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1. Approved Tong Yan San Tsuen Outline Zoning Plan referred to TPB for amendment

2. Approved Wong Nai Chung Outline Zoning Plan referred back for amendment

3. Approved Lam Tei and Yick Yuen Outline Zoning Plan referred to TPB for amendment

4. Ten Outline Zoning Plans amended

5. Sai Ying Pun & Sheung Wan Outline Zoning Plan approved

6. Public housing teeters on the brink after 50 years

7. Does Hong Kong still need public housing?

1. Approved Tong Yan San Tsuen Outline Zoning Plan referred to TPB for amendment
Hong Kong Government, 24 December 2003

The Chief Executive in Council has referred the approved Tong Yan San Tsuen Outline Zoning Plan to the Town Planning Board for amendment.

Amendments to the approved Outline Zoning Plan are necessary to reflect the latest development proposals in Tong Yan San Tsuen area.

The Outline Zoning Plan incorporating the amendments will be exhibited for public inspection under the Town Planning Ordinance.

The Tong Yan San Tsuen Outline Zoning Plan was last approved by the Chief Executive in Council on October 22, 2002.

2. Approved Wong Nai Chung Outline Zoning Plan referred back for amendment
Hong Kong Government, 24 December 2003

The Chief Executive in Council has referred the approved Wong Nai Chung Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) to the Town Planning Board for amendment.

Amendments to the approved OZP are necessary to reflect the latest development proposals in the Wong Nai Chung area.

The Wong Nai Chung OZP incorporating the amendments will be exhibited for public inspection under the Town Planning Ordinance.

The Wong Nai Chung OZP was last approved by the Chief Executive in Council on April 29, 2003.

3. Approved Lam Tei and Yick Yuen Outline Zoning Plan referred to TPB for amendment
Hong Kong Government, 24 December 2003

The Chief Executive in Council has referred the approved Lam Tei and Yick En Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) to the Town Planning Board for amendment.

Amendment to the Notes of the approved Lam Tei and Yick Yuen OZP is necessary to follow a revised set of Master Schedule of Notes (MSN) to Statutory Plans endorsed by the Board on February 28, 2003.

Under the revised MSN, various measures including broad use terms, have been introduced to provide greater flexibility for change of use and reduce the need for planning application.

The general provisions under the covering Notes and the user schedules for various land use zones have been revised to permit more uses as of right wherever appropriate. Besides, the planning intention for various zones will be incorporated in the Notes to form part of the statutory plans.

The alignment of the Deep Bay Link (DBL) will also be incorporated in the Plan. The DBL road scheme was authorised by the Chief Executive in Council under the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance on November 26, 2002.

The Lam Tei and Yick Yuen OZP incorporating the amendments will be exhibited for public inspection under the Town Planning Ordinance.

The OZP was last approved by the Chief Executive in Council in May 2000.

4. Ten Outline Zoning Plans amended
Hong Kong Government, 24 December 2003

The Town Planning Board today (December 24) announced amendments to eight approved and two draft Outline Zoning Plans (OZPs).

Amendments mainly involve revision of the Notes of the OZPs to effect a revised set of Master Schedule of Notes (MSN) to Statutory Plans endorsed by the Town Planning Board. Under the revised MSN, various measures including broad use terms have been introduced to provide greater flexibility for change of use and reduce the need for planning application.

The general provisions under the covering Notes and the user schedules for a variety of land-use zones have been revised to expand the scope of uses that are always permitted. The planning intentions for various zones have also been incorporated in the Notes to form part of the relevant statutory plans.

The eight approved OZPs amended are as follows:

- Approved Jardine's Lookout and Wong Nai Chung Gap OZP No.S/H13/7;

- Approved Ngau Chi Wan OZP No.S/K12/14;

- Approved Mui Wo Fringe OZP No.S/I-MWF/3;

- Approved Tung Chung Town Centre Area OZP No.S/I-TCTC/10;

- Approved Wu Kau Tang OZP No.S/NE-WKT/4;

- Approved Shek Kong OZP No.S/YL-SK/4;

- Approved Pat Heung OZP No.S/YL-PH/6; and

- Approved Sheung Pak Nai and Ha Pak Nai OZP No.S/YL-PN/4

These approved plans incorporating the amendments are available for public inspection during normal office hours until February 24, 2004 at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, 15th Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, and relevant District Planning Offices of the Planning Department, District Offices and/or Rural Committee Offices.

