420
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
blocks, particularly the lack of cooking facilities and the quality and quantity of the toilet and bathing facilities.
The Mark I block was designed by the Public Works Department and first built in 1954 after the disastrous fire at Shek Kip Mei on Christmas Day, 1953 when 53,000 people lost their homes. The objective was to house as many people as possible in the shortest possible time at a cost which Hong Kong could afford. The shortcomings of the plan and facilities provided were recognized, and the blocks were designed for subsequent conversion into a series of self-contained flats each with its own kitchen, toilet and balcony. One or two of these Mark I blocks have—as Mr. No recognized—been converted and one must hope that the time will soon come when it will be possible to convert the remaining Mark I and Mark II blocks into self-contained dwellings.
Dr. BELL was her usual forceful self on the subject of roads and traffic in Kowloon. In this she was given limited support by Mr. FORSGATE and Dr. Raymond LEE. People inside this Council and outside it demand flyovers, bus bays, traffic light, more telephones, higher pressure in the water and gas mains, and so on; but they consistently overlook the fact that all this work involves digging up the roads. So also do the bigger sewers and stormwater drains necessary to cope with the redevelopment of old urban sites and the opening up of new areas in the suburbs of Kowloon and Hong Kong. All this causes inconvenience to motorists and pedestrians alike, and human nature being what it is, there will be occasions when the job is not done as quickly or as efficiently as it should. But by and large I believe that the Public Utilities, the contractors, their workmen and the engineers in charge of the various projects—whether members of the Public Works Department or of the Public Utility companies—are pretty competent; more so perhaps than their counterparts in many other cities in the world, where the problems are nothing like so big as they are here.
The adequacy of our roads is a serious problem and one which worries me greatly. When one inherits a road system largely designed before the days of the motor car—and this applies to much of Kowloon as well as to Hong Kong Island—an improvement in one place can make things much worse a few hundred yards on. Two years ago in a speech which I made at the Annual Debate of the Housing Authority, I spoke of the danger of planning for planning's sake and how it could be made the excuse for procrastination. If, therefore, I now say that we have just appointed Consultants to undertake and prepare a long term Road Plan I hope that members will accept my assurance that this is not an excuse for inaction, but is being done in order to make a positive contribution to our future road building programme, and ensure that the money invested in roads is invested in the best possible way. The Mass Transport Survey is going well and we expect to have the Consultants' recommendations in our hands by June next year. Consultants have now started on the long term road study which will attempt to forecast our needs in 1986 with intermediate stages at five year intervals. We expect to have these proposals in our hands by the end of 1967. Meanwhile, there is no intention to hold back on our road development schemes pending the completion of the report.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
421
There are two main reasons for the poor state of so many footpaths. First, damage done during redevelopment of building sites and second what I would call "unfair wear and tear", caused by the parking of heavy lorries on pavements or their pounding by sledge hammers and other implements or industrial processes which have overflowed from ground floor workshops. In the case of damage caused to pavements during building operations the developers are responsible for the cost of reinstatement and, consequently, there is often a considerable time lag before repairs can be put in hand. In the case of damage arising from the general misuse of the pavements repairs are paid for from public funds, but unfortunately as fast as they are repaired in one area they are damaged in another.
More pedestrian bridges and subways are needed to reduce the conflict between pedestrians and vehicles, but due to shortage of space and the narrowness of pavements it is often impossible to find room for such structures without an unacceptable reduction in pavement widths. Under these circumstances, traffic light controlled crossings are provided and this is being done throughout the Colony where pedestrian traffic densities justify the expenditure.
Dr. BELL asked why the Building Authority has not insisted that every multi-storey building should have parking facilities incorporated. The short answer is because the Building Authority has no powers to insist; whether or not it should have the powers is another matter and is a question to which there is no short answer. Where the lease conditions provide the necessary powers and where the provision of parking would not create a traffic problem the Director of Public Works, as opposed to the Building Authority, does require the provision of parking facilities or adequate facilities for the loading and unloading of vehicles. To encourage developers to provide parking within their buildings, without loss of office or domestic accommodation, there is a clause in the Building Regulations which permits the construction of floor space, used solely for the parking of vehicles, in excess of the maximum gross floor area laid down in the Regulations, but developers have not shown any great interest in taking advantage of this provision.
Dr. Raymond LEE spoke in general terms on the need for good communications and the opening up of new areas of land within the New Territories, and on Lantao Island in particular. Leaving aside
Page 224 of 279
420
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
blocks, particularly the lack of cooking facilities and the quality and quantity of the toilet and bathing facilities.
