ENG-1993 — Page 258

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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in Soy Street was in progress. Three other projects in Yim Po Fong Street, Dundas Street and Sai Yeung Choi Street, to provide commercial and residential space, were under active planning and construction work will start soon.

A survey on social attitudes towards urban renewal was completed early in the year. Its findings will provide useful information for the formulation of future urban renewal approaches and the implementation of the Metroplan.

The Hong Kong Housing Society has also contributed to the urban renewal process by undertaking a number of urban improvement schemes in the older areas. Four such projects were under construction one in Yau Ma Tei, one in Sham Shui Po and two in

Sheung Wan. They are expected to be completed in the next two years.

Planning Studies

During the year, the Planning Department provided planning input for a number of major reclamation and development projects, notably the Central and Wan Chai, the West Kowloon and the Green Island reclamations.

Studies were completed on the restructuring of obsolete industrial areas, and on a review of building density and height restrictions in Kowloon and New Kowloon. Studies on planning for vehicle repair workshops, density guidelines for private residential areas and the redevelopment of under-developed government sites were near completion.

In the New Territories, major forward planning studies covering North Lantau and the Lantau port peninsula were completed. Studies were being undertaken to identify back-up sites to meet the increasing demand for container and open storage sites, due to the rapid growth of the cross-border trade and associated transport and storage activities.

Other planning studies relating to the Territorial Development Strategy and the Sub-regional Development Strategies were also conducted during the year.

Building Development

The Private Sector

The administration of private buildings and building works control took a significant step forward on August 1, 1993, with the separation of the Buildings Ordinance Office from the former Buildings and Lands Department to become the new Buildings Department.

The reorganisation will lead to more effective management of building control activities, and help to ensure that statutory standards of safety and health are met in all buildings and building works in the private sector. With a clearer identity and greater autonomy in the control and use of its resources, the Buildings Department will respond more effectively to its expanding responsibilities, improve the delivery of services to the public and achieve greater cost-effectiveness.

Headed by the Director of Buildings, who is the Building Authority under the Buildings Ordinance, the department comprises the Control and Enforcement Division, Develop- ment Division, Specialist Division, Structural Engineering Division, and Litigation and Legislation Division.

During the year, the department continued to emphasise building safety in existing buildings. The on-going enhanced planned survey exercise, which commenced in 1989, continued to target its list of 16 700 identified buildings in need of detailed inspection. A total of 2 980 of these buildings were surveyed, resulting in the issue of 1 088 statutory orders requiring repair and, in a few instances, demolition.