Q 17-
B.0.0. Work.
WORKS UNDER THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE.
27. Great activity in all classes of building work continued throughout the year under review.
Increases both in the number of European residences and Chinese tenement houses have to be recorded.
The European type development centred chiefly along Prince Edward Road, Kowloon, and the adjoining areas and in Hong Kong areas at Wong Nei Chong, Tai Hang and Causeway Bay have proved satisfactory sites for European style houses.
Construction of Chinese tenement houses proceeded apace on the Praya East Reclamation, no fewer than 248 being completed up to date, with an even greater number in course of construction.
In all other areas development proceeded normally.
A noticeable feature of present buildings which might be recorded is the almost universal adoption of fireproof construction. Recent legislation requiring all new staircases in tenement houses to be of fireproof construction is another advance in attaining improved dwellings.
The policy now in force of requiring frontagers to set back their building lines to allow of 10 foot clear footpaths where verandahs are to be erected is proving satisfactory.
There were slightly fewer buildings of a "non-domestic" character dealt with during the year under review than in the year preceding.
Attention is drawn to the graph embodied in this Report which is of interest as showing the number of plans approved and houses completed during the period 1905-1930.
28. Plans.-The following is a tabulated statement showing the number and type of buildings, in connection with which plans were deposited during the year. The figures for 1929 are given in a parallel column for purposes of comparison:-
Buildings, &c. 1929 1930 Increase Decrease New European houses, 217 282 New Chinese houses, 344 1,432 1,088 New Buildings and Structures other than the above, 282 270 12 Alterations and additions to existing buildings, 1,960 2,095 135 Verandahs, 790 1,268 478 Balconies, 154 499 345 Sunshades. 1 3 Canopies, Piers 5 Wells, 189 309 120 Total,... 4,447 6,158 1,731