ENG-1964 — Page 145

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LAND AND HOUSING

Since 1953, plans have been prepared for 38 planning districts in the urban areas. In addition many large-scale layout plans have been drawn up covering small portions of the urban areas and the New Territories. These plans are used as a guide in the sale of Crown land and the re-development of private land, but have no statutory effect except where approved in accordance with the Town Planning Ordinance.

The Town Planning Board consists of six official and three unofficial members and operates under the Town Planning Ordin- ance. The board has, to date, published outline development and layout plans for 15 districts, 14 of which have been approved by the Governor in Council and one rejected. Approved plans cover the following areas: Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau, North Point, Chai Wan, Yau Ma Tei, Hung Hom, Ma Tau Kok, Kwun Tong Tsai Wan, 'Ngau Tau Kok, Fung Wong Village, Cha Kwo Ling, north-east Kowloon, Sha Tin, the Central District of Victoria and Tsuen Wan and district. Plans of North Point, Chai Wan, Sha Tin and Ngau Tau Kok and the Central District of Victoria are at present under statutory revision. The board has also been instruct- ed to prepare plans in respect of Tsim Sha Tsui at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula and Castle Peak in the New Territories; publica- tion of these is expected early in 1965.

BUILDINGS

In 1963 private building developers initiated a phenomenal number of schemes with intensities of development which new legislation was about to restrict: as a result the value of com- pleted buildings in 1964 reached the unprecedented figure of $838.4 million in spite of unusually bad summer weather. The number of approvals granted for new building proposals during 1964 (1,031) was, as expected, lower than in 1963. Most of this development is in residential building. The structure almost universally used continues to be the reinforced-concrete frame with floor slabs cast. in situ, but the most modern finishes and mechanical installations are fitted.

Some idea of the tremendous activity in the building industry can be gained from the fact that during the year 21,179 submissions