Hong Kong to amend ‘unreasonable’ planning rules, cut avenues for public to raise objections to projects
- Town planners and an advocacy group agree amendments can prevent abuses but warned against sweeping changes that cut people’s right to object to schemes
- Proposed changes are part of package announced in policy address to boost land supply
A set of laws related to town planning, reclamation and roadworks will be amended to speed up land and housing supply and do away with “unreasonable” arrangements, while reducing avenues for the public to raise objections, Hong Kong development officials have revealed.
Town planners and an advocacy group agreed the legal amendments could prevent abuses, but warned against sweeping changes that would reduce people’s right to object to projects that affect them.
She said the move would help to cut red tape and speed up a basket of projects, notably a new Northern Metropolis in an area near the border with mainland China, and a scheme to create massive artificial islands to the west of Hong Kong Island.
03:43
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam gives last policy address of current term, ending on emotional note
Elaborating on the measures on Friday, Permanent Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho spoke of the four directions of the legal amendments, which cover reclamation, roadworks, town planning and environmental assessment, including removing some “obsolete or controversial” arrangements.
