Page 193 of 237
362
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
designs and estimates of cost, revised traffic studies based on up-dated population projections, and hence the selection of the most attractive routes. This phase of the project will be complete by next August and if Government then approves the project the consultants estimate that the first stage of the system could be running within 5 years of approval to commence.
In the meantime it is hoped that the numerous and extensive road construction projects which appear in the Public Works Programme will keep pace with the very rapid increase in road traffic which is now evident.
In respect of Urban Renewal I would like to assure my friend Mr. Kenneth Lo that no time is being lost. It may appear to the public that little has taken place since Government approved in principle a scheme for Urban Renewal but in fact I have already considered the position of well over 200 individual properties in the Urban Renewal District as a whole and recommended acquisition of some 60% of these. A statutory town plan for the district is under consideration by the Town Planning Board and should be published shortly. If subsequently approved by Executive Council the plan will provide the legal backing for compulsory acquisition of any of the properties or areas zoned for Government purposes.
In the smaller Pilot Scheme Area we have now full financial and administrative authority to proceed with compulsory acquisition. At the present moment only those sites which are about to be re-developed and which are required for the scheme are being acquired. However, as soon as staff can be brought to bear, if necessary compulsory acquisition of properties will be stepped up and I anticipate making very definite progress in this respect in the latter part of 1970.
Mr. James Wu referred to the necessity for opening up more industrial estates and expediting the sale and development of those underway. He will doubtless be aware of my replies to Dr. the Honourable S. Y. CHUNG in Legislative Council on the 21st May and the 27th August of this year when I dealt with these subjects at some length.
In my reply in May I referred to industrial sales which were to take place and in August I mentioned that at that time, in the Urban Area alone some 800,000 sq. ft. of industrial land in private ownership remained undeveloped or under-developed and that there was in addition some 24M sq. ft. in the New Territories which excluded land restricted to ship-building. In other words at the beginning of this year there were some 34M sq. ft. of unused industrial land in private ownership available for development.
363
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
So far this year, in the Urban Area alone, Government has sold 42 lots containing a further 600,000 sq. ft. of industrial land and it is planned to offer over 21 lots containing over 200,000 sq. ft. of land for sale by the end of March 1970.
Turning to the future it is proposed to continue the sale programme for industrial land in the Urban Area roughly at the rate of 100,000 sq. ft. per month for as long as possible. However, the demand for land for other uses, the need to provide space for the handling of container cargoes and uncertainties concerning the alignment of future road works may restrict this programme during 1970 although I hope these uncertainties will not take too long to resolve.
As regards new land I can only refer Mr. Wu to the warning contained in my statement of the 21st May in Legislative Council, that it was becoming more and more difficult to find further industrial land in the Urban Area. I stressed the need for industrialists to look to the New Territories for future industrial expansion and I now repeat this advice. Large areas of formed land are now available, at Castle Peak, and a resettlement estate, which now seems to be the natural adjunct to industry, is under construction there.
Mr. P. S. Woo raised the question of the Renewal of Crown Leases with the special problems which arise when the land and building thereon are in multi-ownership. He rightly says that this is not of course a matter lying within the province of this Council but I think I am now stuck so firmly in the breach that it would be as well if I said a few words to explain the present position.
Government policy on the Renewal or Regrant of 75 renewable or non-renewable leases is fully set out in recently published statements. As things stand at present Government as ground landlord, can only deal with all the owners of the property who, as tenants in common, are jointly and severally responsible for their obligations under the Crown Leases. As Mr. Woo rightly states this presents considerable problems where a property has been sub-divided into a very large number of separate ownerships-problems not only for the owners but also for Government.
Government has in fact been well aware of this for some time and legislation to deal with the matter is now far advanced. This legislation if finally enacted by the Legislative Council will deal with the matter largely on the lines proposed by Mr. Woo and whilst it will not entirely solve the problem it should go a long way towards doing so. This legislation together with that for the management of buildings under multi-ownership should also go a long way to avoid the need to disconnect water supplies for non-payment of bills as recently occurred in the case of the Wah Tak Building.
