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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1989
THE GOVERNMENT HAD JUST SOLD A SITE IN WAN CHAI WHICH SHOULD YIELD ABOUT 108,000 SQUARE METRES OF NEW OFFICE SPACE AND PLANNED TO SELL ANOTHER SITE IN CENTRAL WHICH WOULD YIELD ABOUT A FURTHER 110,000 SQUARE METRES, MR BARNES SAID, WHILE POINTING OUT THAT THIS ACCOMMODATION WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR SOME YEARS.
"AGAIN, GOVERNMENT IS REVIEWING ITS OWN LAND HOLDINGS WITH A VIEW TO PUTTING WHATEVER SITES IT CAN ON THE MARKET, BUT AGAIN THE EFFECT WILL BE SOME YEARS OFF," HE SAID.
"MORE IMMEDIATELY, A RECENT MINOR ADJUSTMENT OF THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD'S POLICY NOW AUTOMATICALLY PERMITS UP TO 30 PER CENT OF FACTORY ACCOMMODATION TO BE USED AS ANCILLARY OFFICE SPACE AND HAS AVOIDED CERTAIN INDUSTRIAL AND TRADING FIRMS HAVING ΤΟ ENTER THE MARKET FOR SEPARATE OFFICE PREMISES.
"AND SEVERAL APPLICATIONS FOR A GREATER PERCENTAGE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WHEN JUSTIFIED.
"HOWEVER, A GENERAL RELAXATION OF CONDITIONS OF INDUSTRIAL LOTS WOULD PRODUCE CONFLICTS WITH BUILDINGS REGULATIONS AND WOULD RESULT IN RENTAL PRESSURE BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR, MR BARNES SAID.
HE SAID IN THE MEDIUM AND LONGER TERM THERE WERE OF COURSE LAND FORMATION PROGRAMMES TO PROVIDE LAND FOR OFFICE DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL DISTRICT AND OTHER PLACES, BUT THESE WOULD PROVIDE LITTLE RELIEF IN THE IMMEDIATE RENT CYCLE.
"THEY ARE HOWEVER STILL VITAL TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND IN FACT THE BEST DIRECT ACTION THAT GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE TO HELP THE ECONOMY AT ANY TIME, MR BARNES SAID.
POLICE OPERATIONAL WORK NOT AFFECTED
*
POLICE OPERATIONAL TASKS ARE NOT BEING AFFECTED BY CURRENT MANPOWER WASTAGE AND VACANCIES WITHIN THE POLICE FORCE, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON LEUNG WAI-TUNG, MR BARNES POINTED OUT THAT THE WASTAGE AND RECRUITMENT SITUATION DID NOT COMPARE UNFAVOURABLY WITH OTHER DISCIPLINED SERVICES AND THE CIVIL SERVICE A WHOLE.
AS
"BUT WE