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Measures to address urban renewal problems
The Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, Mr Bowen Leung, today (Wednesday) announced a package of measures to address urban renewal problems immediately and longer term proposals to speed up and widen the scope of urban redevelopment.
The immediate measures are:
Housing Society will act as rehousing agent for the Land Development Corporation (LDC) to improve the standard and range of rehousing to those affected by urban renewal. This will enable LDC to concentrate on the planning, site assembly and implementation aspects of projects.
Three sites will be granted to Housing Society at 1/3 of the full market value for the construction of about 2,000 additional flats for rehousing purposes to support the currently planned LDC projects.
The Housing Authority will be requested to extend from six to 12 months, the priority in allocation of public housing for affected households.
The Government will grant land to LDC to implement a linked-site scheme where profit obtained in developing Government land will be used to cross-subsidise financially non-viable projects to improve the living environment.
The Planning, Environment and Lands Branch is to set up a dedicated urban renewal team to strengthen co-ordination among concerned parties and to oversee and monitor the implementation of the new urban renewal policy and projects.
In addition, LDC will continue to make offers above existing market value in property acquisition and to keep open the options of "flat-for-flat" exchange and "owners participation".
In the longer term, Mr Leung said: "We will consider upgrading the LDC to a statutory Urban Renewal Authority, and measures to encourage proper building maintenance through the creation of a Rehabilitation Fund and to facilitate private land owners to redevelop their properties.