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TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 1977
GOVERNMENT TAKES OVER VACATED BUILDING IN WAN CHAI
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THE UPPER FLOORS AND HALF OF THE SHOP SPACE OF A BUILDING AT NO. 370, HENNESSY ROAD, WAN CHAI, WERE TAKEN OVER BY THE GOVERNMENT THIS (TUESDAY) MORNING AFTER THE OCCUPANTS HAD COMPLETELY VACATED THE PREMISES.
THE BUILDING, ALONG WITH THREE OTHERS AT NO. 372, HENNESSY ROAD AND NOS. 2-4, TIN LOK LANE, ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE WIDENING OF THE TIN LOK LANÉ. PART OF A MAJOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO EASE THE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS IN THE WAN CHAI AREA,
THEY HAVE BEEN RESUMED BY THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH PROPER RESUMPTION PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE CROWN LANDS RESUMPTION ORDINANCE IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR.
COMMENTING ON THE TAKING OVER OF ONE OF THE BUILDINGS, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE REMAINING OCCUPANTS OF OTHER BUILDINGS WERE ALLOWED TO STAY UP TO AUGUST 24 THIS YEAR, THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING WAS IMMEDIATELY REQUIRED FOR CARRYING OUT PERMANENT STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS TO STABILISE THE ADJACENT BUILDING BEFORE ITS DEMOLITION.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE OWNERS OF THE BUILDINGS AFFECTED HAD BEEN COMPENSATED FOR THEIR PROPERTIES AT MARKET VALUE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CROWN LANDS RESUMPTION ORDINANCE WHILE ALL OCCUPIERS HAD BEEN GIVEN EX-GRATIA COMPENSATION, CALCULATED ON A RANGE OF RATES UP TO $21 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR DOMESTIC ACCOMMODATION AND UP TO $42 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR BUSINESS OCCUPATION.
IN ADDITION, ELIGIBLE DOMESTIC TENANTS HAD ALSO BEEN GIVEN ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, HE ADDED.
FOR THE DOMESTIC TENANTS IN THE BUILDINGS AFFECTED, ALL OF THEM HAVE MOVED OUT AND HANDED BACK THEIR PREMISES AFTER HAVING RECEIVED THEIR EX-GRATIA COMPENSATION. A TOTAL OF 27 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH NEW HOMES IN THE PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.
THERE ARE STILL FIVE SHOPS AND TWO WORKSHOPS REMAINING IN THE BUILDINGS. THE OPERATORS ARE ALSO URGED TO ACCEPT THE OFFER MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT AND TO MOVE OUT OF THE PREMISES WITHOUT DELAY.
THE OPERATORS HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THEY MAY, IF THEY DISAGREE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S OFFER OF COMPENSATION, ACCEPT PAYMENT OF THAT OFFER WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE IR RIGHTS TO SUBSEQUENTLY SUBMIT A CLAIM TO THE GOVERNMENT AND, IF SUCH CLAIM IS NOT ACCEPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT, TO REFER THEIR CLAIM TO THE LANDS TRIBUNAL, WHICH IS AN INDEPENDENT BODY, FOR DETERMINATION.
THE SPOKESMAN