TNAG-0642-FCO40-790-Kowloon-Walled-City-and-aircraft-safety-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 139

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ldings concerned may have to move temporarily while the top floors

Even if the dinance is enforced by means of a are being demolished.

The

phased programme, as is likely to the case, the first occupants affected will probably get support from the occupants of other buildings once they perceive that their buildings will be affected at a later stage. Walled City is not an easy place to police in any circumstances and most of the buildings concerned are not on the periphery so that it will not be possible to enforce any demolition rocasures without some degree of cooperation from the local residents.

Attitude of CPG

7.

If an opposition campaign develops, it is likely that its organisers will try to involve the Chinese Government. For instance, those affected by the measures taken in 1975 threatened to send a delegation to Canton. Although they did not in fact get any support from the Chinese authorities, whom we had warned in advance, there is a greater danger of the Chinese being drawn into a dispute about the buildings which have been created for longer, since it would affect many inore pecpie, som: with a considerable stake in the Walled City. By making it clear that wo intended to enforce the Ordinance throughout the Walled City, our action might seem to be something of a challenge to the CFG and if they were to intervene it would be difficult for us to back down especially since that night affect cur ability to take action against new buildings.

Scale of Compensation

8. The decisive factor will be the scale of compensation which can be offered to those who will be affected. In order to exclude small structures (like water tanks) which are above thy mits it may be desirable to recommend to the Governor in Council that minor infringolts of the Hong Kong Airport (Control of Obstructions) Ordinance should be regularised by means of an

However, it is not appropriate amendment to the Ordinance. considered desirable to exempt a substantial number of buildings which are significantly oversized, Government will not be in a strong negotiating position if the occupants of there buildings became aware that Government is anxious, because of the political implications and the practical difficulties of den.olition, not to demolish buildings in the Walled City without agreement of their owners and occupants. It is therefore essential that before any action. is taken an adequate compensation policy should be formulated and agreed by the Executive Council. At the same time account will have to be taken of the

The difficulty effect ab his compensation may have on other clearances.

in this respect is that although the Walled City is a special case because of the problem of jurisdiction it is undesirable to draw attention to this point.

9.

A major consideration is the effect that the compensation paid in the present context will have on any future plans for the redevelopment of the Walled City as a whole. The payment of generous compensation to the occupants of buildings which are illegal in respect of land ownership, the Buildings Ordinance and the Hong Kong Airport (Control of Obstructions)

G.F. 323

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