibility for the works agency activities of the Architectural Services Department, Civil Engineering Department, Drainage Services Department, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, Highways Depart- ment, Territory Development Department and Water Supplies Department.
Following the announcement of the massive port and airport development project, a New Airport Works Division (NAWD) was set up in April 1990 under the Secretary for Works to co-ordinate this development.
With the expansion of the co-ordination, monitoring and publicity functions of the NAWD, and in the light of the government's stated commitment to the implementation of the major infrastructure projects in the Port and Airport Development Strategy, there was an urgent need to strengthen the organisational structure and staffing of the NAWD to