ENG-1971 — Page 170

116

LAND AND HOUSING

held give the necessary power of control, increased by five to 202. The number of modifications and deeds of variation of lease condi- tions often a prelude to multi-storey development—increased by 27 to 62; 209 Crown leases were issued compared with 354 in 1970.

There were 175 determinations of Crown rent and premium under the Crown Rent and Premium (Apportionment) Ordinance, and 214 corporations were registered under the Multi-storey Buildings (Owners Incorporation) Ordinance. At the end of the year the Land Office card index of property owners contained the names of 200,820 people (an increase of 12,013 over the previous year), some owning several properties, but most being merely owners or part owners of small individual flats.

PRIVATE BUILDING

At no time during the year was there any indication of an end to the building boom; the number of new building projects pro- cessed for approval were 1,067 compared with 978 in 1970. The upsurge in the private sector of the building industry, which became evident in 1969 and 1970, was reflected in the total cost of new buildings completed. Their cost is reported by architects to the Building Authority and in 1971 amounted to $880,851,884.88, an increase of 70.5 per cent over 1970.

During the year work continued on the 52-storey office building which is being erected on the waterfront adjoining the Star Ferry concourse. Until recently, it was claimed that this would be the tallest building in the Far East. Noteworthy private buildings completed during the year included a 32-storey circular residential building (currently the tallest building in the Colony) in the mid- levels of Hong Kong Island, a 350-bed hospital at Lo Fu Ngam, a container terminal at Kwun Tong, the first of two power generating stations on Tsing Yi Island and a 'jumbo' jet hangar at Hong Kong International Airport.

The activities of the Dangerous Buildings Division of the Build- ings Ordinance Office continued, and some 190 buildings were closed and demolished (three of which partially collapsed during typhoon Rose) compared with 124 buildings in 1970. This resulted in 12,191 people being dispossessed against 5,608 during the previous year. During the year 571 repair notices were served, compared with 455 in 1970. The most noteworthy closure and demolition event