ENG-1999 — Page 283

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

property, and for business loss, where appropriate, at the date of acquisition. If agreement cannot be reached on the amount payable, either party can refer the claim to the Lands Tribunal for adjudication. Apart from statutory compensation, there is a system of ex gratia payments.

In the New Territories, a total of 1 308 766 square metres of private land, comprising 1 300 239 square metres of agricultural land and 8 527 square metres of building land, was acquired in 1999. A large percentage of the resumed area was to provide land necessary for the implementation of major river training projects. The works include the construction of main drainage channels for Fanling, Sheung Shui and Hinterland and training of the River Beas, the Lower and Upper River Indus in the North District Kau Hui Development and construction of main drainage channels in the Kam Tin and Ngau Tam Mei areas of Yuen Long District. Also, three sites in Area 36, North District Kau Hui Development; Area 13, Hung Shui Kiu, Yuen Long; and Area 36C, Sha Tin respectively, were made available to cater for three public housing projects involving the construction of public housing estates and Home Ownership Scheme flats.

In the urban area, 94 private lots were resumed in 1999 with over 150 compensation claims being settled. In addition, the office has processed and gazetted the resumption of a total of 128 private lots for two large-scale public housing and school development projects located at Diamond Hill and Inverness Road, Kowloon. These lots will revert to the Government and be cleared in 2000.

More than $2.7 billion was paid out Hong Kong-wide in compensation payments in 1999.

The department was also involved in the resumption of land for implementation of urban renewal projects carried out by the Land Development Corporation. During 1999, compensation totalling $81 million was paid to owners of 13 resumed properties affected by two projects at Sheung Wan and Mong Kok. The resumption applications for five other schemes involving 165 properties at Yau Ma Tei, Wan Chai, Kennedy Town, Tsuen Wan and Tsim Sha Tsui were also processed.

The Railway Development Section continued its work on the land issues arising from the construction of the KCRC West Rail (Phase I) for which a total of 1 118 private lots of 82.3 hectares were resumed, and the MTR Tseung Kwan O extension for which about 1.9 hectares of underground strata affecting 43 lots were resumed. Payment of compensation for West Rail Phase I (which is estimated eventually to amount to $2.9 billion) and settlement of claims are under way. This section also deals with land matters relating to three other projects, namely, an extension of the KCRC's East Rail from Hung Hom to Tsim Sha Tsui, a railway from Ma On Shan to Tai Wai, and a spur line from Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau.

Land Disposal

All land within the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is state property, and the Government is responsible for its disposal and management. Most government land which is identified as being suitable for private development is sold by public auction or tender. Land is also made available by direct grant and at nominal premium to the Housing Authority for its public rental estates, Home Ownership Scheme, Tenants Purchase Scheme and Buy or Rent Option Scheme, and to non- profit-making educational, medical and charitable institutions which operate schools,

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