ENG-2001 — Page 272

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

216

urban renewal programme consisting of 200 new projects and 25 uncompleted projects of the LDC in the next 20 years.

Under the URS, a 'people-centred' approach should be used by the URA to carry out urban renewal: the purpose of urban renewal being to improve the quality of life of residents in the urban areas. The URA would adopt a comprehensive and holistic approach to rejuvenate older urban areas by way of redevelopment, rehabilitation and heritage preservation.

The Planning Department will continue to be heavily involved in monitoring the operation of the URA and in planning work on URA projects. It will assist in the preparation and review of the urban renewal strategy as policy guidelines for the URA on the urban renewal programme. Planning studies would be undertaken for the updating of the urban renewal strategy. Besides, a geographical information. system would be developed for sharing of information on building conditions among various government departments for building rehabilitation and urban renewal programme review. Other than processing development schemes and master layout plans submitted by the URA for the Town Planning Board's consideration, the Planning Department would also prepare planning briefs for URA development schemes. The department will co-ordinate the provision of infrastructure, government, institution or community facilities, and open space in URA projects; and monitor the implementation of URA projects to ensure compliance with the statutory planning requirements.

Planning Studies

Studies completed in the year included: Study of the Impacts of Information Technology on Planning; Study to Analyse the Broad Land Use Pattern of Hong Kong; Study on Development Opportunities of the Former Marine Police Headquarters Site in Tsim Sha Tsui; Study on Village Improvement and Upgrading of Lei Yue Mun Areas; and Thematic Household Survey on Hong Kong Residents' Aspirations and Experience in Taking up Residence in Mainland.

Apart from planning studies for the five sub-regions of Hong Kong already mentioned, the ongoing studies carried out by the Planning Department include Hong Kong 2030: Planning Vision and Strategy, the Study on Urban Design Guidelines for Hong Kong; Planning and Development Study on Hong Kong Island South and Lamma; Study on Revitalisation of Tai O; Setting Up of a 3-Dimensional Digital Model for the Main Urban Area of Hong Kong; a Study to Examine Ways to Centralise and Disseminate Planning Data; and a study on electronic application submission and services delivery*.

The Planning Department commenced four studies in 2001, namely, Focus Study on Aberdeen Harbour; Study on Planning for Pedestrians; Cross Boundary Travel Survey 2001; and Landscape Value Mapping of Hong Kong.

During the year, the Planning Department also worked on several major development proposals, notably Western District development; South-East Kowloon development; the Central District Reclamation Phase III; Wan Chai Development Phase II; remaining development in Tung Chung and Tai Ho; Intensification and

* Consultancy Study on Phase 2 of the Electronic Application Submission System, Electronic Services

Delivery, Electronic Services Hub and the Planning Information Management Centre