XN000022-1989-04-12 — Page 7

LON

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1989

SOUTHERN CHINA TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN DEVELOPMENTS ARE PLANNED

* * * * *

THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF THE NEW FACILITIES IN SOUTHERN CHINA WOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN DECIDING ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE PORT AND AIRPORT NEEDS, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON GRAHAM BARNES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON KINGSLEY SIT, SAID FORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES DEVELOPMENT OF PORT AND AIRPORT FACILITIES IN BOTH PLACES CONSIDERED AS AND WHEN MORE DETAILED PLANS COULD BE DRAWN THIS YEAR.

MR BARNES ON THE

WOULD BE UP LATER

BETWEEN

HONG

"FORMAL LIAISON ON PORT AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENTS KONG AND THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES LAST TOOK PLACE IN LATE 1987.

"HOWEVER, LESS FORMAL EXCHANGES ALSO TAKE PLACE FROM TIME то TIME ESPECIALLY AT AN OPERATIONAL AND TECHNICAL LEVEL, HE SAID.

tu

HEIGHT RESTRICTION ON SALE SITE EXPLAINED

SALE

THE 220-METRE HEIGHT RESTRICTION TO BE IMPOSED ON THE SITE BETWEEN THE BANK OF CHINA BUILDING AND MURRAY BUILDING WAS AIMED AT PRODUCING A SCALED GRADATION BETWEEN THE BANK OF CHINA AND THE NEARBY LOWER DEVELOPMENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON GRAHAM BARNES, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHENG HON-KWAN, MR BARNES SAID THE DECISION TO IMPOSE THE RESTRICTION WAS TAKEN FOLLOWING A PLANNING STUDY OF THIS AND ADJACENT SITES.

"IT IS AIMED AT PRODUCING A SCALED GRADATION BETWEEN THE BANK OF CHINA AND THE LOWER DEVELOPMENT AT MURRAY BUILDING AND ST JOHN'S CATHEDRAL. LIMITATION TO 220 METRES WILL NOT RESULT IN A REDUCTION PLOT RATIO AND WILL SECURE GOOD LINES OF SIGHT FROM THE NEW BUILDING," HE SAID.

IN

MR BARNES ADDED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL IN THIS

DECISION.

"PLANNING RESTRICTIONS ARE FREQUENTLY INCLUDED IN LEASE CONDITIONS IN THE INTEREST OF LANDSCAPING AND THE ENVIRONMENT, PARTICULARLY IN THE CONTROL OF SIGNIFICANT SITES AND WHERE BUILDINGS MAY BREAK THE SKY-LINE OR INTRODUCE AN UNWANTED TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT INTO THE AREA.

"SPECIFIED HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE GENERALLY BETTER AND MORB HELPFUL TO TENDERERS THAN APPLICATION OF DISCRETIONARY CONTROLS OVER DESIGN DISPOSITION AND HEIGHT WHICH ARE CONTAINED IN MANY PRESENT LEASE CONDITIONS," MR BARNES SAID.

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