ENG-2015 — Page 241

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Planning, Land and Infrastructure

Charitable Foundation Limited and its partners, with the latter transformed into PMQ, a creative industries landmark.

In the private domain, the CHO and the Antiquities and Monuments Office closely monitor any works or development of declared monuments and graded historic buildings and proactively engage owners of historic buildings to discuss preservation options. To help such owners carry out maintenance works, the CHO approved grants for maintenance works at five privately owned graded historic buildings in 2015.

Restoration and repair works were carried out on a number of historic buildings, including the Former Kowloon British School in Tsim Sha Tsui and Tin Hau Temple in Causeway Bay. Archaeological investigations were conducted in Sai Kung, Cheung Chau and Lamma Island. Archaeological features including ancient wells and stone building remnants dated to the Song-Yuan period were discovered at the works site for To Kwa Wan MTR station along the Shatin to Central Link. Most of these unearthed features would be preserved in situ for future public display.

The Antiquities Advisory Board advises the government on matters relating to antiquities and monuments. So far, it has confirmed the gradings of 1,3091 historic buildings to provide an objective basis for guiding conservation efforts. In 2015, following the approval of the Chief Executive, Signal Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui, the Race Course Fire Memorial at So Kon Po and the facade of the Old Mental Hospital in Sai Ying Pun were declared as monuments in accordance with the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance.

Development Framework

Planning Control and Enforcement

The Planning Authority has enforcement powers under the Town Planning Ordinance to tackle unauthorised developments (UDS) in Development Permission Areas. It may serve statutory notices on the respective landowners, occupiers and/or responsible persons, requiring them to stop or discontinue a UD within a specified time. Subsequently, a further statutory notice may be served to require the site to be reinstated. Non-compliance is a statutory offence.

In 2015, the Planning Authority discovered 430 new UDs, including unauthorised open storage, workshops, vehicle parks and land/pond fillings, and issued 3,340 warning letters or reminders involving 613 cases, 1,903 enforcement notices involving 319 cases, 480 reinstatement notices involving 97 cases and 1,513 compliance notices involving 273 cases. A total of 106 defendants in 43 cases were convicted. The enforcement and prosecution actions resulted in the discontinuation of 252 UDs on 44 hectares of land. Another 48 UDs occupying 8 hectares of land were regularised through the planning application system.

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This figure comprises items on the list of 1,444 historic buildings and new items proposed for grading.

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