XN000022-1979-06-06 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, JUNË 6, 1979

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MID-LEVELS TEMPORARY BUILDING BAN

NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN SAFETY OF AREA

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THE TEMPORARY RESTRICTION OF BUILDING DEVELOPMENT (MID-LEVELS) BILL 1979 HAD ITS SECOND READING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL WAS MOVED BY THE ACTING

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. WILLIAM BELL.

MR. BELL SAID THE OBJECT OF THE BILL WAS TO INTRODUCE TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN BUILDING WORKS IN THE MID-LEVELS, THE RESTRICTIONS BEING NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE PRESENT SAFETY OF THE AREA, AND TO ENABLE COMPREHENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS OF THE HILLS IDE SLOPES TO BE CARRIED OUT+.

+THE GOVERNMENT'S CONCERN IS NOT SO MUCH THE EFFECT OF A SINGLE DEVELOPMENT AT AN INDIVIDUAL SITE, BUT THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF A LARGE NUMBER OF SUCH DEVELOPMENTS, HE SAID.

THE DETAILED INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE INVESTIGATIONS, HE SAID, WOULD ALLOW AN ASSESSMENT AND PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT TO BE MADE AS TO WHETHER RESTRAINTS NEED BE PLACED ON FUTURE BUILDING WORKS.

MR. BELL SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEED TO IMPOSE THESE RESTRICTIONS AT A TIME WHEN THE TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION WHICH MIGHT BE PRODUCED BY DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES IN THE AREA WAS IN EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH DEMAND AND SHORT SUPPLY.

+TO ALLEVIATE THE SHORTAGE, GOVERNMENT PLANS TO ACCELERATE THE RPOVISION ON SALE OF SITES SUITABLE FOR HIGH CLASS DEVELOPMENT. SITES ARE ALREADY UNDER EXAMINATION TO DETERMINE THE MEASURES NECESSARY TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE, AND EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO PUT THEM ON THE MARKET AT AN EARLY DATE, HE SAID.

THE SITES IN QUESTION ARE SITUATED IN A NUMBER OF LOCALITIES INCLUDING POK FU LAM, SHOUSON HILL, REPULSE BAY, RED HILL AND SHEK O ON HONG KONG ISLAND, AND LUNG CHEUNG ROAD, KOWLOON TSAI AND JATS INCLINE IN KOWLOON.

+THE ESTIMATED DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL IS OVER 2,000 LARGE FLATS, ALTHOUGH IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION MAY REDUCE THIS NUMBER,+ HE SAID.

MR. BELL ALSO SAID IT WAS PROPOSED TO LIFT THE RESTRICTIONS ON LEASE MODIFICATIONS AND NEW LAND SALES IN POK FU LAM.

+WHEN THESE RESTRICTIONS WERE INTRODUCED IN 1972 IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THEY WOULD REMAIN IN FORCE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WORKS PROCEEDED ON VARIOUS ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL AND THE WATER STREET LINK (NOW THE HILL ROAD FLYOVER).

+SINCE BOTH THESE PROJECTS ARE NOW IN HAND THESE RESTRICTIONS MAY NOW BE LIFTED, RELEASING AN ESTIMATED POTENTIAL OF SOME 1,200 ADDITIONAL FLATS FROM REDEVELOPMENT SCHEMES ALONE, HE ADDED.

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