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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1989
NEW DEPARTMENT WILL PROVIDE MORE EFFECTIVE PLANNING
THE CREATION OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS TO PRODUCE A SINGLE PLANNING AGENCY THAT CAN DEAL MORE AUTHORITATIVELY AND EFFECTIVELY WITH ALL PLANNING MATTERS.
THE NEW DEPARTMENT'S DIRECTOR, MR ROBERT UPTON, SAID DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES WILL COVER PLANNING FOR ALL USE REQUIREMENTS OF HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT COVERING BOTH RURAL AREAS.
THAT HIS
THE LAND
URBAN AND
THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL ON JANUARY 1.
BY THEN, RESPONSIBILITIES AND STAFF FOR PLANNING WILL BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS BRANCH {PELB), THE BUILDINGS AND LANDS DEPARTMENT (BLD) AND THE TERRITORY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT (TDD) TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVED ON FRIDAY THE CREATION OP THE POSTS OF DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND TWO CHIEF TOWN PLANNERS WITH EFFECT FROM DECEMBER 1, ONE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT TOWN PLANNER AND TWO CHIEF TOWN PLANNERS FROM JANUARY 1, AND ANOTHER CHIEF TOWN PLANNER FROM APRIL 1
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THE COMMITTEE ALSO APPROVED THE TRANSFER OF A NUMBER OF DIRECTORATE POSTS AND NON-DIRECTORATE POSTS FROM PELB, BLD AND TDD TO THE NEW DEPARTMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT IS OF THE VIEW THAT A CENTRAL PLANNING ORGANISATION IS CALLED FOR TO COPE WITH THE CHANGING PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT AND APPROACHES TO PLANNING IN HONG KONG.
THE CHANGES INCLUDE SUCH MATTERS AS INCREASING EMPHASIS ON - LARGE-SCALE REDEVELOPMENT AND RESTRUCTURING OF THE OLDER URBAN AREAS, THE NEED TO UPGRADE RURAL AREAS, THE PROVISION OF NEW INFRASTRUCTURE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENT OF THE TERRITORY THROUGH THE INTRODUCTION OF MAJOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES RELATED
то THE PORT AND THE AIRPORT, AND THE GENERAL NEED TO IMPROVE LAND USE/TRANSPORT RELATIONSHIP.
"THE PLANNING ISSUES INVOLVED ARE COMPLEX AND INTER-RELATED.
"THIS DEMANDS GREATER INTEGRATION ON THE ONE HAND BETWEEN PLANNING AT THE STRATEGIC, SUB-REGIONAL AND DISTRICT LEVELS TO ENSURE SMOOTH IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANNING PROPOSALS AND ON THE OTHER HAND) AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL BETWEEN THE FUNCTIONA OF STATUTORY PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT CONTROL AND ACTION PLANNING, MR UPTON SAID.
AREAS PLANNING
HE SAID THERE WILL BE DISTRICT PLANNING OFFICERS FOR ALL OF THE TERRITORY WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL DISTRICT MATTERS, STATUTORY AND NON-STATUTORY, IN THEIR OWN AREAS,
/"THE MEIRO
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