What is the organizational framework of the Government's land policy?
The primary objective of the Government's lands policy is to facilitate Hong Kong's continual development through a steady and sufficient supply of land, effective planning and use of land, and efficient registration of land.
With effect from July 1, 2002, the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works is responsible for the delivery of public works projects in a cost effective manner, the formulation of policies on slope safety, water supply, flood control and construction site safety. She also oversees, and has policy responsibility for, the activities of the seven Works Departments - Architectural Services Department, Civil Engineering Department, Drainage Services Department, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, Highway Department, Territory Development Department and Water Supplies Department. In addition, she oversees the operation of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Trading Fund.
The Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands, supported by the Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Planning and Lands), oversees the operation of four departments, namely, Buildings Department, Lands Department, Planning Department and Land Registry. He also oversees part of the work of the Civil Engineering Department, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and Territory Development Department.
The Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Planning and Lands) is chairman of both the Committee on Planning and Land Development (CPLD) and the Town Planning Board (TPB). The CPLD is responsible for considering and endorsing land use plans and major development proposals. The TPB is a statutory endorsing land use plans and major development proposals. The TPB is a statutory body, established under the Town Planning Ordinance, responsible for making town plans, and considering planning applications for individual projects in Hong Kong.
The existing Town Planning Ordinance was first enacted in 1939. To meet the needs of the changing social and economic environment in Hong Kong, there is a need to revise the legislation.
The Town Planning Bill proposing an overhaul of the statutory planning system was gazetted in January 2000 and introduced into the Legislative Council the next month. A Bills Committee was formed in March to consider the bill and the public submissions on it. Owing to the complexity of the issues involved, the Bills Committee was not able to complete consideration of the bill within the 1998-2000 term of the council, and it was dissolved after nine meetings. Since then, the Administration has taken the opportunity to review the bill's proposals in the light of the comments received and the changing socio-economic conditions.
While there is a general consensus on the need to streamline the planning procedures and to promote public participation, views on certain complex policy issues are diverse. These issues need to be resolved after further consultation with the stakeholders. Since there is a strong demand in the community to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the present planning system, the Administration has decided to propose amendments to the Town Planning Ordinance in stages, giving priority to those amendments which have general consensus and would produce more immediate benefits to the community.
The first-stage amendments will focus on streamlining the planning approval procedures, expediting the plan-making process, enhancing the openness and user friendliness of the planning system and strengthening planning enforcement control. It is anticipated that the first-stage amendments will be introduced into the Legislative Council in 2003.
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