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Planning, Land and Infrastructure

The Antiquities Advisory Board advises the government on antiquities and monuments. As at 31 December, it had confirmed the gradings of 1,550' historic buildings to provide an objective basis for guiding conservation efforts. In 2020, a masonry bridge at Pok Fu Lam Reservoir, Tung Wah Coffin Home in Pok Fu Lam, and Tin Hau Temple and the adjoining buildings in Yau Ma Tei were declared monuments in accordance with the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance.

Development Framework

Town Planning Board

As a statutory body established under the Town Planning Ordinance, the Town Planning Board (TPB) oversees the preparation and review of statutory plans and considers planning applications. In 2020, it amended 11 statutory plans. The board also promulgates guidelines for statutory planning. It has 32 sets of guidelines.

Anyone may submit views on draft statutory plans to the TPB. In 2020, the board examined 2,092 such submissions. It also considered 69 applications for amendments to statutory plans, 1,021 for planning permission, 1,498 for amendments to the approved schemes and 53 to review the decisions of its planning committees.

Applicants aggrieved by the TPB's decisions may lodge appeals with the independent Town Planning Appeal Board. In 2020, the appeal board heard five cases.

Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines

The Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines provide criteria for determining the scale, location and site requirements of various land uses and facilities applicable to planning studies, town plans and development control. These are reviewed from time to time by relevant government bureaus and departments to take account of changes in government policies, demographic characteristics, and social and economic trends. In 2020, amendments to the standards and guidelines covered aided child care centres and biodiversity considerations.

Planning Control and Enforcement

The Planning Authority is empowered under the Town Planning Ordinance to tackle unauthorised developments (UDS) in development permission areas. It may serve statutory notices on landowners, occupiers or responsible persons requiring them to stop or discontinue a UD within a specified time. A further statutory notice may be served to require reinstatement of the land. Non-compliance is a statutory offence.

In 2020, the Planning Authority discovered 344 new UDs, and issued 1,782 warning letters or reminders involving 436 cases, 1,576 enforcement notices involving 336 cases, 43 stop notices involving three cases, 1,137 reinstatement notices involving 221 cases and 2,721 compliance notices involving 478 cases. A total of 286 defendants in 118 cases were convicted. The enforcement and prosecution actions resulted in the discontinuation of 365 UDs on 58 hectares

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

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