Chapter 6   Retail Facilities

1.    Introduction

2.    Patterns of Retail Provision

3.    Strategy for Retail Planning

4.    Models for Retail Planning

5.    Limitations on the Use of the Expenditure-Based Methodology

6.   Guidelines on the Provision of Markets and Cooked Food Stalls

7.   Conclusion

Appendix 1 Territorial Forecasting Methodology

Appendix 2 Expenditure-Based Forward Planning Assessment Methodology

February 1998 Edition

             Retailing in Hong Kong

1.1      Retailing is a major economic activity in modern life. In 1995, retailing and restaurant sales contributed nearly 6% to our Gross Domestic Product, and employed about 400,600 people in 1997. It also plays an important part in the social life of the people and makes a significant contribution to the attraction of visitors to Hong Kong.

1.2      The total stock of retail property in the Territory stood at about 9.2 million sq.m. internal floor area (IFA) in 1996 of which approximately 90% is in the private sector and the remainder owned by the Housing Authority and Housing Society. For economic and social reasons, the retail sector should be an important component of territorial, regional and local planning; and the needs of the retail sector, the consumers and the retail development industry should be actively addressed in the Territory's planning strategy as well as in the planning standards and guidelines.

1.3      Although guidance on retail development and shopping patterns has been provided in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines (HKPSG) since 1983, retailing has not been the subject of territorial, sub-regional or local planning strategies to the same extent as other land use sectors. Consequently, in February 1995 the Government commissioned consultants to undertake a 'Study on Shopping Habits and the Revision of Chapter 6 of the HKPSG'. The Study was completed in October 1997. The planning standards and guidelines presented in later sections, other than those on markets and cooked food stalls which were outside the scope of the Study, have been formulated on the basis of the findings of this Study.

            Main Features of Hong Kong's Retail Industry

1.4     The Study has identified the following main features relating to the retail industry in Hong Kong which are useful references for retail planning:

1. the Hong Kong retail market is relatively small due to the limited size of the domestic population. Consequently, by world standards Hong Kong retailers remain relatively small scale, and the retail industry is distributed amongst a very large number of very small retail businesses and a very small number of large retailers;

2. visitors' spending on retailing and restaurants has been on the increase. Due to the dense population, and as a tourist centre, Hong Kong has been the focus of considerable international interest in retail development. There has been an increase in the number of well-established chain groups entering the market. A modern retail sector, with more emphasis on corporate image, is emerging;

3. new trends in non-shop retailing, such as television shopping and mail order, have emerged. However, non-shop retailing will remain a complementary form of shopping, and its impact on the retail patterns is unlikely to be significant; and

4. traditional street frontage retailing has remained important in the older urban areas, but its significance has declined in new development/redevelopment areas due to the growth of air-conditioned self-contained shopping malls. Small shopping centres in composite commercial/residential developments have continued to serve a useful function in providing accommodation for the large number of small retailers. Out-of-town shopping, which has developed rapidly in western countries, is not expected to grow significantly in Hong Kong due to the high land costs and the lower car-ownership rate.

             Shopping Habits

1.5      The following characteristics relating to the shopping habits of the people of Hong Kong were identified in a survey conducted as part of the Study. They are also useful references for retail planning:

1. most households interviewed in the survey have expressed general satisfaction with their shopping experience, indicating they are generally content with the range and quality of retail services available. It is implicit from the survey results that the approach adopted by the Government to retail planning i.e. to leave the provision of retail floorspace and the mix of trades largely to the market, appears to be working in broad terms;

2. most households shop close to home for daily necessities, particularly for groceries; and few people cross the harbour to shop for major or secondary purchases. This suggests that for retail planning, catchment areas can be relatively tightly drawn;

3. modern shopping forms i.e. modern design air-conditioned shopping malls are well used, suggesting that a retail planning strategy should encourage such a form of development. However, many people interviewed have also expressed the view that street-level retailing should be retained and promoted at suitable locations to give vibrancy, variety and life to the cityscape; and

4. the Study has also revealed very few households go shopping by car. To ensure that new retail developments, particularly for higher order commodities, are able to serve the widest possible catchment areas, they should best be located at major public transport nodes.

