222 Land, Public Works and Utilities
Engineering and Development Department and Electrical and Mechanical Services Department.
The Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Planning and Lands) is the chairman of the Town Planning Board (TPB). The TPB is a statutory body, established under the Town Planning Ordinance. It is responsible for making town plans and considering planning applications for individual projects in Hong Kong.
Review of the Town Planning Ordinance
The existing Town Planning Ordinance was enacted in 1939 and is revised from time to time to meet the requirements of the changing social and economic environment in Hong Kong.
The Town Planning (Amendment) Bill 2003 was introduced into the Legislative Council in May 2003 and finally came into force on June 10, 2005. Its main objectives are to streamline the plan-making process and planning approval procedures, enhance the openness and transparency of the planning system and strengthen planning enforcement control in the rural New Territories. To facilitate the implementation of the Amendment Ordinance, the TPB has promulgated eight sets of guidelines on the new procedures and requirements. The guidelines together with the new application forms and information pamphlets are available from the enquiry counters of the Planning Department or can be downloaded from websites of the Planning Department (www.pland.gov.hk) and the TPB (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).
Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines
Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines is a Government manual of criteria for determining the scale, location and site requirements of various land uses and facilities. The standards and guidelines apply to planning studies, the preparation or revision of town plans and development control. They are constantly under review to take account of changes in government policies, demographic characteristics and social and economic trends. During the year, the planning standards and guidelines for social welfare facilities, conservation and parking for hotels were revised. A new set of planning standards and guidelines on air ventilation is being formulated.
Individual chapters of the document are available for sale to the public and they can be seen on the Planning Department's website.
Territorial Development Strategy
The Territorial Development Strategy is the blueprint for the future development of Hong Kong. It provides a broad planning framework for land use, transport and the environment which covers the whole territory. It also serves as a basis for the preparation of sub-regional plans and more detailed district plans.
The last review of the strategy was completed in 1996. Work on the next review, 'Hong Kong 2030: Planning Vision and Strategy', which will take into account the emergence of new factors that have strategic planning implications, started in 2000. This study will assess Hong Kong's future development needs over a longer period