ENG-2003 — Page 262

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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Drainage Services Department, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, Highways Department, Territory Development Department and Water Supplies Department. In addition, she oversees the operation of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Trading Fund.

The Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands, supported by the Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Planning and Lands), oversees the operation of four departments: Buildings Department, Lands Department, Planning Department and Land Registry. He also oversees part of the work of the Civil Engineering Department, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and Territory Development Department.

The Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Planning and Lands) is chairman of both the Committee on Planning and Land Development (CPLD) and the Town Planning Board (TPB). The CPLD is responsible for considering and endorsing land use plans and major development proposals. The TPB is a statutory body, established under the Town Planning Ordinance, responsible for making town. plans, and considering planning applications for individual projects in Hong Kong.

Review of the Town Planning Ordinance

The existing Town Planning Ordinance was first enacted in 1939. There is a need to revise the legislation from time to time to meet the requirements of the changing social and economic environment in Hong Kong.

The Town Planning Bill proposing an overhaul of the statutory planning system was introduced into the Legislative Council in February 2000. Owing to the complexity of the issues involved, the council's Bills Committee was not able to complete consideration of the bill within the 1998-2000 term, and it was dissolved after nine meetings. Since then, the Administration has taken the opportunity to review the bill's proposals in the light of the comments received and the changing socio-economic conditions.

While there is a general consensus on the need to streamline the planning procedures and to promote public participation, views on certain complex policy issues are diverse. These issues need to be resolved after further consultation with the stakeholders. Since there is a strong demand in the community to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the present planning system, the Administration has decided to propose amendments to the Town Planning Ordinance in stages, giving priority to those amendments which have general consensus and would produce more immediate benefits to the community.

The first-stage amendments have been included in the Town Planning (Amendment) Bill 2003 which was introduced into the council in May. The main objectives of the amendment bill are to streamline the plan-making process and planning approval procedures, enhance the openness and user friendliness of the planning system and strengthen planning enforcement control in the rural New Territories.

Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines

The Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines 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 and the preparation or revision of town plans. The document is under constant review to take account of changes in government policies, demographic characteristics and social