TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1981
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LIFTING OF MID-LEVELS BUILDING BAN EXPECTED
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THE TEMPORARY RESTRICTION ON BUILDING DEVELOPMENT IN THE MID-LEVELS WILL PROBABLY BE LIFTED NEXT YEAR, BUT NEW WORKS IN THE AREA WILL BE SUBJECT TO GEOTECHNICAL CONTROLS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF HILLSIDES AFFECTED.
THE BUILDING BAN WAS INTRODUCED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN MAY 1979 BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN THAT UNRESTRICTED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES MIGHT HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE STABILITY OF THE SLOPES IN AND AROUND THE EXISTING DEVELOPED AREA. IT WAS ENACTED FOR A PERIOD UP TO DECEMBER 31, 1981 FOR A DETAILED GEOTECHNICAL SURVEY TO BE CARRIED OUT TO ESTABLISH WHAT RESTRICTIONS AND CONTROLS WERE NEEDED FOR FUTURE BUILDING WORKS IN THE AREA.
THE STUDY SHOWS THAT TO ENSURE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE MID-LEVELS IS CARRIED OUT SAFELY, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO IMPOSE A NUMBER OF GEOTECHNICAL CONTROLS WHICH TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE OVERALL STABILITY OF THE HILLSIDE AS WELL AS THE LOCAL STABILITY AT INDIVIDUAL SITES. THESE CONTROLS CONCERN STANDARDS OF GEOTECHNICAL DESIGN, SITE SUPERVISION, DEMOLITION, TEMPORARY WORKS AND GROUND WATER DRAINAGE.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID PROVIDED NEW BUILDING WORKS WERE DESIGNED, SUPERVISED AND CONSTRUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONTROLS, THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO CONTINUE THE BAN IN THE MORATORIUM AREA - THE HILLSIDE BETWEEN GLENEALY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.
BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY AND EXTENT OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE MADE TO THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS, IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO INTRODUCE THE NEW LEGISLATION BEFORE THE TEMPORARY RESTRICTION EXPIRES ON DECEMBER 31.
IT IS THEREFORE PROPOSED THAT THE BUILDING BAN IN THE
AND MID-LEVELS SHOULD BE EXTENDED FOR A FURTHER THREE MONTHS A RESOLUTION TO PUT THIS INTO EFFECT WILL BE MOVED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AT ITS NEXT MEETING ON DECEMBER 9.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE GEOTECHNICAL STUDY, WHICH HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED, INVOLVED THOROUGH INVESTIGATIONS BY A TEAM OF ENGINEERS FROM THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, CONSULTING ENGINEERS AND SPECIALIST CONSULTANTS.
ALTHOUGH THE STUDY DEALT WITH THE GENERAL SLOPES RAHTER THAN AT INDIVIDUAL SITES, THE INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL PROVIDE DEVELOPERS WITH MUCH BASIC INFORMATION ON THE GEOLOGY, HYDROLOGY, GROUND WATER RESPONSE TO RAINFALL AND THE SHEAR STRENGTH OF COLLUVIUM AND RESIDUAL SOILS IN THE MID-LEVELS.
/+THEREFORE THE