ENG-1998 — Page 264

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

Most UDs in the rural New Territories related to the open storage of vehicles, containers and construction machinery/materials; workshops; container vehicle/ trailer parks and pond filling. In 1998, 265 complaints and 270 referrals of suspected UDs from other government departments were received while 88 suspected UDs were detected through patrolling. The Director of Planning issued 244 warning letters for 109 cases, 1 345 enforcement notices for 227 cases, 15 reinstatement notices for four cases and 1 158 compliance notices for 220 cases. As for prosecution, 130 defendants in 53 cases were convicted. The average fine imposed was $26,856 with a range of $750 to $259,300. Upon enforcement action, 263 UDs covering 72 hectares were discontinued and 177 UDs covering 74 hectares of land were regularised through the planning application system.

Special teams have also been set up to work in collaboration with the Lands Department's Black Spots Task Force on the common objective of cleaning up environmental black spots in the rural New Territories. The Task Force has a 10-year programme which divides black spots into various areas for action in stages, such as the Pat Heung Pilot Action Area, the North District East Action Area, the So Kwun Wat and Tai Lam Chung Container Action Area, the Ha Tsuen Container Action Area and the Ha Tsuen/Lau Fau Shan Action Area.

Urban Renewal

The Land Development Corporation (LDC) was established in 1988 to undertake, encourage, promote and facilitate urban renewal. It has completed 15 urban renewal projects, including two on Wing Lok Street/Queen's Road Central and Jubilee Street/Queen's Road Central that were finished in 1998. Five projects are at the construction stage and more than 30 are at various other stages.

A pilot scheme is being implemented to test the linked-site approach, under which a redevelopment project that is not financially viable on its own is linked the development of a vacant site to produce a financially viable package. Two non-viable projects being implemented by the LDC in Kennedy Town and Tsuen Wan are cross- subsidised by the profits from the development of two linked sites granted to the corporation at full market premium.

In order to facilitate private sector participation in urban renewal, the government introduced the Land (Compulsory Sale for Redevelopment) Bill, which was passed into legislation in April 1998. The new legislation says an owner (or owners) of 90 per cent or more of the undivided shares of a lot which justifies redevelopment can apply to the Lands Tribunal for an order to sell the whole lot. It will help the private sector overcome problems encountered in site assembly in the course of urban renewal.

To promote urban rehabilitation, the Building Safety Improvement Loan Scheme was launched in August 1998 to provide low-interest loans to owners of premises within domestic and domestic/commercial buildings in order to encourage them to undertake building inspection and repair works.

As set out in the Chief Executive's 1998 Policy Address, the government will seek to establish as soon as possible an Urban Renewal Authority (URA) to replace the LDC. The aim is to expedite urban renewal and carry out projects on a larger scale. Current procedures in planning and land acquisition will be improved and the URA will be transparent and accountable in its operations. The government will introduce the URA Bill into the Legislative Council in 1999.