XN000022-1994-02-08 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1994

MANY TARGETS ACHIEVED IN LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL WORK

*

THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, SAID 1993 WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE YEAR FOR HIS BRANCH; WITH MAJOR TARGETS ACHIEVED IN THE LAND AND HOUSING FIELDS AND IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

SPEAKING AT A MEET-THE-MEDIA SESSION TODAY (TUESDAY), MR EASON SAID HE WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT GOOD QUANTITIES OF LAND WERE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT DURING THE YEAR.

HE SAID IN 1993 SALE OF NEW LAND AMOUNTED TO 25 HECTARES. ANOTHER 174 HECTARES WERE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH LAND EXCHANGES AND LEASE MODIFICATIONS.

OF THE COMBINED TOTAL, ABOUT 55 PER CENT WERE FOR RESIDENTIAL

PURPOSES.

TOGETHER WITH OTHER REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THIS WILL BE ABLE TO MEET THE PRODUCTION TARGET OF 35,000 UNITS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN 1994. THE FIGURE SHOULD RISE FURTHER TO 37,600 IN 1995.

MR EASON SAID A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE LAND EXCHANGE AND LEASE MODIFICATION CASES INVOLVED REDEVELOPMENT BY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS.

FROM

BETWEEN 1989 AND 1992, MORE THAN 50,000 NEW FLATS WERE PRODUCED SOURCE, WHICH IS SIX TIMES MORE THAN THE 8,000 OLD UNITS

DEMOLISHED.

MR BASON SAID URBAN REDEVELOPMENT HAD ALSO CONTRIBUTED ΤΟ SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT BY TRANSFORMING OLD AND DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS INTO NEW ONES AND BY MAKING MORE SPACE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. THESE GAINS SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.

"THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SUGGESTIONS THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ASSIST PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OF MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP OF BUILDINGS AND FRAGMENTED LAND TITLE TO ALLOW LAND TO BE ASSEMBLED FOR COMPREHENSIVE REDEVELOPMENT.

"THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE WITH SIGNIFICANT LEGAL, POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS. THE MAIN QUESTIONS WE HAVE TO RESOLVE ARE AT WHAT LEVEL SHOULD THE ORIGINAL OWNERS BE COMPENSATED AND HOW BEST CAN THE INTERESTS OF THE DISPLACED TENANTS BE SAFEGUARDED. SHOULD THEY BE OFFERED ALTERNATE ACCOMMODATION BY THE DEVELOPERS OR OTHER OPTIONS SUCH AS CASH OR HOUSING ELSEWHERE?

"WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THE EXISTING PROCESS AND MECHANISM OF URBAN RENEWAL.

WE WE INTEND TO CONSULT THE PUBLIC ONCE HAVE FORMULATED PROPOSALS TO TAKE THE MATTER FORWARD," MR BASON SAID.

ON SUBSIDISED HOUSING, MR EASON SAID APPLICATIONS FOR PHASE II OF THE INTERIM SANDWICH CLASS SCHEME WOULD BE INVITED IN APRIL COMPLETION OF A REVIEW OF THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR PHASE I.

UPON

/HE SAID