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Housing Land Supply and Sale of Sites with Flat Size Restrictions
39. To increase land supply of private residential housing, I proposed last year to create a land reserve, use the Application List system as the main axle, and supplement it with a government-initiated land sale arrangement to ensure there would not be any shortage in housing land supply. We also set a target of making land available for 20 000 private residential flats each year on average in the next decade. Housing sites available for private residential developments in 2011-12 may provide about 35 000 flats.
40. To increase the supply of small and medium flats, we put up the first site with flat number and flat size stipulations last year. To date, we have sold three sites with flat size restrictions, which will provide 3 000 small and medium flats. This policy will continue.
41. As regards West Rail property projects, tender will soon be invited for the project at Nam Cheong Station, while tender for three other projects is under preparation. These four projects together will provide about 7 500 flats, of which about 5 000 will be small and medium units. This is double the number originally proposed.
42. We are stepping up efforts to ensure that the private residential sites at the Kai Tak Development Area will be made available progressively from before 2013. Other sources of land supply include sites at the new development areas in the northern New Territories, Anderson Road Quarry, the former Cha Kwo Ling Kaolin Mine, the former Lamma Quarry and the remaining development areas of Tung Chung New Town. Advance works on these sites are well underway.
Policy on Land Development and Accumulation
43. We have to innovate to expand our land resources. We have identified the following measures:
(i) To release about 60 hectares of industrial land for non-industrial uses, half of which will be made available for housing;
(ii) To explore the option of reclamation on an appropriate scale outside Victoria Harbour. Public consultation will begin shortly;
(iii) To actively explore the use of rock caverns to reprovision existing public facilities and release such sites for housing and other uses. Tentative projects include the relocation of the Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works and Mount Davis and Kennedy Town Fresh Water Service Reservoirs;
(iv) To look into the use of green belt areas in the New Territories that are devegetated, deserted or formed, thus no longer performing their original functions, and convert them into housing sites. The first phase will cover an area of 50 hectares, mainly consisting of government land;
(v) To examine "Government, Institution or Community" sites to avoid the under-utilisation of sites long reserved but without specific development plans; and study ways to reduce the restrictions posed by government utilities to the development of adjacent areas; and
(vi) To explore the possibility of converting into housing land some 150 hectares of agricultural land in North District and Yuen Long currently used mainly for industrial purposes or temporary storage, or which is deserted.
Our aim is to ensure an annual supply of land for an average of about 40 000 residential units of various types. Even when demand for land declines, land development will continue. The newly developed land will be kept in the Government's land reserve and made available when appropriate. By doing so, we will be able to supply sufficient land for more than 40 000 units each year when demand rises.
Regulating the Sale of Residential Flats by Legislation
44. Last year, I proposed regulating the sale of residential flats by legislation. The steering committee set up by the THB has submitted its proposals. In addition to putting all uncompleted residential properties under the scope of regulation, the proposals also cover regulatory requirements on sales brochures, price lists, floor area information, show flats, transaction information and sales arrangements, as well as penalties and the enforcement mechanism. We will consult the public by issuing a white bill next month. The THB will seek to have the legislation enacted next year. Honourable Members, I look forward to your full co-operation and support for the introduction of a statutory regulatory mechanism.
Development in Old Districts
Building Safety
45. To enhance building safety, we will submit draft subsidiary legislation on mandatory building and window inspections to this Council for vetting as soon as possible. We will also table legislative proposals for more stringent control over building safety, which will include empowering the Buildings Department (BD) to apply to the court for a warrant to enter a flat for inspection and extending the Minor Works Control System to cover building works commonly associated with "sub-divided units".
46. The HKHS and the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) will offer financial and technical support for owners to more effectively fulfil their building maintenance responsibilities. Since its launch in 2009, Operation Building Bright has helped maintain about 2 500 buildings, many of which did not have owners' corporations or the ability to organise maintenance works.
47. The BD will step up enforcement against UBWs. In parallel, we will strengthen enforcement against UBWs and illegal structures of New Territories Exempted Houses through categorisation and prioritisation of enforcement.
Urban Renewal
48. Under the new Urban Renewal Strategy in place since February, the URA has devised specific measures which include the "flat for flat" scheme, as well as the new "facilitator" scheme and "demand-led" scheme for urban renewal. The first Urban Renewal Forum in Kowloon City and the Urban Renewal Fund Limited have been set up. The Integrated Building Maintenance Assistance Scheme has also been launched to provide property owners with one-stop service. In addition, the URA¡¦s first Urban Renewal Resources Centre in Tai Kok Tsui is expected to come into service early next year.
Kick-Starting the Development of East Kowloon
49. Hong Kong's traditional core business districts can no longer satisfy the growing demand for office space. We must develop another core business district - East Kowloon. In the past decade, the total floor area of Grade A office space in Kwun Tong and Kowloon Bay has increased significantly by 2.5 times to 1.4 million square metres. With the development of the office belt and tourism and leisure facilities at Kai Tak, combined with revitalised industrial buildings, East Kowloon is poised to be developed into a premier business district that provides an additional office floor area of 4 million square metres.
50. East Kowloon includes the new Kai Tak Development Area, Kwun Tong and Kowloon Bay. The Government is drawing up development strategies for the district, which include the following:
(i) Enhancing connectivity within East Kowloon, such as improving pedestrian access networks; considering building an environmentally friendly linkage system through the entire district; and strengthening external connectivity through the MTR Kwun Tong Line and the future Sha Tin to Central Link;
(ii) Attractive urban design concepts with greening features and pedestrian promenades to create a pleasant business district; and
(iii) Advocating development that includes a wide range of cultural, leisure and water sports activities to energise the business district.
The Government will also relocate government offices to Kai Tak and release sites of government facilities for commercial development. The Development Bureau will deploy additional manpower to promote the development of the district. To achieve the transformation of this district, the Government will need to have vision and determination to put its plans into action.
Revitalising Industrial Buildings
51. In 2009, I announced initiatives to better utilise vacant or under-utilised industrial buildings through redevelopment or wholesale conversion. These measures have been in place since April 2010 and were due to last for three years. We have made encouraging progress. By the end of last month, the Lands Department had approved 35 applications, involving the demolition and redevelopment of 9 industrial buildings and the wholesale conversion of 26 others, providing a total gross floor area of 380 000 square metres for non-industrial uses. Another 23 applications are being processed.
52. In light of the mid-term review completed last month, we will extend these measures for a further three years. To provide room for creativity in conversions, we will allow minor alterations to the frame of the buildings. We will also encourage owners to apply for green building certification of the converted buildings.
(To be continued)
Ends/Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:42
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