ENG-1993 — Page 242

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

Attached to each statutory plan is a schedule of notes showing the uses which are always permitted in particular zones and other uses for which the TPB's permission must be sought. The provision for application for planning permission allows flexibility in land use planning and better control of development, to meet community needs and changing circumstances.

Under the provisions of the ordinance, an applicant who is aggrieved by a decision of the TPB may apply for a review of its decision. During the year, the board considered 735 applications for planning permission and reviewed 97 applications, compared to 608 and 96 applications, respectively, in 1992.

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The Town Planning Appeal Board, which was set up in 1991, deals with appeals lodged by applicants who feel aggrieved by the decisions of the TPB upon review of their planning applications. During the year, 20 appeal cases were lodged. A total of 11 cases were heard by the appeal board, all of which were dismissed.

The TPB has promulgated 12 sets of guidelines for applications for various types of development. These are available to the public.

Departmental Plans

Apart from statutory plans, the Planning Department also prepares departmental Outline Development Plans (ODP) and Layout Plans (LP) for individual districts or parts of districts, to show the planned land uses, development restrictions and transport network in greater detail. These plans serve as a guide for land formation, implementation of public work projects as well as land sales and allocations. At the end of the year, there were a total of 32 ODPs and 246 LPs.

Enforcement

According to the Town Planning Ordinance, no person should undertake or continue development in a development permission area unless it is an existing use, or is permitted under the DPA plan, or has been approved by the TPB. Any development that does not satisfy any of these criteria is an unauthorised development. The Director of Planning can serve notices on the respective land owners and occupiers, requiring the unauthorised development to be discontinued by a specified date or demanding a reinstatement of the land. If the requirements of the notices are not complied with, the Director can initiate prosecution proceedings.

Frequent patrols were undertaken during the year within the DPAS by patrol teams established in the Planning Department. The teams also carried out detailed site inspections on suspected unauthorised developments. Most of the unauthorised uses were related to pond filling; site formation; open storage of vehicles, containers and construction materials as well as vehicle repair workshops. Overall, 540 warning letters for 91 cases, 503 enforcement notices for 73 cases, 15 stop notices for three cases and four reinstatement notices for one case were served in 1993. Prosecution was initiated with respect to 16 cases and 14 defendants in eight cases were found guilty.

Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy

The Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy (RPIS) aims to improve the quality of life in the rural areas of the New Territories. It is implemented at both strategic and district levels.

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