             Scope and Purposes of Guidelines

1.6      The purpose of developing planning guidelines for retail provision is to ensure the development of functional and attractive shopping facilities which meet the economic and social needs of the Territory and the particular community that the retail facility is planned for.

1.7      These planning guidelines are provided in the context of a broad strategic framework. 'A Strategy of Positive Market Response' is adopted recognising that retail development is primarily market-driven and that planning intervention should be kept to the minimum.

1.8      For territorial planning, an econometric forecasting model is recommended. At the sub-regional, district and local levels, expenditure-based models to assess the demand for retail floorspace are recommended. They can be used for the purpose of forward planning and preparation of development briefs.

1.9      It is important that flexibility is exercised in the application of the guidelines to enable retail provision to adapt to possible changes in demographic characteristics, people's aspirations, incomes and lifestyles; and also to respond to changes in the geographical distribution of the population and economic activities.

1.10    Planning guidelines for other supporting facilities such as parking and loading/unloading spaces, are incorporated in other respective chapters of the HKPSG.

            Specific Objectives of Guidelines

1.11    Within the overall goal as stated in para.1.6 above, the objectives are to:

1. establish broad planning guidelines to facilitate the development of functional and attractive shopping facilities through forward planning; and

2. establish criteria and methodologies which will permit choice, allow for market competition and provide sufficient flexibility to accommodate possible economic and social changes to which retailing is likely to be subject.

            Definitions

1.12    Retailing can be defined as the selling of goods in small quantities direct to consumers, as distinct from wholesale trading where goods are sold or bought in bulk to or from warehouses, godowns or bulk carriers to businesses. Retailing also includes new forms of shopping such as 'teleshopping' and shopping by mail order, and the direct purchase of goods from so called 'retail warehouses' which serve both consumers and businesses. It also includes the provision of services direct to customers.

1.13    For the purpose of planning, retailing is concerned about:

1. convenience goods : consumable goods bought for daily needs including foodstuffs; newspapers and books; cosmetics; medicines; and drinks;

2. comparison goods : goods (usually durable) which customers compare for quality, variety and price including shoes, clothing, furnishings, jewellery, personal goods, electrical and household goods;

3. restaurants, bars and cafes : i.e. food and drink consumed away from home; and

4. retail services : services associated with retail centres, i.e. banks , barbers, dry-cleaners.

1.14    This retail definition thus includes all activities likely to occupy shops or restaurant type premises.  

            General Hierarchy

2.1      A basic hierarchy of shopping centres can be established in terms of the size of the centre, the population (or catchment) it serves, the range of shops that exist and the availability of restaurants, entertainment facilities, services and other facilities

2.2      A very broad and not always clearly defined hierarchy of shopping centres has evolved in the Territory. Metropolitan centres serve the whole Territory for high order comparison goods. Regional centres provide retail facilities for comparison goods; district centres for low order comparison goods; and local centres mainly for convenience goods. A more detailed description is as follows:

            Metropolitan Centres

1. These are the shopping centres in the Metropolitan area providing a large number of shops selling principally consumer durable goods, a wide range of banks and commercial services, a large number of cinemas, theatres and restaurants. In view of their size, types of shops and accessibility, Metropolitan centres serve Hong Kong as a whole and tourists to Hong Kong (e.g. Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay). They also provide territory-wide entertainment and social facilities.

            Regional Centres

2. These are significant areas of shopping which fulfill a regional function and serve a catchment population of about 250,000 to 1,000,000. They are typically provided outside the Metropolitan area in the new town centres (e.g. Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin, Tai Po, Fanling/Sheung Shui, Yuen Long and Tuen Mun). Typical centres may range from 50,000 to 250,000 sq.m. IFA and are characterised by the provision of modern department stores/supermarkets and a wide range of ancillary services, i.e. banks, restaurants, cinemas, theatres and other social facilities.

            District Centres

3. These are the medium-scale shopping centres of town-wide or district significance, usually serving a catchment population of about 50,000 to 250,000 (e.g. Wan Chai in the urban area and Kam Tin in the rural area). Typical centres may range from 10,000 to 50,000 sq.m. IFA. They support limited entertainment and social facilities, but contain significant concentrations of retail facilities and restaurants.

