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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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capital works. In fact, the Council draws up Five Year Plans in many aspects. Such plans are for five years and they are forward looking, so in other words, the development strategy is sometimes for a period longer than five years. So if we draw up a rigid Ten Year Capital Works Plan at this juncture, are we actually making the five year plan software to suit ten year land use hardware? How are we going to plan the supply of land and facilities for urban planning? Having heard Ms. Chow just now, I am relieved. She mentioned broadening our vision to see farther and deeper. However, I must take some time here to explain the case. The development of the Urban Council will not be based solely on 10 year capital works projects.
If we review the white elephant of the Council, namely the Hong Kong Stadium, it fully reflects a big problem in UC facilities. What kind of capital facilities does Hong Kong need and what role is the Urban Council playing?
In March 96 last month, many of our colleagues attended the UC meeting. The Chairman clarified many times that UC did not interfere with or participate in the arrangements between Hong Kong Government and the Jockey Club with regard to the design of the Hong Kong Stadium. I really don't know how many of our citizens understand the Council's situation. I am afraid few do. No matter how much the Council is willing to give or whether the Council is unable to give more because of the system, as long as the Council is taking up the role to provide municipal facilities for the public and as long as the Council logo is displayed prominently outside the facilities, the responsibility stays with us. Those who wish to stage protests will appear at the front door of the Council unless we plan our facilities well and complete software and hardware works on target.
When I started to speak, I asked the Secretariat staff to help distribute some simple data. As you can see, in table 1, planning in Hong Kong is represented as three tiers. The top tier of territory-wide development strategy is to do with development strategy for the airport and port works. They are long term territory wide projects that extend from Hong Kong to China and South East Asia. The second tier of planning is for sub-districts. There are five districts. In table 2, one can see the entire Metroplan area which comprises the Urban Council's area plus new towns of Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing. One can see that the Metroplan and UC facilities are closely related. The third tier and below are district plans and plans stipulated by law. For example, OZPs stipulate the use of land. Contravention is an offence against the law and one may be prosecuted in a court of law. Looking at this third tier, I can see that the Metroplan has a lot to do with us. It takes into consideration the territory-wide development strategy and stipulates the target of urban development, the territory-wide policy and outline proposals.
Let me point out to Members that outline proposals refer to directional proposals on the use of major sites. In tables 3 and 4, it is suggested that office blocks be scattered along the MTR lines or at traffic interchanges. More
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