PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT (Expedition of planning approval)

Mr Ng Yeow Chong asked the Minister for Law and National Development whether planning approval can be expedited so as to speed up private development.

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, the law requires that planning decisions be given within three months of an application being submitted. This is provided for in the Planning Ordinance, but in most cases planning decisions are given much earlier than three months. In cases where the proposals submitted involve alterations to the Master Plan, the procedure required by the law is somewhat lengthy as it involves notification in the press and public exhibition of the proposed alterations. Where there is a special need to encourage and expedite a particular type of development in the public interest, for example, hotels, there is a provision in the Planning Ordinance for such development proposals to be considered expeditiously without following the strict and lengthy procedure normally required for alterations to the Master Plan.

Whilst efforts are continuously being made by my Ministry to investigate into possible ways and means to expedite planning approvals, developers and their architects can also help by submitting complete well-thought-out and properly planned proposals and by providing all relevant information necessary for the consideration of the planners.