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is at the present moment. This will in turn mean far greater treatment of our effluence, and a very expensive process it will be.
The relaying of the low-lying sewers would normally be carried out in conjunction with road reconstruction and resurfacing works so as to minimize disturbance to traffic and, of course, to the public. However, it is now intended to seek approval for including special items in the Public Works Programme for this purpose so that these pollution points can be eliminated without waiting for the road works. Although the quantity of sewage being discharged at these sea wall outfalls is quite small, a considerable amount of work will be required to eliminate them. Nevertheless, it is hoped that this will be completed within five years.
Mr. MACKENZIE is also concerned with providing effectively for an improvement in the quality of life in our crowded city and considers that much more action and imagination are needed to provide new amenities and to improve existing parks. I shall see what we can do. He has suggested various possibilities for improving the position on Hong Kong Island, many of which fall within the purview of the Hong Kong Advisory Committee for Recreational Development and Nature Conservation. I have therefore consulted the Chairman of the Hong Kong Advisory Committee for Recreational Development and Nature Conservation, which is now embarking on a recurrent 5-year works programme. The grant of $1.5 million for the first year was made in August this year, and the first year's work will be to provide paths (to open up the Hong Kong countryside) and management centres (to help control use and prevent damage). A site for the first new management centre has been selected and sketch plans are being prepared, while work has already commenced on marking out and constructing certain of these footpaths and improving existing ones. Wider use of reservoir areas and the establishment of nature reserves and nature education areas (in Cape D'Aguilar and elsewhere) are envisaged in the programme, but are still subject to detailed planning and consideration. I share Mr. MACKENZIE's view that these more interesting items are needed now and the Chairman of the Advisory Committee tells me he is of the same opinion.
And coming to planning of a different sort, I assume that when Mr. KAN talks of the redevelopment plan of Western District, he is in fact thinking of the environmental improvement scheme for the urban renewal district between Central and Western Districts, as no plan has yet been evolved for the latter area—though one is in the process of preparation.
In this area, steps are taken to acquire properties as and when owners put forward proposals for redevelopment. Entering upon a resumption programme to speed up the process would, on the one hand, create a greater rehousing burden than currently exists and is precluded on the other due to shortage of professional staff in the Crown Lands and Survey Office.
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hand, create a greater rehousing burden than currently exists and is precluded on the other due to shortage of professional staff in the Crown Lands and Survey Office.
I am fully aware that not only in this area, but also in Yau Ma Tei and Wan Chai for which similar plans exist, there is a crying need to improve the environment by the creation of open space and the other community uses so necessary for the well-being of the community, but first things must come first and priority given to the major schemes which are for the good of the Colony at large. You may not be aware, Sir, that, at the present time in my department, the professional posts for the urban area are currently at half strength.
On the same theme, one of my friends, Mr. NG's topics was the provision of open space in Central and the apparent preponderance in the vicinity of the City Hall. He felt that more should be provided to the west of Pedder Street and I agree as it was for this reason that the urban renewal plan to which I have just referred was evolved. But without large-scale resumption, it is just not possible to create open space in an already heavily developed city. His well-timed remarks concerning the use of the Central Market and the Fire Brigade Building sites have been noted, but of course, no date has yet been fixed for their demolition. In the meantime, however, I am sure he will be pleased to know that part of the land on the reclamation adjacent to Rumsey Street Car Park has been earmarked for recreational purposes and he will note that work has actually started on clearing and levelling.
Mr. KAN suggested measures to encourage the private development of residential and commercial buildings to complement Government's effort in the field of public housing. In the sphere of private residential development, the Public Works Department keeps in regular touch with the Real Estate Developers Association and is well aware of the problems they face. In fact, my last meeting with the Association was this morning. But in the case of the redevelopment of the older parts of the urban area, the fact of the matter is that this appears to be lagging behind simply because of the individual ownership of small lots. About 60% of the submissions made to the Building Authority are for properties which will not exceed 6 storeys in height, because such domestic buildings may be erected with a single staircase and there is insufficient room within small sites for the second staircase which would be required to serve a taller building. I am sure, however, that any legislation designed to enforce amalgamation of sites would not be in the best interests of the individual developer.
Mr. KAN also suggests that a relaxation in the restriction of pre-war premises would effectively encourage redevelopment but unless he is thinking of something else, surely the measures for the repossession of pre-war properties already exist and as for their rising, in Mr. KAN's
Page 169 of 206
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is at the present moment. This will in turn mean far greater treatment of our effluence, and a very expenses process it will be.
