The development process of every development project, including housing development projects, from turning “primitive land” into “spade-ready sites” to the completion of residential developments, is subject to different regulations and requirements under the planning, building control and land administrative regimes, as well as approval by relevant departments. Given the different objectives and loci of these control regimes, over time, there may be overlaps between the regulatory regimes rendering rooms for streamlining.

In 2018, the Development Bureau (DEVB) set up a Steering Group on Streamlining Development Control (Steering Group) to explore how best to consolidate and rationalise different standards in scrutinising development projects so that the approval process can be streamlined. The Policy Address this year has proposed expanding the composition and remit of the Steering Group to further expedite the land development process. This time, I have specially invited the Permanent Secretary for Development (Planning and Lands), Ms LINN Hon-ho, Bernadette, and the Principal Assistant Secretary (Planning and Lands), Ms CHOI Suet-yung, Jasmine, to talk about the work of the Steering Group. A member of the industry will also share with us how streamlined measures have expedited the approval process.

Implementing various streamlined measures

Over the last two years or so, the DEVB and the Planning Department (PlanD), the Lands Department (LandsD) and the Buildings Department (BD) under its purview have been working proactively to explore how to rationalise the approval process and arrangements without prejudicing the relevant statutory procedures and technical requirements. So far, the Steering Group has rolled out numerous streamlined measures covering seven topics, namely, building height restriction, site coverage on greenery, landscape requirements, building separation and building setback in the Sustainable Building Design Guidelines, the application of Design and Disposition Clause under lease, and non-building areas.

Emphasising interactions with industry

Ms Bernadette LINN says that the above topics concern the operations of the approval process and hence are closely related to the professionals involved in the project delivery. For the approval departments, it is also a challenge for them to work beyond the established practices. In the course of review, the Steering Group has to maintain thorough communication with the industry to achieve effective implementation of the measures, so that the approval process of development projects can be expedited without prejudicing development controls.

Increasing and expediting the housing supply

The Chief Executive points out in the Policy Address this year that land development does not only involve approval process of the three departments under the DEVB’s purview. Further, it is not only private projects that need to be expedited; there is a greater need to compress the development schedule of public housing projects spearheaded by the Government as well. The composition of the Steering Group will be expanded to include departments other than those under the DEVB.

Ms Bernadette LINN says that the Steering Group’s upcoming work priority is to work with other approval departments, including the Transport Department and the Environmental Protection Department, to review comprehensively the development approval processes, and rationalise the development-related requirements, such as reviewing whether the technical assessment requirements are clear and suitable, and the room to pursue certain procedures concurrently after weighing up the risks, with a view to commencing and completing housing projects as quickly as practicable to increase and expedite the housing supply.

Avoid duplicated approvals by different departments

Citing an example of a sold site in Ap Lei Chau for which a number of streamlined measures have been implemented, Ms Jasmine CHOI explained how the project approval process was expedited with the streamlined measures. As far as building height restriction is concerned, as the PlanD has already imposed the restriction on the Outline Zoning Plan covering the sold site for any future development, it is not necessary to include the same restriction in the lease concerned, and the PlanD will administer the building height restriction in the future to avoid duplicating control with the LandsD. Moreover, the BD has assumed overall responsibility for approving the restrictions on building separation and building setback of the site, so the applicant is no longer required to seek approval for the related clauses from the LandsD which can then save time and cut steps.

New practice notes for the industry

The Design and Disposition Clause is not included in the lease of the Ap Lei Chau site. As a streamlined measure, the clause will generally not be imposed on high-density residential or commercial buildings (such as those on the Ap Lei Chau site) regardless of their development scale. However, Ms Jasmine CHOI adds that the clause may still be included in the lease of some sites (such as low-density residential sites) to secure effective control. To this end, the LandsD has promulgated new practice notes to set out the approval time and procedures required under the clause.

A dedicated team for plan approval under the LandsD

Apart from rationalising the standards and definitions adopted by different departments, relevant departments have made improvements in streamlining the approval process. In November 2018, a dedicated team to process and approve building plans was set up under the LandsD to enhance plan approval efficiency for new development and redevelopment projects. Workshops were also organised for project proponents to exchange views on the basic principles with the LandsD’s staff before official submission of plans or other applications.

BD and PlanD entering digital age

Meanwhile, the BD is developing an Electronic Submission Hub (ESH) to receive and process building plans and related applications. The new system can enhance communication between various departments and applicants, encourage the industry to make use of the Building Information Modelling technology, as well as facilitating the introduction of computer programmes by government departments to streamline the approval process of private development projects. The PlanD has also been keeping pace with the digital trend, in particular, through the dissemination of prevailing statutory plans and Town Planning Board documents in digital form for free to facilitate planning applications and research studies.

Industry’s response

The industry generally welcomes the Government in further streamlining the approval process of development proposals. The Vice President of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, Mr Franklin YU, shares that since the implementation of the streamlined measures by the Government, the industry has gained a better understanding of the details and approval standards of various control requirements when conducting planning or design work for development projects. Now that they generally need to make enquiries with one department only, the approval process becomes clearer and faster. The applicants are now able to make faster decision with regard to design proposals, scale of development and more. This will in turn expedite the realisation of housing yield and other development projects to provide housing and other facilities for the public as soon as possible.

Streamlining the approval process of development proposals is certainly not an easy task, but with the experience gained over the past two years or so, I am confident that with the concerted effort of various departments and the industry, we will be able to review more comprehensively the approval processes in scrutinising development projects and rationalise the development-related requirements imposed by different bureaux and departments to streamline the approval procedures so as to increase and expedite the housing supply.