The Lands Department announced today that four of the 10 "hotel-use only" sites in the 2008-09 application list are now available.

The four sites are:

* the junction of Sheung Yuet Road, Wang Tai Road and Wang Yuen Street, in Kowloon Bay;

* the junction of Kai Cheung Road and Wang Kwong Road, in Kowloon Bay;

* the junction of Wai Yip Street, Shun Yip Street and Hoi Bun Road, in Kwun Tong; and

* area 108A in Tin Shui Wai.

The relevant conditions of sale have been uploaded to the department's website.

The department said that appropriate requirements are specified in the conditions of sale to ensure the sites will be put to the intended hotel use.

The conditions are meant to facilitate hotel developments that will keep pace with the changing needs of travellers and market trends, and provide adequate flexibility for the trade to plan the type of hotel in accordance with market demand and trends. They also prevent abuse and ensure valuable land resources are put to their intended use.

The application list is market driven, enabling the market to determine the quantity and timing of land to be put up for sale.

A site will be triggered for auction when the price an applicant offers reaches or exceeds 80% of the site's open-market value, assessed at the time of triggering. It will be sold at auction to the highest bidder, provided that the highest bidding price reaches or exceeds 100% of the reserve price assessed on the day of auction.