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Planning, Land and Infrastructure
conducted in Tuen Mun, Lamma Island and North District. Archaeological features including ancient wells and stone building remnants dated to the Song-Yuan period were discovered at the works site for To Kwa Wan MTR station along the Shatin to Central Link. Most of these unearthed features will be preserved in situ for future public display.
The Antiquities Advisory Board advises the government on matters relating to antiquities and monuments. As at end-2016, it had confirmed the gradings of 1,3421 historic buildings to provide an objective basis for guiding conservation efforts. Blocks 7, 10 and 25 of the old Lei Yue Mun Barracks in Chai Wan were declared monuments during the year, in accordance with the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance.
Development Framework
Planning Control and Enforcement
The Planning Authority has enforcement powers under the Town Planning Ordinance to tackle unauthorised developments (UDs) in development permission areas. It may serve statutory notices on the respective landowners, occupiers and other responsible persons, requiring them to stop or discontinue a UD within a specified time. A further statutory notice may be served later to require the site to be reinstated. Non-compliance is a statutory offence.
In 2016, the Planning Authority discovered 447 new UDs, including unauthorised open storage, workshops, vehicle parks and land/pond fillings, and issued 3,458 warning letters or reminders involving 660 cases, 2,014 enforcement notices involving 373 cases, 650 reinstatement notices involving 100 cases and 2,319 compliance notices involving 347 cases. A total of 171 defendants in 61 cases were convicted. The enforcement and prosecution actions resulted in the discontinuation of 335 UDs on 72 hectares of land. Another 35 UDs occupying 8 hectares of land were regularised through the planning application system.
Land Management and Lease Enforcement
The Lands Department manages 452 properties which have been reverted to government ownership through surrender, lease expiry, re-entry and other similar actions. During the year, it took over 34 properties for management and disposed of seven properties.
The department keeps a register of man-made slopes and is responsible for the maintenance and safety of about 20,000 of them. It inspects these slopes regularly and, in 2016, oversaw routine maintenance and improvement works on 7,090 and 192 slopes respectively. The department's website provides information about the responsibility for maintenance of registered slopes.
The department administers a Small House Policy for indigenous villagers in the New Territories and approves the rebuilding of old village houses. In 2016, it approved 858 applications to build small houses and 370 applications to rebuild old village houses. The department processes rent exemption requisitions for indigenous villagers' rural properties in accordance with exemption criteria listed in the Government Rent (Assessment and Collection) Ordinance.
1 This figure comprises items on the list of 1,444 historic buildings and new items proposed for grading.
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