The Mark I block was designed by the Public Works Department and first built in 1954 after the disastrous fire at Shek Kip Mei on Christmas Day, 1953 when 53,000 people lost their homes. The objec- tive was to house as many people as possible in the shortest possible time at a cost which Hong Kong could afford. The shortcomings of the plan and facilities provided were recognized, and the blocks were designed for subsequent conversion into a series of self-contained flats each with its own kitchen, toilet and balcony. One or two of these Mark I blocks have-as Mr. No recognized-been converted and one must hope that the time will soon come when it will be possible to convert the remaining Mark I and Mark II blocks into self-contained dwellings.
Dr. BELL was her usual forceful self on the subject of roads and traffic in Kowloon. In this she was given limited support by Mr. FORSGATE and Dr. Raymond LEE. People inside this Council and outside it demand flyovers, bus bays, traffic light, more telephones, higher pressure in the water and gas mains, and so on; but they con- sistently overlook the fact that all this work involves digging up the roads. So also do the bigger sewers and stormwater drains necessary to cope with the redevelopment of old urban sites and the opening up of new areas in the suburbs of Kowloon and Hong Kong. All this causes inconvenience to motorists and pedestrians alike, and human nature being what it is, there will be occasions when the job is not done as quickly or as efficiently as it should. But by and large I believe that the Public Utilities, the contractors, their workmen and the engineers in charge of the various projects-whether members of the Public Works Department or of the Public Utility companies-are pretty competent; more so perhaps than their counterparts in many other cities in the world, where the problems are nothing like so big as they are here.
The adequacy of our roads is a serious problem and one which worries me greatly. When one inherits a road system largely designed before the days of the motor car-and this applies to much of Kowloon as well as to Hong Kong Island-an improvement in one place can Two years ago in make things much worse a few hundred yards on. a speech which I made at the Annual Debate of the Housing Authority, I spoke of the danger of planning for planning's sake and how it could be made the excuse for procrastination. If, therefore, I now say that we have just appointed Consultants to undertake and prepare a long term Road Plan I hope that members will accept my assurance that this is not an excuse for inaction, but is being done in order to make a positive contribution to our future road building programme, and ensure that the money invested in roads is invested in the best possible
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
421
way. The Mass Transport Survey is going well and we expect to have the Consultants' recommendations in our hands by June next year. Consultants have now started on the long term road study which will attempt to forecast our needs in 1986 with intermediate stages at five year intervals. We expect to have these proposals in our hands by the end of 1967. Meanwhile, there is no intention to hold back on our road development schemes pending the completion of the report.
There are two main reasons for the poor state of so many foot- paths. First, damage done during redevelopment of building sites and second what I would call "unfair wear and tear", caused by the parking of heavy lorries on pavements or their pounding by sledge hammers and other implements or industrial processes which have overflowed from ground floor workshops. In the case of damage caused to pave- ments during building operations the developers are responsible for the cost of reinstatement and, consequently, there is often a considerable time lag before repairs can be put in hand. In the case of damage arising from the general misuse of the pavements repairs are paid for from public funds, but unfortunately as fast as they are repaired in one area they are damaged in another.
More pedestrain bridges and subways are needed to reduce the conflict between pedestrians and vehicles, but due to shortage of space and the narrowness of pavements it is often impossible to find room for such structures without an unacceptable reduction in pavement widths. Under these circumstances, traffic light controlled crossings are provided and this is being done throughout the Colony where pedestrian traffic densities justify the expenditure.
Dr. BELL asked why the Building Authority has not insisted that every multi-storey building should have parking facilities incorporated. The short answer is because the Building Authority has no powers to insist; whether or not it should have the powers is another matter and Where the lease con- is a question to which there is no short answer. ditions provide the necessary powers and where the provision of parking would not create a traffic problem the Director of Public Works, as opposed to the Building Authority, does require the provision of park- ing facilities or adequate facilities for the loading and unloading of vehicles. To encourage developers to provide parking within their buildings, without loss of office or domestic accommodation, there is a clause in the Building Regulations which permits the construction of floor space, used solely for the parking of vehicles, in excess of the maximum gross floor area laid down in the Regulations, but developers have not shown any great interest in taking advantage of this provision.
Dr. Raymond LEE spoke in general terms on the need for good communications and the opening up of new areas of land within the New Territories, and on Lantao Island in particular. Leaving aside
Page 224 of 279
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