            Local Centres

4. These are small-scale concentrations of shops which serve a localised catchment population of less than 50,000 (e.g. Fung Tak Estate and Tai Yuen Estate), and support local retail services and restaurant establishments. Most local centres are less than 10,000 sq.m. IFA.

            A Strategy of Positive Market Response

3.1      The objective of the strategy is to encourage retail development according to market needs within a planned hierarchy of provision, and to maintain the functions and vitality of established centres. This strategy will be reflected in the Territorial Development Strategy when opportunity arises.

             At the Territorial Level

3.2      At the territorial level, the strategy provides that territorial retail floorspace requirements be assessed by using the forecasting model outlined in paras.4.3 to 4.5 below. The forecast undertaken as part of the Study mentioned in para. 1.3 above indicates that private sector retail floorspace requirements will grow from about 7.5 million sq.m. IFA in 1995 to about 10.1 million sq.m. IFA by 2011. Floorspace requirements on Housing Authority and Housing Society estates are expected to grow at a similar rate. This forecast provides a basis for the allocation of floorspace/land and securing of infrastructure within the framework of the Territorial Development Strategy. It is useful to monitor the strategy annually to ascertain whether allocations made in development plans and proposals committed through the development process fall within overall territorial requirements and do not constitute excessive over- or under-supply.

             At the Sub-Regional Level

3.3      At the sub-regional level, the strategy recognises a hierarchy of retail centres at the metropolitan, regional, district and local levels based on the range and types of goods and services available and the catchments they serve. To facilitate planning of retail floorspace provision and to enable the monitoring of the supply and demand of retail floorspace at these centres, the strategy proposes the retention of the current expenditure-based forecasting methodology with improved parameters based on up-to-date information collected from the Study surveys.

            At the Local Level

3.4      At the local level, the strategy allows the property market to develop district and local centres at appropriate locations, normally in association with major housing developments, subject only to normal standards and controls on development e.g. non-domestic plot ratio limits stipulated under the lease or in accordance with the Building (Planning) Regulations and relevant zonings stipulated on statutory town plans.  

            Principles of Application

4.1      The Strategy as outlined in section 3 above recognises that market forces should be the main mechanism of retail provision and that planning intervention should be kept to the minimum necessary. Methodologies for forward planning are geared towards facilitating the market to develop functional shopping facilities within the hierarchy established under this strategic framework.

4.2      Specifically, the recommended methodologies seek to provide :

1. overall guidance at the territorial level, using an econometric approach, to ensure that sufficient land/floorspace and infrastructure are reserved for retail purposes; and

2. broad assessment of future needs in Sub-regional Plans and Development Statements, using expenditure- and turnover-based assessment methods, to ensure sufficient allocation of floorspace and infrastructure in appropriate locations to meet these needs.

             Forward Planning: Territorial Forecasting

4.3      For the purposes of strategic planning in the territory, and specifically for use in the updating and review of the Territorial Development Strategy, an econometric model which combines a production function approach with trend modelling is recommended. A single model form is used to predict the territorial demand for private retail floorspace using combinations of independent variables which were found to give the best fit based on past data. These variables comprise:

1. local population;

2. working population;

3. visitor arrivals;

4. visitor retail expenditure;

5. retail sales;

6. retail/restaurant employment; and

7. retail premises price index.

4.4      Six forecasting equations are recommended which produce a range of forecasts to 2011. A central 'band' forecast most prudent for long term strategic planning can be chosen. As mentioned in para. 3.2 above, the forecast undertaken in the Study suggests that total demand for private retail floorspace will grow from about 7.5 million sq.m. IFA in 1995 to about 10.1 million sq.m. IFA by 2011. To this total must be added the future requirement on Housing Authority and Housing Society Estates. The model is capable of being updated annually.

4.5      The overall model approach is shown in Figure 1. The structure and operation of the model, and the results of the forecast are presented in more detail in Appendix 1.

             Forward Planning: Regional/District/Local Demand Assessment

4.6      An expenditure-based methodology has been developed for the assessment of floorspace requirements for forward planning at the sub-regional, district and local levels. It may also be used to assess floorspace requirements of individual developments. The basic model form is shown in Figure 2.

