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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1987
AFTER THOROUGH DISCUSSIONS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK, MEMBERS FELT THAT SUCH RESTRICTION WAS "NEITHER REALISTIC NOR PRACTICAL".
"NOT REALISTIC BECAUSE UNDER EXISTING REGULATIONS, SMALL HOUSES ARE EXEMPTED FROM BUILDINGS ORDINANCE PROCEDURES WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE BUILT OR OWNED BY INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS.
"THE PROPOSAL IN THE BILL TO RESTRICT THE EXEMPTION TO INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS ONLY WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE MARKET VALUB, SALE AND MORTGAGE OF SMALLL HOUSES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, SAID.
+ MR CHENG
EXPLAINING WHY THE RESTRICTION WAS NOT PRACTICAL, HR SAID OWNERS OF MANY SMALL HOUSES WHO WERE NON-INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS WOULD FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO REBUILD THEIR HOUSES ON SITE BECAUSE OF MANY REQUIRMENTS WHICH HAD TO BE COMPLIED WITH IF THE EXEMPTION CEASED TO BE APPLICABLE.
MR CHENG SAID THE AD HOC GROUP WAS PLEASED THAT THE GOVERNMENT, ON RECONSIDERATION, AGREED THAT AMENDMENTS SHOULD BE MADE ΤΟ CLAUSE 5(A) TO REMOVE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS VILLAGERS.
WITH THE AMENDMENTS TO BE MOVED AT THE COMMITTEE SAID THE BILL WOULD EMERGE AS
D A VERY MUCH IMPROVED AND PRACTICAL PIECE OF LEGISLATION".
STAGE, HE MUCH MORE
MOREOVER, MR CHENG FELT THERE MIGHT BE GOOD REASONS TO ALLOW CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS FROM THE BUILDING ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS FOR SMALL BUILDING WORKS WHICH WOULD INCLUDE SMALL HOUSES OUTSIDE THE NEW
TERRITORIES.
THE
HE THEREFORE HOPED THAT GOVERNMENT WOULD IN DUE COURSE REVIEW BUILDINGS ORDINANCE AND CONSIDER EXTENDING THE EXEMPTION
APPROPRIATELY.
MR CHENG EXPLAINED THAT THE BIL.I. WHICH WAS AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE EXISTING BUILDINGS ORDINANCE NOW REING REPEALED, RAISED THE HEIGHT OF SMALL HOUSES FROM 7.62 METRES TO 8.23 METRES TO FACILITATE THREE-STOREY HOUSES WITH REASONABLE CEILING
[I]יT
ONSTRUCTION
יונ
HEIGHT AND VENTILATION.
THE BILL ALSO PROVIDED CERTAINTY OF EXEMPTION TO VARIOUS CLASSES OF BUILDINGS AND BUILDING WORKS BY INTRODUCING THE ISSUE OF CERTIFICATES OF EXEMPTION FREE OF CHARGE.
AT THE SAME TIME, CONDITIONS RELATING TO SAFETY AND HEALTH MIGHT BE IMPOSED ON THE CERTIFICATES, THUS ENSURING THE SAFETY AND HYGIENE OF SMALL HOUSES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
EXEMPTION FOR SITE FORMATION AND DRAINAGE WORK MIGHT ALSO BE GIVEN, BUT BY SEPARATE CERTIFICATES, HE ADDED.
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