The two draft OZPs amended are as follows:

- Draft Tsz Wan Shan, Diamond Hill and San Po Kong OZP No. S/K11/16; and

- Draft Ngau Tau Kok and Kowloon Bay OZP No. S/K13/19

The two draft plans incorporating the amendments are available for public inspection during normal office hours until January 14, 2004 at the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board and relevant District Planning Offices of the Planning Department and District Offices.

Anyone affected by the amendments can submit a written objection to the Secretary of the Town Planning Board. Written objections against the eight approved OZPs and the two draft plans must reach the Secretariat on or before February 24, 2004 and January 14, 2004 respectively.

Copies of the draft OZPs are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the plans can be seen on the board's website at http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb.

5. Sai Ying Pun & Sheung Wan Outline Zoning Plan approved
Hong Kong Government, 24 December 2003

The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Sai Ying Pun & Sheung Wan Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).

"The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide development and redevelopment within the Sai Ying Pun and Sheung Wan area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (December 24).

Covering an area of about 146 hectares, the Planning Scheme Area is bounded by Hill Road to the West; Bonham Road and Caine Road to the south; Jubilee Street, Pottinger Street, D'Aguilar Street and Glenealy to the east; and Victoria Harbour to the north.

About 35 hectares of land, in particular those areas along both sides of Des Voeux Road West and to the south of Des Voeux Road Central, are zoned "Commercial/Residential". Some 24 hectares in the south of Queen's Road West and Hollywood Road is zoned "Residential (Group A)".

About 0.2 hectare in U Lam Terrace and Wa In Fong without direct vehicular access is zoned "Residential (Group C)" with a maximum domestic plot ratio of five and building height of 12 storeys in view of inadequate access for servicing and emergency purposes.

Some two hectares, including two completed Land Development Corporation (LDC) developments, namely "The Grand Millennium Plaza" and "The Center" near the Sheung Wan Mass Transit Railway Station, and "The Centrium" at Wyndham Street, are zoned "Commercial".

A number of sites, totaling about 14 hectares, are zoned "Government, Institution or Community" ("GIC"). Major GIC uses within this zoning include the Western District Police Station, Western Magistracy, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Tsan Yuk Hospital, Tung Wah Hospital, Central Sewage Screening Plant, Sheung Wan Civic Centre and Man Mo Temple. The former Old Mental Hospital site at High Street has been redeveloped for a district community hall cum social welfare complex.

About 13 hectares are zoned "Open Space". Existing major open spaces include Blake Garden, King George V Memorial Park and Hollywood Road Garden. A waterfront site with an area of about eight hectares on Western Reclamation has been reserved for the development of a district open space, the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park.

About 12 hectares are zoned "Other Specified Uses". They include the Western District Public Cargo Working Area, the Western Wholesale Market, a tram depot, a liquefied petroleum gas filling station, a ventilation building serving the Western Harbour Crossing, the Central Police Station, Victoria Prison and the former Central Magistracy Compound.

Meanwhile, three sites at Peel Street/Graham Street, First Street/Second Street and Staunton Street/Wing Lee Street, totaling 1.3 hectares, are under the LDC/Urban Renewal Authority Development Scheme Plans for redevelopment for commercial/residential uses with public open space, GIC facilities or other ancillary facilities.

The approved Sai Ying Pun & Sheung Wan OZP No. S/H3/20 is now available for public inspection during normal office hours at:

* Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, 15th Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong;

* Hong Kong District Planning Office, 14th Floor, North Point Government Offices; and

* Central and Western District Office, Ground Floor, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong.

Copies of the plan are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the plan can be seen on the Town Planning Board's website at http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb.

6. Public housing teeters on the brink after 50 years
KELVIN CHAN, SCMP 24 December 2003

It was the night before Christmas 50 years ago when tragedy struck the Shekkipmei squatter village.

But the fire which left 50,000 people from the village homeless prompted the establishment of public housing in Hong Kong to cope with the influx of mainland refugees.

The government celebrated the anniversary of half a century of public housing development in Hong Kong yesterday by unveiling a commemorative plaque at the Shekkipmei estate.

Public housing has been hailed by many as one of Hong Kong's success stories, an example of how the government was able to settle families in basic but affordable flats so they could work and study and contribute to the city's growth. But its future is now in doubt.

