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Infrastructure Development and Heritage Conservation
In 2012, the department handled 11,036 cases of unlawful occupation of government land, of which 8,154 cases required site clearance, and 962 cases of breaches of lease conditions.
Land Conveyancing
The Lands Department's Legal Advisory and Conveyancing Office provides legal advice and conveyancing services for government land transactions. These include the drafting of all government land disposal and lease modification documents and the checking of titles in land. acquisitions. It also processes applications for the sale of units under construction under the Lands Department Consent Scheme. In 2012, 21 applications, involving 12,246 residential units, were approved. The office also approves Deeds of Mutual Covenant. In 2012, 31 such deeds. were approved. It also processes apportionments of premium and government rents, and recovers arrears of government rents by taking re-entry or vesting action.
Survey, Mapping and Geospatial Information Service
The Lands Department's Survey and Mapping Office (SMO) provides survey and mapping services in support of land administration and infrastructure development. It produces topographical maps, carries out land boundary surveys and maintains a geodetic survey network. The SMO's Satellite Positioning Reference Station Network and Land Information System enable it to carry out survey and mapping activities more efficiently. The SMO also provides support to the Land Survey Authority to administer the Land Survey Ordinance which governs the registration and conduct of Authorised Land Surveyors as well as land boundary survey standards.
The Satellite Positioning Reference Station's data service supports positioning applications for mapping, construction works, navigation, land-use planning and scientific research. In 2012, the SMO and the Cartography and Cadastre Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government co-operated on a project to determine the transformation relationship between the geodetic co-ordinate systems of Hong Kong and Macao, thereby facilitating exchange of geodetic survey results and spatial information.
The SMO provides e-government service for the sale and supply of digital map products to the general public and government departments online through its 'Hong Kong Map Service' website. It also operates 'Geolnfo Map, a publicly accessible service which provides the general public with a convenient means of gaining access to digital maps and geospatial information provided by various departments through the Internet. The 'GeoMobile Map Hong Kong, which is a mobile version of the GeoInfo Map, allows users to view digital maps or search for community facilities with their mobile devices.
In 2012, the SMO launched a new digital map product, '3D Spatial Data, which shows ground features in three-dimensional and photo-realistic forms. It can be used to create a virtual 3D city model of Hong Kong or in different 3D applications to facilitate project planning and engineering construction works.
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