ENG-2018 — Page 241

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Planning, Land and Infrastructure

To relax the waiver application policy to permit certain uses for the arts and cultural sectors, creative industries, and innovation and technology sectors in existing units of industrial buildings;

• To broaden the permissible use of buffer floors to facilitate partial conversion of the lower floors of industrial buildings into non-industrial uses; and

• To promulgate a broader definition for 'godown' use under lease provisions.

Land Disposal

Government land is usually disposed of through public sale for private residential, commercial and other developments. Included in the annual Land Sale Programme are sites with potential for sale in the year. The government announces quarterly in advance sites to be sold to provide transparency and certainty for the market and may add sites for sale in the course of a year or a quarter so as to respond more flexibly to changes in market conditions.

Starting from the first quarter of 2018-19, the government will, in addition to publishing the name and tender amount of each successful tenderer under the Land Sale Programme and the names of the other tenderers and their parent company, if provided, at the time of the tender award, further publish the tender amounts of all the other tender submissions on an anonymous basis after all transaction procedures related to the successful bid are completed, for reference by the industry and the market.

During the year, 14 residential sites, one industrial site, one site for logistics development, four sites for petrol stations and one site for a high-tier data centre, covering about 14.6 hectares in total, were sold for about $81.9 billion. These sites were expected to provide about 7,300 private residential flats and a maximum of 262,223 sq m of gross floor area for commercial or other economic uses.

Lessees of leased land, commonly known as private landowners, may apply to the Lands Department for a lease modification or land exchange so as to, for instance, redevelop based on the town plan. The department acts as a private landlord in considering such applications. Approvals are subject to terms and conditions that may include the payment of premiums and administrative fees. In 2018, the department concluded 94 such transactions, involving about 290.5 hectares and about $37.2 billion in land premiums, expected to provide 4,218 private housing flats and up to 312,354 sq m of gross floor area for commercial or other economic uses.

The Pilot Scheme for Arbitration on Land Premium, launched in 2014, seeks to facilitate early agreement on land premiums payable for lease modifications and land exchange transactions. It has been extended until October 2020 while the government continues to explore refinements to the scheme in consultation with stakeholders.

Harbourfront Enhancement

The government is seeking to link up the waterfront areas on both sides of the harbour to provide quality public space for all to enjoy unique and spectacular views of the harbour. On 1 July, the bureau's Harbour Unit was reorganised into the Harbour Office, which consisted

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