Secretary for Housing, Planning & Lands Michael Suen says the Government will continue efforts on various fronts, including its planning and land policies, to promote and help local trade and industrial development.

Speaking at the General Committee Dinner of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association today, Mr Suen said he hoped to open a new scope for development and identify Hong Kong's repositioning in the international market jointly with the industries.

"In formulating and improving planning and land policies, we will adhere to the principle of free market and create a just, fair and open environment for competition to ensure a high degree of flexibility for our system of operation so the industry can adapt better to new market trends and needs," he said, adding the Government will endeavour to make the relevant policies capable of:

* timely supply of land to meet different market needs, including prime offices, general purpose commercial premises as well as special purposes, i.e. purposes for which there are specific demands, such as logistic parks, industrial parks and convention and exhibition facilities;

* promoting the effective conversion of industrial land and buildings rendered obsolete by economic transformation to other uses;

* ensuring the availability of adequate supporting facilities including transport and utility facilities to support these land uses; and,

* streamlining the approval process for property development as a whole including planning permission and lease modification to reduce duplication of procedures and enhance efficiency in making approvals.

"The Government will streamline the regulation of development to match business operation. The Government and the Town Planning Board will make positive efforts to perfect the planning system to help business development," Mr Suen said.

"To streamline procedures and facilitate amendments to approved developments, new provisions are added into the 2004 Town Planning (Amendment) Ordinance to enable the board to specialise the categories of amendment which can be exempted from further application and those which can be handled by public officers under fast-tracked procedures. This saves time and resources at the planning stage and allows developments to respond more easily to market changes."

Surplus land

Mr Suen said the Government has taken dual measures in dealing with the problem of surplus industrial land.

"First, restrictions on the use of industrial areas and buildings are gradually relaxed with the support and agreement of the board. By relaxing land use restrictions, it is hoped to provide a better environment to promote business development and create more job opportunities," Mr Suen said.

"The Government also rezones surplus industrial land at suitable locations. In further studying the conversion of industrial buildings to other uses, we will balance the views of various sectors and handle the matter with caution."

In addition, the Lands Department in 2003 introduced simplified procedures to speed up the processing of applications for waivers from owners seeking the conversion of idle industrial premises to permitted uses. Under the new procedures, owners were certain about the waiver fees required if their applications were approved.

Mr Suen said the Housing, Planning & Lands Bureau and its departments were committed to helping the industries improve the business environment. It will also ensure there will be a just, fair and open environment for competition.