ENG-2006 — Page 267

Land, Public Works and Utilities | 219

In 2006, one outline zoning plan, one development permission area plan and two Urban Renewal Authority development scheme plans were published by the TPB. The TPB also amended 41 statutory plans. At year-end, there were 108 outline zoning plans, one development permission area plan, eight Land Development Corporation development scheme plans and five Urban Renewal Authority development scheme plans.

The authority to approve statutory plan rests with the Chief Executive in Council. During the year, 48 statutory plans were submitted to the Chief Executive in Council for approval.

A set of notes is attached to each statutory plan, indicating the uses in particular zones that are always permitted and others for which the TPB's permission must be sought. In 2006, the TPB considered 787 applications for planning permission and reviewed its decisions on 111 planning applications.

Applicants who are unhappy with the decisions of the TPB may lodge appeals with the independent Town Planning Appeal Board. The appeal board heard 15 cases in 2006: seven were dismissed, two were allowed and six are yet to be decided.

The TPB also promulgates guidelines for applications for developments in areas. covered by statutory plans. In 2006, it promulgated one set of new guidelines and six sets of revised guidelines. By year-end, there were 29 sets of guidelines.

Departmental Plans

At district level, the District Planning Offices of the Planning Department prepare departmental outline development plans and layout plans for individual districts or planning areas to show the planned land uses, development restrictions and transport networks in greater detail. There were 77 outline development plans and 298 layout plans covering Hong Kong in 2006.

Enforcement

Under the Town Planning Ordinance, no person shall undertake or continue a development in a development permission area (DPA) unless the development was in existence before the relevant interim development permission area or development permission area plans were gazetted, or the development is permitted under the relevant statutory plan, or permission from the TPB has been obtained. A development not satisfying these criteria is an 'unauthorised development' (UD) subject to enforcement and prosecution action. Currently, about 19 797 hectares of rural land have been designated as DPAs.

The Planning Authority may serve statutory notices on the respective landowners, occupiers and/or responsible persons, requiring them to discontinue an UD by a specified date or to reinstate the land. Non-compliance with a notice is a statutory offence.

In 2006, a total of 257 new UDs were detected in the rural areas. Most were related to uses such as open storage of vehicles, containers and construction machinery and related materials, car parks, container trailer parks, and workshops.