The relaying of the low-lying sewers would normally be carried out in conjunction with road reconstruction and resurfacing works so as to minimize disturbance to traffic and, of course, to the public. However, it is now intended to seek approval for including special items in the Public Works Programme for this purpose so that these pollution points can be eliminated without waiting for the road works. Although the quantity of sewage being discharged at these sea wall outfalls is quite small, a considerable amount of work will be required to eliminate them. Nevertheless it is hoped that this will be completed within five years.
Mr. MACKENZIE is also concerned with providing effectively for an improvement in the quality of life in our crowded city and considers that much more action and imagination are needed to provide new amenities and to improve existing parks. I shall see what we can do. He has suggested various possibilities for improving the position on Hong Kong Island, many of which fall within the purview of the Hong Kong Advisory Committee for Recreational Development and Nature Conservation. I have therefore consulted the Chairman of the Hong Kong Advisory Committee for Recreational Development and Nature Conservation, which is now embarking on a recurrent 5-year works programme. The grant of $1.5 million for the first year was made in August this year, and the first years' work will be to provide paths (to open up the Hong Kong countryside) and management centres (to help control use and prevent damage). A site for the first new manage- ment centre has been selected and sketch plans are being prepared, while work has already commenced on marking out and constructing certain of these footpaths and improving existing ones. reservoir areas and the establishment of nature reserves and nature Wider use of education areas (in Cape D'Aguilar and elsewhere) are envisaged in the programme, but are still subject to detailed planning and considera- tion. I share Mг. MACKENZIE's view that these more interesting items are needed now and the Chairman of the Advisory Committee tells me he is of the same opinion.
And coming to planning of a different sort I assume that when Mr. KAN talks of the redevelopment plan of Western District, he is in fact thinking of the environmental improvement scheme for the urban renewal district between Central and Western Districts, as no plan has yet been evolved for the latter area-though one is in the process of preparation.
In this area steps are taken to acquire properties as and when owners put forward proposals for redevelopment. Entering upon a resumption programme to speed up the process would, on the one
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
315
hand, create a greater rehousing burden than currently exists and is precluded on the other due to shortage of professional staff in the Crown Lands and Survey Office.
I am fully aware that not only in this area, but also in Yau Ma Tei and Wan Chai for which similar plans exist, there is a crying need to improve the environment by the creation of open space and the other community uses so necessary for the well-being of the community, but first things must come first and priority given to the major schemes which are for the good of the Colony at large. You may not be aware, Sir, that, at the present time in my department, the professional posts for the urban area are currently at half strength.
On the same theme one of my friend, Mr. NG's topics was the provision of open space in Central and the apparent preponderance in the vicinity of the City Hall. He felt that more should be provided to the west of Pedder Street and I agree as it was for this reason that the urban renewal plan to which I have just referred was evolved. But without large-scale resumption it is just not possible to create open space in an already heavily developed city. His well-timed remarks concerning the use of the Central Market and the Fire Brigade Building sites have been noted, but of course no date has yet been fixed for their demolition. In the meantime, however, I am sure he will be pleased to know that part of the land on the reclamation adjacent to Rumsey Street Car Park has been earmarked for recreational purposes and he will note that work has actually started on clearing and levelling.
Mr. KAN suggested measures to encourage the private development of residential and commercial buildings to complement Government's effort in the field of public housing. In the sphere of private residential development, the Public Works Department keeps in regular touch with the Real Estate Developers Association and is well aware of the problems they face. In fact, my last meeting with the Association was this morning. But in the case of the redevelopment of the older parts of the urban area the fact of the matter is that this appears to be lagging behind simply because of the individual ownership of small lots. About 60% of the submissions made to the Building Authority are for properties which will not exceed 6 storeys in height, because such domestic buildings may be erected with a single staircase and there is insufficient room within small sites for the second staircase which would be required to serve a taller building. I am sure, however, that any legislation designed to enforce amalgamation of sites would not be in the best interests of the individual developer.
Mr. KAN also suggests that a relaxation in the restriction of pre-war premises would effectively encourage redevelopment but unless he is thinking of something else, surely the measures for the repossession of pre-war properties already exist and as for their rising, in Mr. KAN's
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