of $1.058M, reflects the high activity in the private sector of the building industry. There is also indication that the building boom is likely to continue, for in the last quarter of the year under review 371 new building proposals were submitted, the highest number recorded in recent years.
5.16 Due to the favourable state of stability and prosperity existing in the Colony, private developers continued to show great confidence in the real estate field. It was noted that fewer proposals for industrial buildings were submitted this year, but instead there was a marked increase in the submissions for large office and hotel schemes. A new trend was also observed in the demolition of existing cinema buildings and their replacement by office buildings comprising office accommodation on upper floors and commercial space and parking facilities on lower levels.
5.17 As a result of shortage of building land and great demand for small residential units, a tendency has developed to demolish the low-density tenements, built in the early post-war period, to make way for the high-density blocks of small flats. It was also noted that car parking spaces were provided in many proposals for domestic accommodation, although they were not required under the lease conditions or by any other authority.
5.18 Several interesting private development projects were completed or near completion during the year. These include the Connaught Centre, a 52-storey office building which has received a temporary occupation permit for the first sixteen storeys, the 34-storey Excelsior Hotel near the Island Entrance to the Cross Harbour Tunnel in Causeway Bay and the 35-storey Furama Hotel in Connaught Road, Central. Other noteworthy projects submitted for approval during this period include the World Centre, a 41-storey building with convention halls and offices, the 20-storey Hong Kong Art Centre containing theatres, studios, offices and other accommodation connected with the arts, a complex of multi-storey residential blocks with shopping facilities, restaurants and swimming pool all within one site on Lion Rock Road and the development of Stage 8 of Mei Foo Sun Chuen, comprising an automobile service station, shops, pedestrian concourse, parking, kindergarten and domestic tower blocks.
5.19 The backlog of structural plans awaiting processing increased rapidly after the June rainstorms. This was mainly due to the structural
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of $1.058M, reflects the high activity in the private sector of the build- ing industry. There is also indication that the building boom is likely to continue, for in the last quarter of the year under review 371 new building proposals were submitted, the highest number recorded in recent years.
5.16 Due to the favourable state of stability and prosperity existing in the Colony, private developers continued to show great confidence in the real estate field. It was noted that fewer proposals for industrial buildings were submitted this year, but instead there was a marked increase in the submissions for large office and hotel schemes. A new trend was also observed in the demolition of existing cinema buildings and their replacement by office buildings comprising office accommoda- tion on upper floors and commercial space and parking facilities on lower levels.
5.17 As a result of shortage of building land and great demand for small residential units, a tendency has developed to demolish the low density tenements, built in the early post war period, to make way for the high density blocks of small flats. It was also noted that car parking spaces were provided in many proposals for domestic accommodation, although they were not required under the lease conditions or by any other authority.
5.18 Several interesting private development projects were com- pleted or near completion during the year. These include the Connaught Centre, a 52-storey office building which has received a temporary occupation permit for the first sixteen storeys, the 34-storey Excelsior Hotel near the Island Entrance to the Cross Harbour Tunnel in Causeway Bay and the 35-storey Furama Hotel in Connaught Road, Central. Other noteworthy projects submitted for approval during this period include the World Centre, a 41-storey building with convention halls and offices, the 20-storey Hong Kong Art Centre containing theatres, studios, offices and other accommodation connected with the arts, a complex of multi-storey residential blocks with shopping facilities, restaurants and swimming pool all within one site on Lion Rock Road and the development of Stage 8 of Mei Foo Sun Chuen, comprising an automobile service station, shops, pedestrian con- course, parking, kindergarten and domestic tower blocks.
5.19 The backlog of structural plans awaiting processing increased rapidly after the June rainstorms. This was mainly due to the structural
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