XN000022-1988-04-17 — Page 11

SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 1988

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HEIGHT RESTRICTION FOR VILLAGE HOUSES RELAXED

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS RELAXED THE HEIGHT RESTRICTION HOUSES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

OF VILLAGE

A PAMPHLET EXPLAINING THE NEW CRITERIA UNDER WHICH THE HEIGHT OF SMALL HOUSES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES CAN BE EXTENDED FROM THE EXISTING 7.62 METRES (25 FEET) TO 8.23 METRES (27 FEET) HAS JUST BEEN PUBLISHED.

THE PAMPHLET HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH VARIOUS OFFICIAL AND COMMUNITY OUTLETS.

SUMMARISING THE NEW REGULATION UNDER THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE (APPLICATION TO THE NEW TERRITORIES) ORDINANCE 1987, GOVERNMENT LAND AGENT, MR ROGER NISSIM, SAID THE RELAXED HEIGHT RESTRICTION IS BASED UPON CERTAIN CRITERIA.

"OF PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCE IS THE INCREASE IN THICKNESS OF THE LOAD-BEARING WALLS WHICH SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN (6.89 INCHES) IN CASE OF REINFORCED CONCRETE WALL, AND 340 MILLIMETRES (13.39 INCHES) FOR GROUND FLOOR; OR (8.86 INCHES) FOR UPPER FLOORS IN CASE OF BRICK WALLS,

+

175 MILLIMETRES NOT LESS THAN 225 MILLIMETRES

HE SAID.

SHALL BE

"NO DOORWAY, ARCHWAY WINDOW OR OTHER OPENING, ALLOWED IN THE LOAD-BEARING PARTY WALLS SEPARATING ONE UNIT FROM ANOTHER.

"CERTIFICATES OF EXEMPTION FOR BUILDING WORK, SITE FORMATION AND DRAINAGE WORK MUST BE OBTAINED FROM THE DISTRICT LANDS OFFICES PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF ANY BUILDING WORKS.

MR NISSIM EXPLAINED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WISHED ΤΟ IMPROVE THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THAT THIS WAS A PIECE OF A WIDER RANGE OF PROPOSALS THAT IT WISHED TO IMPLEMENT.

THE EMPHASIS IS TO ENSURE THAT NEW HOUSES ARE BUILT WITH ADEQUATE SAFETY STANDARDS AND WITH ADEQUATE SANITATION,

OF

MR NISSIM WARNED THAT FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS THIS NEW ORDINANCE WILL RESULT IN STRICT ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS, INCLUDING LEASE ENFORCEMENT AND RE-ENTRY ACTIONS BEING TAKEN AGAINST OFFENDERS.

OF THE

COPIES OF THE PAMPHLET OUTLINING THE MAIN PROVISIONS NEW ORDINANCE HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THE HEUNG YEE KUR, VARIOUS RURAL COMMITTEES AND VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

COPIES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON REQUEST FROM THE DISTRICT LANDS OFFICE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

TELEPHONE ENQUIRIES REGARDING THE ORDINANCE AND REQUESTS FOR COPIES OF THE PAMPHLET MAY BE DIRECTED то 5-296125 OF THE VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT SECTION, THE BUILDINGS AND LANDS DEPARTMENT.

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