XN000022-1987-01-14 — Page 40

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1987

ORDINANCE ADEQUATE TO MEET TOWN PLANNING CONTROLS

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THE TOWN PLANNING ORDINANCE HAS ON THE WHOLE PROVED ADEQUATE TOGETHER WITH OTHER STATUTORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS, TO MEET THE NEED FOR PLANNING CONTROLS IN HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON GRAHAM BARNES, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON POON CHI-FAI MR BARNES SAID GOVERNMENT WAS STILL CONSIDERING WHETHER TO EXTEND STATUTORY PLANNING CONTROL TO RURAL AREAS, WHICH HAD BEEN AFFECTED BY HAPHAZARD DEVELOPMENT IN THE PAST.

HE SAID HE HOPED THAT A DECISION COULD BE MADE SHORTLY AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH INTERESTED PARTIES.

+IT IS ALSO CONSIDERING A NUMBER OF MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE BASED ON SUGGESTIONS MADE BY THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF PLANNERS AND OTHERS,+ HE ADDED.

THE ORDINANCE WAS UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW BY A WORKING GROUP OF THE LAND AND BUILDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF AN INTENSELY DYNAMIC DEVELOPMENT SCENE, AND CONSIDERABLE MANOEUVRE IN OUR LEASEHOLD AND ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONTROLS, I DOUBT WHETHER MORE COMPREHENSIVE STATUTORY CONTROLS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL AT PRESENT, MR BARNES SAID.

PROBLEM TRAFFIC SITES IDENTIFIED FOR PRIORITY INVESTIGATION

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AMONG VARIOUS STEPS TAKEN TO IMPROVE SAFETY AT TRAFFIC +PROBLEM SPOTS+, A RANGE OF SITES WITH HIGH ACCIDENT RATES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND RANKED IN ORDER OF PRIORITY FOR INVESTIGATION BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON DAVID LAN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO THE QUESTION BY THE HON LEE YU-TAI, MR LAN CLASSIFIED THESE PRIORITY SITES AS THOSE +WHICH HAVE, IN A 12-MONTH PERIOD, AT LEAST (A) SIX PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS; (B) 12 ACCIDENTS OF ANY CATEGORY OR (C) NINE ACCIDENTS, OF WHICH AT LEAST 50 PER CENT ARE CLASSIFIED AS INVOLVING FATAL OR SERIOUS INJURY+.

HOWEVER, HE SAID, THE CRITERIA WERE FREQUENTLY REVIEWED AND WERE ADJUSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACCIDENT SITUATION AND STAFF RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

/+A DECREE

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