ENG-2013 — Page 247

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Infrastructure Development and Heritage Conservation

In 2013, the Buildings Department served 682 repair orders on owners and occupiers of dilapidated buildings requiring them to repair defects in their buildings and repairs to 600 buildings were completed.

Action Against UBWs

Since 2011, the Buildings Department has also stepped up its enforcement against unauthorised building works (UBWs) to remove all UBWs erected on the exterior of buildings, including those on rooftops and podiums, as well as those in backyards and lanes irrespective of their risks to public safety or whether they are newly constructed. Priority enforcement continues to be taken on other UBWs, including those associated with sub-divided units, those on cantilevered slab balconies, and large unauthorised signboards. In addition, steps are taken to combat the building of new UBWs and to foster greater public awareness of the dangers and nuisances caused by UBWs. In 2013, the Buildings Department progressively strengthened enforcement action against UBWs in New Territories village houses in line with the enhanced enforcement policy implemented in 2012.

In 2013, 44,512 reports on UBWs were attended to, 12,005 statutory removal orders were served and 14,972 UBWs were removed. A total of 2,513 offenders were prosecuted for failure to comply with the statutory removal orders and 2,387 cases were adjudicated, resulting in 1,984 convictions and fines totalling $8.84 million.

Urban Renewal

Urban renewal addresses the problem of urban decay and improves the living conditions in the old urban areas, while preserving buildings of historical, cultural or architectural value, and mitigates the potential social impact as far as practicable. The Development Bureau formulates policy on urban renewal and oversees the work of the URA, a statutory body established to conduct urban renewal.

The Development Bureau's 2011 Urban Renewal Strategy (URS) comprises a number of initiatives, including a 'Flat-for-Flat' scheme offering affected owner-occupiers an option to purchase a flat in the URA's new development at the original site, or a site at the Kai Tak Development Area earmarked for the 'Flat-for-Flat' scheme.

Under the URS, the URA may respond to a joint approach from building owners to initiate redevelopment of their buildings through a new 'demand-led' scheme. As at 31 December 2013, the URA had received some 110 applications and commenced eight redevelopment projects (including one which was ceased in November 2013 after failing to achieve the required 80 per cent owners' acceptance). Apart from the 'demand-led' scheme, the URA may also help owners assemble titles for joint sale of their properties for redevelopment under a new 'facilitation' scheme. The site of the first facilitation project was successfully sold by public auction in November 2013.

The first District Urban Renewal Forum, set up in Kowloon City in 2011 to advise the government on a district urban renewal plan for Kowloon City, endorsed the District Urban

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