LCQ14: Statistics on private development projects

     Following is a question by the Hon Wilson Or and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, in the Legislative Council today (September 29):

Question:

     Regarding the statistics on private development projects, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the respective numbers of applications for (a) in-situ land exchange, (b) non-in-situ land exchange and (c) lease modification for private residential development projects (i) received and (ii) processed by the Lands Department (LandsD) in each year from 2015 to 2020, as well as (iii) the estimated total number of units to be provided by the projects involved in the processed cases (set out in Table 1);

Table 1

(2) of the respective numbers of applications for (a) in-situ land exchange, (b) non-in-situ land exchange and (c) lease modification for private non-residential development projects (i) received and (ii) processed by the LandsD in each year from 2015 to 2020, as well as (iii) the estimated total number of units to be provided by the projects involved in the processed cases (set out in a table of the same format as Table 1); and

(3) of the number of premium assessment cases for private residential development projects completed by the LandsD in each of the past five financial years, and set out in Table 2 the details of each project?

Table 2

Reply:
 
President,

     My reply to various parts of the question is as follows:

(1) and (2) I suppose part (1) of the question concerns those development projects intending solely for private residential use, while part (2) concerns other projects with partial private residential development (for example, a residential and commercial complex). Between 2015 and 2020, the respective numbers of cases for (a) in-situ land exchange, (b) non-in-situ land exchange and (c) lease modification, relating to these projects involving private residential development (other than those for small house developments in the New Territories), received and processed by the Lands Department (LandsD), as well as the total number of units to be provided, are consolidated in the following table:
 

(3) To facilitate the viewing of the above, information provided in this part is also based on calendar year. In the past five years (i.e. from 2016 to 2020), details of cases involving development projects that were "solely" for private residential use and not "solely" for private residential use (other than those for small house developments in the New Territories) processed by the LandsD (including premium assessment) are tabulated as follows:
 

     The time required to process lease modification/land exchange applications varies depending on the complexity of the case and other factors. Such factors include whether the applicant has changed its proposed plan during the application period; whether title checking of the lot is required; the process and time needed to handle and respond to local objections and comments from Government departments, if any; the time needed to complete relevant statutory procedures (such as the statutory procedures required for proposed road works under the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance (Cap. 370)), if any; and the time needed to negotiate and agree on the premium amount with the applicant.

     The LandsD releases on its website (www.landsd.gov.hk/en/resources/land-info-stat/non-NTEH-land-transaction.html#summary) on a monthly basis information on the respective numbers and nature of applications for lease modification, land exchange, lot extension or private treaty grant that are received, under processing or completed.
 
Note 1: Given the lead time required for processing, applications received may not be processed and executed in the same year. Hence, the cases processed and executed each year may not correspond to the applications received in the same year.
 
Note 2: The estimated total number of units to be provided is based on information provided by the applicants of lease modification and land exchange at the time of execution of the land documents. The actual flat number depends on the actual design of the proposed development.
 
Note 3: The users quoted are general descriptions of the uses permissible under lease, which do not fully reflect the detailed user conditions of the lot in question as prescribed in the relevant leases.
 
Note 4: This case is a project by the Urban Renewal Authority granted at nominal premium (i.e. $1,000).