- 3-
"In 1991, the Town Planning (Amendment) Ordinance was enacted as a means to contain the problem. Under this ordinance, those conversions that had already taken place when various plans under the ordinance were published were recognised as 'existing uses', and therefore legal.
"While those established after publication of the plans were treated as 'unauthorised development' and are subject to enforcement action," Mr Hay said.
Mr Hay said the task force, supported by a multi-disciplinary team of land, planning, landscape and technical/field staff, will adopt a concentrated approach of land administration measures, including:
clearance of operations that occupy government land illegally, followed by reinstatement work, for example, landscaping;
lease forcement action against those operations that have illegal structures on site;
liaising with owners/operators with a view to improving the operations on site and reducing the impact of environmental degradation;
improving the operations on land held under short-term tenancy & short- term waiver to reduce environmental degradation;
possible termination of offensive short-term tenancies and short-term waivers;
possible termination by negotiation of some very offensive operations;
possible relocation of some operations to more suitable sites; and
liaison with other government departments and outside consultants on the overall problems and to consider alternative approaches to deal with them, for example, legislative amendments.
End/Saturday, January 14, 1995