(c)
(d)
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whether the Kwai Tsing District Lands Office has carried out inspections to ascertain if there are any industrial buildings in Kwai Tsing that are illegally used as office premises in the past year; if so, of the number of industrial buildings inspected, the number of industrial buildings found to have been used as office premises illegally and the number of prosecutions instituted against the building owners concerned; and
How the statistics mentioned in the answer to (c) above compare with those in other districts?
Reply:
Mr President,
(a)
(b)
The Government has undertaken publicity through various media including television, radio and the press from time to time on the illegal use of industrial buildings beyond the allowable office use ratio. Inspection checks are also made at periodic intervals. We consider the current level of actions taken appropriate and effective to tackle the problem.
Vacancy rates of offices and flatted factories in Tsuen Wan in 1993 to 1995 are as follows -
Year
Offices
1993
21.4%
1994
17.8%
1995
11.5%
Flatted factories
6.2%
5.7%
6.6%
(c)
The above figures for Tsuen Wan include Kwai Chung, Tsing Yi, Nga Ying Chau, Ting Kau, Sham Tseng and Tsing Lung Tau. There are no separate figures for Kwai Tsing. Statistics for 1996 are being compiled. There is no record of the percentage of sale or letting of these properties. Factory buildings illegally used as office premises are still classified as flatted factories.
In 1996, District Lands Office, Kwai Tsing has conducted 303 inspections on industrial premises. The number of cases of illegal use discovered was 9. As the illegal use constitutes a breach of lease conditions, lease enforcement action has been taken including warnings and initiation of re-entry or vesting actions.