ENG-1964 — Page 144

LAND AND HOUSING

119

$13,397,000. Where it is not possible to dispose of land immediately, because either public utilities and other services are not yet available or the site has been set aside for some future purposes, the land is rarely left vacant but may be occupied on a temporary annual permit. The 1963-4 revenue from these permits was $7,209,312 in the urban area and $953,936 in the New Territories. As per- manent development expands, it is necessary to cancel permits and the number of such in the urban area and in the more developed parts of the New Territories decreases year by year. Revenue amounting to $2,807,589 was derived from short-term lettings of land and buildings.

SURVEYS

All surveys in Hong Kong are plotted on the Colony grid which is a Cassini plane rectangular one with a false origin south-west of the Colony. Urban Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon are surveyed at the large scale of 1/600 (50 feet to 1 inch) because of the congested and crowded conditions in the built-up

areas.

To cope with development in the New Territories and pinpoint individual land holdings a wide coverage of up-to-date survey sheets on a scale of 100 feet to an inch is being completed. Most of the Colony is being mapped from air photos by Hunting Surveys Limited, the Crown Lands and Survey Office providing the ground control and field checks on photo plots. These surveys form the basis for plans at other scales for planning, land records and other purposes which are compiled from photographic reductions. In addition, a small-scale air survey is being carried out to form a basis for revising the 1:25,000 scale maps of the Colony.

TOWN PLANNING

Town planning in Hong Kong includes the development of new industrial townships, the re-development of out-of-date urban localities and the gradual expansion of the urban areas. The basic aim, therefore, is to provide a framework within which public and private development may progress together; to ensure that adequate provision is made for industry and housing, for open space, public buildings, communications and other necessary social services; and to control the use and stimulate the development of land.