Following is a question by the Hon Fernando Cheung and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, in the Legislative Council today (April 9):
Question:
In reply to my question on April 26, 2006, the Government advised that 117 residential projects with green features had been completed. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the following information about the projects in table?
Reply:
Madam President,
According to the Joint Practice Note (JPN) Nos. 1 and 2 issued respectively in February 2001 and February 2002 by the Buildings Department, the Lands Department and the Planning Department, incentives are provided to encourage the incorporation of green features in building developments by exemption of the green features from the calculation of gross floor area (GFA). Prior to the implementation of the policy to promote green buildings, various stakeholders, including professional institutes, the industry and the relevant Legislative Council Panel have been consulted.
As previously explained by the Administration, not all green features would attract land premium. Land premium is generally payable in respect of those green features that form part of the individual flats in the building and are for the exclusive possession and enjoyment of the owners and residents. These green features include balconies, utility platforms and non-structural prefabricated external walls. Whether premium is payable for the above-mentioned green features which are exempted from the calculation of GFA will also depend on the provisions in the land leases concerned. Other green features which are communal in nature serving all owners and residents of the development and do not involve exclusive possession and enjoyment by owners of the individual flats (e.g. wider common corridors and lift lobbies, communal sky gardens and mail delivery room with mail boxes) are not subject to the payment of land premium.
The requested information on areas of green features and premium paid for green features for the 117 development projects is set out at Annex. The standard rates of premium vary, depending on the type of green features, the location and the timing. Please see the relevant Practice Notes on the regular review of the standard rates of premium for green features uploaded onto the webpage of the Lands Department for reference. Given the constraints on timing and manpower, we are unable to provide the detailed breakdown for individual development projects as requested in column 4 ("standard rates of premium") of the table in the Question.
If premium-payable balconies, utility platforms and non-structural prefabricated external walls are included in column 3 ("green features that are not subject to premium") of the annex in this Reply, we will set out the explanation under column 5 ("Reasons") of the same annex to explain the position. The key reasons are summarized as follows:
(a) as the land leases concerned are unrestricted leases or without restrictions on the maximum GFA, or even after the green features are incorporated into the developments, the maximum GFAs in the land leases have not been exceeded; or
(b) as the relevant benefits from balconies, utility platforms or non-structural pre-fabricated external walls have been reflected in the land premium payable for the whole developments, and separate payments for the green features are therefore not required.
Thank you.
Ends/Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:00
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