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A set of notes is attached to each statutory plan, indicating the uses in particular zones that are always permitted and those which require TPB permission. In 2007, the TPB considered 976 applications for planning permission and reviewed its decisions on 97 applications.
Applicants who are aggrieved by the decisions of the TPB may lodge appeals with the independent Town Planning Appeal Boards. In 2007, the appeal boards heard 18 cases, 11 of which were dismissed, six were allowed and one had yet to be determined.
The TPB also promulgates guidelines on applications for developments in areas covered by statutory plans. In 2007, two sets of guidelines were revised. By year-end, there were 29 sets of guidelines.
Planning Enforcement
The Town Planning (Amendment) Ordinance 1991 provides the Planning Authority (the Director of Planning) with enforcement powers against 'unauthorised developments' (UDs) in areas covered by DPA plans or OZPs which replaced DPA plans. Within these areas, all developments are deemed unauthorised unless they were either in existence before the DPA plans were gazetted, or were permitted under the relevant statutory plans or covered by valid planning permissions. The Planning Authority may serve statutory notices on the respective landowners, occupiers and/or responsible persons, requiring them to discontinue a UD by a specified date or reinstate the land. Non-compliance with a notice is a statutory offence.
In 2007, 421 new UDs were detected in the rural areas. Most were related to uses such as open storage of vehicles, containers, construction machinery and related materials, container trailer parks, public car parks and workshops. The Planning Authority issued to offenders a total of 3 788 warning letters and reminders for 671 cases, 2 150 enforcement notices for 352 cases, 10 stop notices for three cases, 234 reinstatement notices for 35 cases, and 1 668 compliance notices for 249 cases. A total of 157 defendants in 43 cases were convicted in 2007. The average fine meted out was $14,916. Fines ranged from $1,500 to $400,000. During the year, enforcement actions resulted in the discontinuation of 304 UDs which occupied 56 hectares of land, and the regularisation through the planning application system of another 70 UDs covering 27 hectares of land.
Departmental Plans
Outline development plans and layout plans are administrative plans prepared by the Planning Department. Detailed planning parameters are shown on these plans to facilitate the coordination of public works, land sales and the reservation of land for specific uses. There were 76 outline development plans and 294 layout plans in 2007.
Cross-boundary Planning and Development
Cross-boundary surveys are commissioned regularly to collect statistical information on various aspects of cross-boundary activities, such as travel pattern and behaviour, Hong Kong people's experience of and aspirations for taking up residence