ENG-2011 — Page 286

242 Infrastructure Development and Heritage Conservation

Following an extensive two-year public engagement exercise, the Development Bureau promulgated in February 2011 a new Urban Renewal Strategy to be implemented by the URA and relevant government departments and other stakeholders. It outlines a people-first, district-based and public participatory approach to urban renewal.

All the key initiatives of the new Urban Renewal Strategy have been put in place. The URA has implemented a new 'Flat-for-Flat' scheme which offers affected owner-occupiers an option to purchase a flat in the URA's new development in-situ or in the same district or at available sites. As this is an alternative to cash compensation and ex-gratia payment, the amount of cash compensation and ex-gratia payment offered will not be changed by the owner-occupier's choice of using that amount, or part of it, to join the 'Flat-for-Flat' scheme. Arrangements for handing over a site at the Kai Tak Development Area to the URA for early implementation of the 'Flat-for-Flat' scheme are under way. Under the new Urban Renewal Strategy, the URA may respond to a joint approach from building owners to initiate redevelopment of their buildings through a new 'demand-led' scheme. The URA may also provide assistance to owners as consultant to help them assemble titles for joint sale of their properties for redevelopment under a new 'facilitation' scheme. The URA announced details of the two new schemes in July 2011 and invited applications.

The first District Urban Renewal Forum (DURF) is set up in Kowloon City during the year. It is an advisory forum comprising professionals and members from the District Council, Area Committees and local non-governmental organisations formed to collect public views on urban renewal planning for the district. An independent Urban Renewal Trust Fund, with an endowment of $500 million from the URA has been set up to support the DURF in conducting researches, organising public engagement activities and carrying out other related work. As set out in the new Urban Renewal Strategy, the Urban Renewal Trust Fund also supports the social service teams who are providing assistance and advice to residents affected by URA- implemented redevelopment projects and applications from non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders involved in heritage preservation and district revitalisation initiatives in the overall context of urban renewal.

In 2011, the URA and its partners started or continued work on 51 redevelopment projects, including 10 projects taken over from the former Land Development Corporation, and four preservation projects..

Lift and Escalator Safety

The Government introduced a 'Lifts and Escalators Bill' into the Legislative Council in mid-2011 to strengthen the regulatory control over the operation, maintenance and related measures to ensure that the tens of thousands of lifts and escalators in which people ride every day are safe.

The Government consulted the general public and people in the industry, including workers, before drawing up the bill the provisions of which are being further examined by the Legislative Council before enacting it into law.