WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1993
2
PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO STEP UP PROSECUTION
PEOPLE WHO CHANGE LAND USES OR UNDERTAKE DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN DEVELOPMENT PERMISSION AREAS (DPA) WITHOUT THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD'S PERMISSION WILL BE PROSECUTED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE DIRECTOR PLANNING, DR PETER PUN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
OF
SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE DETAILS, DR PUN NOTED THAT HIS STAFF HAD BEEN REDEPLOYED AND SPECIALLY TRAINED, AND A CENTRAL ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTION SECTION HAD JUST BEEN SET UP WITHIN HIS DEPARTMENT, TO PURSUE THE TASK.
THE DIRECTOR EXPLAINED THAT SINCE THE ENACTMEnt of THE TOWN PLANNING ORDINANCE AND THE PUBLICATION OF DPA PLANS IN 1991, THE PLANNING AUTHORITY HAD BEEN UNDERTAKING ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS UNDER SECTION 23 OF THE ORDINANCE BY SERVING NOTICES ON PEOPLE CARRYING UNAUTHORISED DEVELOPMENTS.
OUT
"ALLEGED OFFENDERS WERE GIVEN A CHANCE TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE NOTICES BY EITHER DISCONTINUING THE UNAUTHORISED DEVELOPMENTS OR OBTAINING PLANNING PERMISSION.
"UP TO NOW, PROSECUTION HAS ONLY BEEN INSTIGATED FOR NON-
中車
COMPLIANCE WITH THE NOTICES, THE DIRECTOR SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT ONE OF THE REASONS FOR NOT TAKING IMMEDIATE PROSECUTION ACTIONS IN THE PAST WAS THE PUBLIC'S UNFAMILARITY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS WHEN THE DPA SYSTEM WAS FIRST INTRODUCED.
"IT IS TIME TO TAKK TOUGHER ACTIONS NOW BY PROSECUTING OFFENDERS WITHOUT NECESSARILY GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF SERVING NOTICES.
41
"THE SYSTEM HAS NOW BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER TWO YEARS AND PEOPLE CONCERNED SHOULD BE WELL AWARE OF THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, THE DIRECTOR SAID.
UP TO SEPTEMBER 1993, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS INVESTIGATED 174 CASES OF SUSPECTED UNAUTHORISED DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
SUCH DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDED STORAGE OF CONTAINERS AND TRAILERS, DUMPING AND SITE FORMATION WORK, STORAGE OF OTHER MATERIALS, CAR PARKING OR STRIPPING YARDS AND WORKSHOPS.
AFTER INVESTIGATION, A TOTAL OF 574 ENFORCEMENT NOTICES IN RESPECT OF 85 CASES, 20 STOP NOTICES IN RESPECT OF FOUR CASES AND FOUR REINSTATEMENT NOTICES IN RESPECT OF ONE CASE HAVE BEEN SERVED.
NINETEEN CASES HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED AFTER THE ISSUE OF THE
NOTICES.
UP TILL NOW, 30 DEFENDENTS IN NINE CASES HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED, AMONG WHOM 11 HAVE BEEN CONVICTED AND FINED FROM $7, 500 TO $81,500, TWO ARE WAITING FOR THE COURT'S DECISION AND 17 WILL TAKE PLEA IN DUE COURSE.
/3