The Housing Authority, originally set up to house hundreds of thousands of refugees that flooded in from the mainland from 1949, faces a growing budget deficit and other financial woes.

Some prominent academics have argued that the public housing system should be privatised because it distorts the property market and disenfranchises a sector of residents.

The problems were highlighted at yesterday's ceremony, which was marred by demonstrations. Some protesters wanted lower rents while others were frustrated by the long waiting lists.

The financial prospects of the authority also suffered a major blow this year when it lost a court case that could force it to cut rents, which have been frozen since 1998, to 10 per cent of tenants' income, as stipulated in the amended Housing Ordinance.

The ruling could cost the authority an estimated $48.7 billion over the next decade.

The authority has also agreed to review rentals, which could add to its financial woes.

In the 2002-03 financial year, it recorded a budget deficit of $775 million, and the figure is estimated to hit $524 million this year.

As a result, the authority is scrambling for ideas on how to raise money, including selling off 10 million sq ft of retail space and 100,000 car-parking spaces worth $20 billion.

Even more bizarre ideas have been floated, including turning Home Ownership Scheme apartments into hotels.

One of the most vociferous voices against public housing is Richard Wong Yue-chim of the University of Hong Kong's School of Economics.

He argues that the government should get out of housing entirely. That would force people to stop depending on subsidies and start fending for themselves. It would also allow residents to feel a greater stake in the community.

Subsidised housing has become so popular that last year half the population lived in permanent public housing. There are 90,000 people waiting an average of three years for a public housing flat, down from 150,000 in 1997.

7. Does Hong Kong still need public housing?
Editorial, SCMP 24 December 2003

Fifty years ago tonight on Christmas Eve, chilly winds from the north fanned an inferno that gutted thousands of squatter huts in Shekkipmei, making more than 50,000 people homeless. An urgent need to provide shelter for the victims led to the construction of Hong Kong's first resettlement estate, marking the beginning of what has since become a massive public housing programme.

Today, about half the city's 6.8 million people live in public housing - about 32 per cent in rental flats and 18 per cent in subsidised-sale flats. But as we mark the golden jubilee of a programme that has been a bedrock of social stability, questions have to be asked as to whether it has become too large and whether it is still relevant.

When the first public housing block was built, life in Hong Kong was a struggle for most of its two million inhabitants. The average daily wage of an unskilled labourer was between $3 and $5. About 300,000 people lived in makeshift shelters on the hillside and 600,000 in crowded flats in private tenement buildings for which landlords charged exorbitant rents.

How things have changed. Despite a prolonged economic slowdown and six years of continuous deflation, the standard of living of Hong Kong people is still the 12th highest in the world, according to The Economist.

That should make us wonder why, at the end of March, 3.2 million people were still benefiting from a public housing programme meant to "provide basic housing subsidy to those in need".

It is an open secret that many public housing tenants have been allowed to stay on after becoming well off. While prospective tenants are means-tested, sitting tenants are not required to declare their income and asset levels for their first 10 years in residence. Even then, they can opt to pay higher rents instead of being forced to move out. The corollary of such a policy is that the government has had to continue building public housing estates to accommodate the seemingly ever-growing number of needy families, when the demand should have been met by evicting well-off tenants.

As more estates were built, the Housing Authority and its executive arm, the Housing Department, evolved into a mammoth bureaucracy. They still have more than 10,000 staff - even after the thousands of redundancies that followed the privatisation in the past few years of the housing management division and the scrapping of the Home Ownership Scheme subsidised flats-for-sale programme.

In 1998, the White Paper on Long Term Housing Strategy set the ambitious target of achieving a home ownership rate of 70 per cent by 2007. It was to be accomplished by an accelerated programme of housing construction by both the private and public sectors. It also envisioned reducing the government's housing stock by selling public rental flats to sitting tenants.

Five years on, the housing scene has changed dramatically. With the private housing market suffering from a serious oversupply and the waiting time for public rental housing reduced to less than three years, fresh thinking is certainly needed. Should we scrap the public housing construction programme and switch to helping the needy through rental subsidies?

And what about the idea mooted by some economists of giving away the existing public housing units to sitting tenants, so that in one go the tenants would be empowered and the government rid of the burden of managing the estates?

It is time we gave our public housing programme, which has skewed the housing market and encouraged welfare dependency, a thorough review.