Chapter 12
Infrastructure Development
and Heritage Conservation
The Government is committed to building new infrastructure to meet the growing needs of a progressive Hong Kong. It aims to strike a pragmatic balance among the varied objectives of development, providing a better living environment, and conserving heritage through public engagement and consensus building.
Organisational Framework
The Development Bureau was established on July 1, 2007 following the re- organisation of the Government Secretariat's Policy Bureaux. It consists of two policy branches: the Planning and Lands Branch, and the Works Branch.
The Planning and Lands Branch is responsible for the policy governing planning, development, land use and supply, urban renewal, building safety, and land registration. Its policy objectives are to facilitate Hong Kong's continual development through effective planning and use of land, a steady and sufficient supply of land, efficient registration of land, promoting and ensuring building safety and timely maintenance, and facilitating urban renewal. The Works Branch is responsible for formulating public works policies and coordinating and monitoring the implementation of public works projects. It also takes charge of policy matters on greening, water supply, slope safety, flood prevention well as heritage conservation.
The Development Bureau has been set up to better coordinate major infrastructure projects that are essential in consolidating Hong Kong's position as a world city. To this end, the bureau oversees the planning and lands group of departments as well as the works group of departments, namely, the Planning Department, Lands Department, Buildings Department, Land Registry, Architectural Services Department, Civil Engineering and Development Department, Drainage Services Department, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, and Water Supplies Department. The reorganisation of these nine government departments under one roof ensures more efficient coordination and resolution of inter- departmental issues relating to infrastructure development at an early stage.
211