TNAG-0330-FCO40-366-Visit-of-Parliamentary-Under-Secretary-of-State--Anthony-Roy-1972 — Page 39

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is a slow process involving long warnings, pro- vision for appeals etc. etc. The process is seldom completed as breaches of lease condition are normally rectified by the land owners. The commonest occasion to threaten re-entry is when an agricultural building such as a chicken shed, is turned into a factory. The Kuk has never seriously pressed cancellations of powers of re-entry. "Freezing of land" means that we prevent people building in a haphazard way on agricultural land in areas where development is likely to take place. This is admirable in theory but can be harsh in practice. In Sha Tin for example not even village building has been allowed for 18 years. We now propose to allow some expansion of the odd villages since this can be accommodated in the development plan. There is acceptance by the Kuk that large scale development requires regulation: they are concerned about small scale house building by villagers.

"Change of user" of land is changing the use from agricultural to building land. We charge a premium based on the increased value of the new lease.

We

have not had this subject raised recently and the

phrase is probably just included for padding. "Unreasonable resumption" is much more important. On resumption we must pay the amount which the

/land

benefit of the, Chinese residents in the New

Territories, we have repeatedly urged the Hong Kong Government not to overlook the traditional right to a peaceful and enjoyable life for the Chinese residents in the New

Territories. However, by for instance the re- entry of private land, the freezing of the change of user of land owned by Chinese residents in New Territories, the unreasonable resumption of private land, and of Government development works have affected the peaceful livelihood and business of the Chinese residents. There has been no proper solution or reasonable compensation for all this.

A

/Para. 4