ENG-1988 — Page 245

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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The total amount expended on private building works excluding the cost of land was $12,566 million, an increase of 23 per cent.

As well as administering the statutory provisions for the design, planning and construc- tion of new buildings, the Building Ordinance Office deals with dangerous buildings and unauthorised building works. The Building Authority issued 1 572 orders requiring the removal of unauthorised building works last year. Since March 1988 a new system of priorities for the better control of unauthorised building work was formed. Unauthorised work constituting an imminent danger to life or property are classified as high priority and may be recommended for demolition or other remedial action, while those in the low priority group, no enforcement action will be taken for the time being.

Additionally, the Building Ordinance Office will embark upon large scale clearance of unauthorised building works on a district-by-district basis. There will be wide consultation with District Boards and Environmental Improvement Committees before any clearance programme is implemented to ensure its success.

During the year, the Control and Enforcement Division made 13 723 inspections and issued 1 572 orders for the removal of unauthorised works, while receiving 8 240 complaints. With regard to the maintenance of dilapidated private building, the Building Authority closed 31 dangerous buildings, served 35 orders requiring the demolition or repair of dangerous buildings and served 729 orders requiring repairs to defective concrete. It also served nine orders requiring remedial works to dangerous slopes.

Public Building

The Architectural Services Department provides architectural and associated services and advice to government departments, the British Forces in Hong Kong and the Urban and Regional Councils.

During 1987-8 the department completed 136 building contracts under various pro- grammes, at a total cost, including minor works, of $2,237 million.

In addition, the Maintenance Branch of the department spent $468 million in providing routine maintenance and minor alteration work to about 6 500 government, Urban and Regional Councils and British Forces buildings and property. The branch was also involved in providing emergency places for the influx of Vietnamese boat people at a cost of $130 million.

The overall expenditure of $2,705 million shows and increase of 12.3 per cent over the 1986-7 expenditure of $2,408 million.

The Subvented Projects Division of the Architectural Services Department advises all departments providing subvention to private organisations for building, repair and main- tenance works. Most of the subventions are provided by the Education, the Medical and Health, and the Social Welfare departments, and by the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee. In mid-1988 the work included vetting and advice on a total of 451 capital pro- jects and over 300 school repair projects, with approved estimates exceeding $5,200 million. Tendering on all types of projects continued to be very active and remained reasonably competitive. For the 12-month period to March 1988, tender prices increased by about 24 per cent while over the same period labour costs rose by 26 per cent and basic materials costs rose by 25 per cent. The sharp increase in labour and material costs reflected the significant demand for new construction. The rise in tender prices during the year was in line with labour and material cost increases.

Construction of the 49-storey office block Wanchai Tower 2 Government Office building continued. Its first phase of 27 storeys is scheduled for completion in mid-1989.