1 More people to get payouts for city facelifts
Timothy Chui, The Standard 29 January 2009

Residents and non-profit organizations based in old commercial buildings by April are in line for funding under the urban renewal program.

A total of HK$65 million will be spent over the next two years to revitalize and rehabilitate aging blocks in older districts, Urban Renewal Authority director of works and contracts Stephen Lam Wai-nang said.

The move paves the way for the revitalization of older commercial buildings - a deviation from the status quo. Building rehabilitation schemes administered by the URA have applied only to residential buildings with incorporated owners.

Deteriorating and unkempt buildings in Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok, Tai Kok Tsui, Ma Tau Kok, Sham Shui Po, Tsuen Wan, Kwun Tong, Wan Chai and Central and Western districts are targets.

A range of new subsidies will likewise be extended to commercial blocks housing residences, while the authority's loan scheme will be extended to non-profit organizations.

Lam said a dedicated team of inspectors will assess whether buildings are eligible, adding that the authority is to liaise with district councils.

The authority is also raising its ceiling of HK$3,000 per unit subsidy in buildings with less than 50 units to 20 percent of total renovation works up to a HK$150,000 ceiling on April 1.

Buildings with five to 20 units can receive 30 percent of total renovation costs up to HK$150,000.

Lam said the lower figure would be taken if the per housing subsidy exceeded the HK$150,000 ceiling, adding that the measure will "help homeowners and owners corporations shoulder improvement works during uncertain economic times."

A cash subsidy scheme will also be launched on April 1, which would apply after the value of incentive materials have been deducted.

Incentive materials will also come in the form of paint, fire doors, exit signs, emergency lights, drainage pipes, flushing water and public water supply pipes and water-proofing materials for re-roofing work, Lam said.

 

2 30 building plans approved in December
Hong Kong Government, 29 January 2009

The Buildings Department approved 30 building plans in December - 11 on Hong Kong Island, 10 in Kowloon and nine in the New Territories.

Of the approved plans, 14 were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, nine were for commercial developments, four were for factory and industrial developments, and three were for community services developments.

In the same month, consent was given for work to start on 16 building projects that, when completed, will provide 10,718 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use, involving 66 units, and 24,913 square metres of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of work for eight building projects.

The department also issued 16 occupation permits - two on Hong Kong Island, two in Kowloon and 12 in the New Territories.

Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor areas for domestic use were 308,230 square metres, involving 3,996 units, and 74,781 square metres for non-domestic use.

The declared cost of the new buildings completed in December totalled about $3.6 billion.

In addition, seven demolition consents involving seven building structures were issued.

The department received 1,708 complaints against unauthorised building works in December, and issued 1,076 removal orders on unauthorised works.

The full version of the Monthly Digest for December can be viewed by the public on the Buildings Department's homepage, www.bd.gov.hk.