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Planning, Land and Infrastructure
To address hazards caused by old and dilapidated buildings, the government plans to launch Operation Building Bright 2.0 at an estimated cost of $3 billion. The operation will focus on needy groups and provide substantial financial help to them for carrying out rehabilitation works pertinent to building safety. Subject to funding availability, the government plans to implement the operation in mid-2018.
On enforcement, the Buildings Department takes continuous action against unauthorised building works (UBWs), including carrying out large-scale operations on unauthorised signboards at target streets and applying for priority demolition orders against large. unauthorised signboards. It takes priority enforcement against UBWs that are new or under construction; constitute an obvious hazard or imminent danger to life or property, for example, by creating a high risk of fire or to a building's structural safety, including UBWs associated with subdivided units; or are found in New Territories Exempted Houses. UBWs erected on building exteriors, including rooftops, podiums and yards, are removed in an ongoing manner. In 2017, the department served 13,182 statutory removal orders and removed 27,683 UBWs. It also instigated 3,369 prosecution cases and secured 2,315 convictions in court for failure to comply with the orders, resulting in fines totalling $13.97 million. A publicity campaign by the department continued to foster a culture of building safety in the community.
Lifts and Escalators
The government implements long-term improvement measures to enhance the safety of lifts and escalators, including strengthening inspections, promoting modernisation of aged lifts and escalators, and releasing for public reference lift maintenance prices for private residential and commercial premises.
Greening, Landscape and Tree Management
The Greening, Landscape and Tree Management Section aims to invigorate the outdoor urban environment, enhance liveability and foster a sense of place towards Hong Kong's urban landscape. Its four priority areas are in promoting resilient and adaptive landscapes, enriching vegetation diversity, applying robust urban forestry principles, and enhancing blue and green eco-service networks.
The section promotes the principle of 'Right Tree, Right Place' and adopts a holistic approach to urban landscapes through quality landscape planning and design and diligent landscape management, supported by the life-cycle planning of trees as key urban forestry assets in the compact city of Hong Kong.
Guidelines are issued on proper urban arboricultural practices in tree risk assessment, management and maintenance for public safety, and are enforced under a broader sustainable urban forestry strategy.
The section also works to structure the education and practices of the arboriculture and horticulture industry and raise the industry's professional standing. In 2017, it helped form the Horticulture and Arboriculture Trade Confederation to facilitate industry communication and assisted the Arboriculture and Horticulture Industry Training Advisory Committee in developing a Specification of Competency Standards for the landscape industry.
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