12
Planning, Land and Infrastructure
study to investigate the feasibility of redeveloping Queensway Plaza in Admiralty for commercial use (including Grade A office and retail use).
Kowloon East has the potential to supply about five million square metres of commercial/office floor area in addition to its existing supply of about two million square metres. To release potential commercial/office space, the government is rationalising and relocating existing government facilities in two areas of Kowloon East with a potential to supply 500,000 square metres of commercial/office floor space. In 2013-14, two government sites in Kowloon East were sold, providing about 113,000 square metres of commercial/office floor space.
Land Disposal
The government's policy objective is to increase land supply to cater for the community's housing and socio-economic development needs. The government abolished the Application Mechanism in 2013-14 and fully resumed the lead in selling government sites. The government includes in the Land Sale Programme sites that it anticipates can be made available for sale in the year, and announces quarterly Land Sale Programmes in advance, providing transparency and certainty for the market. The 2014-15 Land Sale Programme was announced in February 2014.
Government land is usually disposed of under the Land Sale Programme through public auction or tender for private residential, commercial and other developments. In 2014, 28 residential sites, one residential and commercial/hotel site, one commercial site, one commercial/office site, one commercial/office/hotel site, one hotel site, one marine fuelling station and four petrol filling stations (covering a total area of about 36.89 hectares) were sold for about $51.69 billion.
For leased land, lessees (commonly known as 'private landowners') who wish to change the terms of their existing leases (for instance, to redevelop in accordance with the prevailing town plan) may apply to the Lands Department for a lease modification or land exchange. Such applications are considered by the department acting as a private landlord. Approvals, if granted, are subject to terms and conditions, which may include the payment of premiums and administrative fees. In 2014, 125 lease modification and land exchange transactions were concluded, involving an area of about 50.94 hectares of land and land premiums amounting to about $7.37 billion.
Reclamation Outside Victoria Harbour
The government plans to carry out technical studies on reclamation outside Victoria Harbour. The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) has substantially completed an environmental impact assessment on the total environmental effects of proposed reclamation projects in the western Hong Kong waters. Preparatory work is also in hand for a major strategic study on the feasibility of constructing one or more artificial islands in the central waters between Hong Kong Island and Lantau for development of an 'East Lantau Metropolis'
Cavern Development
The Drainage Services Department has completed a feasibility study and has now started a more detailed investigation and design study on the relocation of the Sha Tin sewage
188