ENG-1991 — Page 238

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

12 applications for approval of master layout plans in respect of comprehensive development areas were considered by the board, compared with 19 in 1990.

The TPB has promulgated guidelines for application for various types of development in order to assist it to assess planning applications on a more consistent basis and to guide the public to submit planning applications. This year, a set of guidelines for development within the Green Belt zone was released, in addition to the nine sets of guidelines for other types of development released in previous years.

Due to the increase in the number of statutory plans and planning applications processed by the TPB subsequent to the enactment of the Town Planning (Amendment) Ordinance 1991, the workload of the board has increased significantly. For better discharge of the functions of the board, the ordinance makes provision for it to delegate some of its powers and functions to committees appointed by the Governor. Two Planning Committees were set up in July 1991, one for the Metroplan area covering Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and Tsuen Wan; and one for the rural areas and new towns in the New Territories.

During the year, the Planning Department commissioned consultants to undertake a survey on the characteristics of offices, showrooms, and research and development facilities currently established within existing industrial buildings. The findings of the survey will be used in revising existing planning guidelines and to formulate new ones for processing planning applications. The survey should be completed in 1992.

Meanwhile, outline development and layout plans are also prepared at the district level. They are departmental plans prepared within the framework of the statutory OZPs to show the land use and road framework in greater detail. They also provide a guide for land for- mation, implementation of public work projects, and subsequent land sales and allocations.

During the year, two major planning consultancy studies were commissioned for the urban area. The Comprehensive Review of Special Control Areas is intended to review comprehensively the existing Special Control Areas in Kowloon, New Kowloon and Hong Kong Island and to make recommendations on the roles and directions of these Special Control Areas. The Review of Building Density and Height Restrictions in Kowloon and New Kowloon is to examine comprehensively the planning, traffic, infrastructural and environmental implications of relaxing the airport height restrictions over Kowloon and New Kowloon and to recommend suitable development control guidelines and measures to prevent over-straining the existing and planned future infrastructural and community facilities that may possibly arise from additional development. The results of these studies are due in 1992.

Other than undertaking statutory planning work, the seven District Planning Offices of the Planning Department have also participated in forward planning which includes major reclamation and development projects, for example, the Central and Wan Chai, and West Kowloon Reclamations. The plan for Hung Hom Bay Reclamation is also being reviewed taking into account more recent development ideas. In addition, studies on the future development of Stanley and the redevelopment of government properties are in progress. In the New Territories, major forward planning studies cover North Lantau, the Lantau Port Peninsula, and the Western Harbour.

Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy

The Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy (RPIS) aims at improving the conditions and general environment of the rural areas in the New Territories outside the new towns,

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