363
Page 194 of 237
Page 193 of 237
362
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
designs and estimates of cost, revised traffic studies based on up-dated population projections, and hence the selection of the most attractive routes. This phase of the project will be complete by next August and if Government then approves the project the consultants estimate that the first stage of the system could be running within 5 years of approval to commence.
In the meantime it is hoped that the numerous and extensive road construction projects which appear in the Public Works Programme will keep pace with the very rapid increase in road traffic which is now evident.
In respect of Urban Renewal I would like to assure my friend Mr. Kenneth Lo that no time is being lost. It may appear to the public that little has taken place since Government approved in principle a scheme for Urban Renewal but in fact I have already considered the position of well over 200 individual properties in the Urban Renewal District as a whole and recommended acquisition of some 60% of these. A statutory town plan for the district is under consideration by the Town Planning Board and should be published shortly. If subsequently approved by Executive Council the plan will provide the legal backing for compulsory acquisition of any of the properties or areas zoned for Government purposes.
In the smaller Pilot Scheme Area we have now full financial and administrative authority to proceed with compulsory acquisition. At the present moment only those sites which are about to be re-developed and which are required for the scheme are being acquired. However, as soon as staff can be brought to bear, if necessary compulsory acquisition of properties will be stepped up and I anticipate making very definite progress in this respect in the latter part of 1970.
Mr. James Wu referred to the necessity for opening up more industrial estates and expediting the sale and development of those underway. He will doubtless be aware of my replies to Dr. the Honourable S. Y. CHUNG in Legislative Council on the 21st May and the 27th August of this year when I dealt with these subjects at some length.
In my reply in May I referred to industrial sales which were to take place and in August I mentioned that at that time, in the Urban Area alone some 800,000 sq. ft. of industrial land in private ownership remained undeveloped or under-developed and that there was in addition some 24M sq. ft. in the New Territories which excluded land restricted to ship-building. In other words at the beginning of this year there were some 34M sq. ft. of unused industrial land in private ownership available for development.
!
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
363
So far this year, in the Urban Area alone, Government has sold 42 lots containing a further 600,000 sq. ft. of industrial land and it is planned to offer over 21 lots containing over 200,000 sq. ft. of land for sale by the end of March 1970.
Turning to the future it is proposed to continue the sale programme for industrial land in the Urban Area roughly at the rate of 100,000 sq. ft. per month for as long as possible. However, the demand for land for other uses, the need to provide space for the handling of con- tainer cargoes and uncertainties concerning the alignment of future road works may restrict this programme during 1970 although I hope these uncertainties will not take too long to resolve.
As regards new land I can only refer Mr. Wu to the warning contained in my statement of the 21st May in Legislative Council, that
it was becoming more and more difficult to find further industrial land in the Urban Area. I stressed the need for industrialists to look to the New Territories for future industrial expansion and I now repeat this advice. Large areas of formed land are now available, at Castle Peak, and a resettlement estate, which now seems to be the natural adjunct to industry, is under construction there.
Mr. P. S. Woo raised the question of the Renewal of Crown Leases with the special problems which arise when the land and building thereon are in multi-ownership. He rightly says that this is not of course a matter lying within the province of this Council but I think I am now stuck so firmly in the breach that it would be as well if I said a few words to explain the present position.
Government policy on the Renewal or Regrant of 75 renewable or non-renewable leases is fully set out in recently published statements. As things stand at present Government as ground landlord, can only deal with all the owners of the property who, as tenants in common, are jointly and severally responsible for their obligations under the Crown Leases. As Mr. Woo rightly states this presents considerable problems where a property has been sub-divided into a very large number of separate ownerships-problems not only for the owners but also for Government.
Government has in fact been well aware of this for some time and legislation to deal with the matter is now far advanced. This legisla- tion if finally enacted by the Legislative Council will deal with the matter largely on the lines proposed by Mr. Woo and whilst it will not entirely solve the problem it should go a long way towards doing so. This legislation together with that for the management of buildings under multi-ownership should also go a long way to avoid the need to disconnect water supplies for non-payment of bills as recently occurred in the case of the Wah Tak Building.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.