ENG-2002 — Page 278

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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On November 13, the Government announced a package of measures to stabilise the property market, including: stopping all scheduled land auctions, calling off the two remaining land auctions in the financial year and suspending the Application List system until the end of 2003. Thereafter, the supply of new land will only be triggered from the Application List. The aim is to restore public confidence in the property

market.

In addition to land supply from the Government, the existing privately held land leases can be amended, normally at premium, on lease-holders' initiatives to provide for a more intensive or different type of development in accordance with the prevailing planning intentions. These amendments are effected by either lease modification or land exchange. During the year, 173 such transactions were concluded, involving a total of 197.73 hectares.

Land and Estate Management

The Task Force (Black Spots) (TFB) was set up in 1994 to clean up environmental 'black spots' that arose in the 1980s as a result of the extensive conversion of New Territories agricultural land into open storage uses and industrial undertakings. During the year, 248 sites covering 22.55 hectares were improved, making a cumulative total of 2023 sites comprising 247.31 hectares of land.

The TFB provided support in the identification of suitable new sites for uses relating to container freight/open storage activities and disposed of two sites. It also promoted improvements to the infrastructure in areas zoned for open storage related uses and coordinated government departmental actions in the prevention and control of illegal dumping of waste.

The Property Management Unit manages properties that are resumed, surrendered or lease-expired. During the year, 29 properties were taken over for management, making a cumulative total of 471. Fourteen properties were sold and 20 let on a short- term basis.

The Systematic Identification of the Maintenance Responsibility of Slopes (SIMAR) study, to identify the parties responsible for maintenance of about 54 000 man-made slopes across Hong Kong, was completed in 2000. The public can now check the party responsible for the maintenance of an individual slope covered by the study on the Internet at the Lands Department website.

The Lands Department is responsible for maintaining about 16 800 man-made slopes on government land that are not allocated to other maintenance departments. The Slope Maintenance Section of the Lands Department, with the assistance of private consultants, carries out regular inspections of these slopes and employs contactors to undertake routine maintenance works and, where required, stabilisation works. The works are prioritised according to the level of risk posed to life and property in the event of landslides. During the year, routine works were carried out on 3 000 slopes and stabilisation works on 143 slopes.

Land Registration

In Hong Kong, the security given by legal title to property is at present provided by a deeds registration system operated by the Land Registry under the Land Registration Ordinance. This legislation was first enacted in 1844 and is the oldest local law still in force in the region. Over $1,000 billion in loans is currently extended to families and businesses in Hong Kong against the security of registered property.