ENG-1998 — Page 261

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

and came into operation in April 1998. The administration is continuing to review the rest of the Ordinance and aims at introducing a comprehensive bill.

Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines

This is a government document of planning criteria and guidelines for determining the quantity, scale, location and site requirements of various land uses and facilities. It applies to planning studies, development control and the preparation or revision of town plans. The document is constantly being reviewed to take account of changes in government policies, demographic characteristics and social and economic trends. During the year, planning standards and guidelines for education facilities, social welfare facilities, recreation and open space were revised while new standards. and guidelines for parking and loading/unloading facilities for industrial-office development were formulated.

To promote public awareness of the planning standards and guidelines and to facilitate its application by non-government bodies, the document is available for sale to the public on a chapter-by-chapter basis.

Study on Sustainable Development for the 21st Century

The study is carried out in response to the concerns on Hong Kong's long-term sustainability if it were to follow existing development paths. It began in September 1997 and will be completed by the turn of the century. It will produce a development management tool, called a sustainable development system, to help the government evaluate and monitor in a more systematic manner the economic, social and environmental parameters relevant to the overall sustainability of Hong Kong's development.

A major public awareness and consultation programme, which included distribution of an information digest, holding roving exhibitions and conducting consultation meetings/forums, was launched from April to June 1998 to develop greater community understanding of sustainable development and solicit views on sustainability issues.

Territorial Development Strategy

The Territorial Development Strategy (TDS) is the highest tier in the hierarchy of town planning in Hong Kong. It provides a broad land use, transport and environmental framework for the planning and development of Hong Kong. It also serves as a basis for preparation of sub-regional planning statements and more detailed district plans.

A comprehensive review of TDS began in 1990 with a view to formulating a new land use framework to sustain Hong Kong's status as an international city and business hub and, in particular, to maintain and enhance its image as an attractive place for people to live and work. It also took account of development trends in South China, especially in the Pearl River Delta Region.

The review consisted of three main streams of work: sectoral studies including identification of goals and objectives, key issues and evaluation criteria; the generation and evaluation of development options; and the formulation of long- and medium-term development strategies. Two rounds of public consultation were carried out: one in 1993 to seek public views on the goals/objectives and strategic

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