4.7      Retail provision in public housing projects is, however, determined by the Housing Department on the basis of their experience on local market conditions and using their own expenditure-based methodology.

4.8      It should be noted that the expenditure-based methodology for estimation excludes retail services as there is no direct correlation between expenditure on retail services and floor space requirement. Paragraphs 4.19 to 4.24 explain in detail how the estimate of floorspace for retail services can be addressed.

4.9      The application of the model as presented here requires the determination of six structured components relevant to the area being planned for:

1. the retail system;

2. catchment zones in the system;

3. shopping locations in the system;

4. the base year (usually that for which the most updated, consistent data are available);

5. the design year (usually the first year of full opening/operation of the centre); and

6. constant prices.

4.10     Data requirements include:

1. population/household/visitor/worker numbers for the base year and the design year;

2. consumer expenditure per head/household/visitor/worker for the base year and the design year;

3. shopping habits of residents/visitors/workers;

4. base year retail floorspace and commitments for the design year; and

5. retail turnover for the base year and the design year.

4.11    With the exception of information on shopping habits, the data listed in para. 4.10 above are available from regular published statistical sources and Planning Department's own Information Systems. Data on shopping habits are based on the survey conducted as part of the Study as mentioned in para. 1.3 above. In some circumstances, original survey data may also be required to update and better define local patterns for the centre/area under consideration.

4.12    The six basic steps in the model are:

1. define the retail system and select appropriate base and design years;

2. collect data to describe the retail system in the base year;

3. calibrate the retail model for the retail system in the base year;

4. project variables to the design year;

5. assess supportable retail floorspace in the retail system in the design year; and

6. assess the need for additional retail floorspace in the retail system.

4.13    In defining the retail system, two main considerations need to be taken into account:

1. the geographical extent of the system to be assessed in detail; and

2. the appropriate sub-divisions within the system which represent convenient natural groupings of households/visitors/workers which are likely to have common shopping habits. The level of disaggregation required depends very much on the scale of planning to be carried out.

4.14    The appropriate base year should be the most recent year for which good quality data is available in order to calibrate the retail model. The appropriate design year should be either the planning horizon for the retail system or a year shortly after the retail development is expected to be completed to allow the development to settle down into a mature trading pattern.

4.15    A number of indicators could be used to assess the plausible capture level of shops in each catchment zone i.e. the share (market share) of retail expenditure originated from consumers in different zones that the shops are able to draw. They are:

1. the extent of leakage of retail expenditure to the Metropolitan Centre(s);

2. interpretation of the results of the household shopping habits survey at the sub-regional and broad district levels;

3. any specially commissioned research on shopping habits of residents of the catchment zone at the local level; and

4. professional judgement based on an examination of the distribution of shops within the catchment zone.

4.16    A worked example of the model for a new regional centre i.e. Tung Chung New Town Centre and an example of how this model can be used for smaller centres is presented in Appendix 2.

4.17    It is expected that demand assessments for forward planning purposes, mainly carried out by Planning Department, will form the main feature of the retail planning framework. Assessments of territorial, sub-regional, district and local retail demand could be carried out as part of:

1. the Territorial Development Strategy Review process;

2. sub-regional planning studies and the review of Metroplan;

3. preparation of Development Statements; and

4. preparation of Development Briefs.

4.18    Retail development requirements can be reflected in the allocation of floorspace or land, or through the stipulation of an upper limit of retail provision in the relevant town plans. The supply and demand situation should be monitored at regular intervals.

Estimate of Floorspace for Retail Services

4.19    The methodology for estimating the demand for retail floorspace excludes retail services. This is because expenditure-based demand forecasting methods require a focus on activities, not premises, where there is consistent expenditure and turnover data. Nevertheless, it is recognised that retail services fall within the definition of retailing (see para. 1.12) and that some retail floorspace is occupied by retail services (e.g. banks, hairdressers, repair shops etc.) and provision needs to be made in the forecast of total retail floorspace requirements.

 4.20    It is conventional international practice to make a simple allowance for retail service floorspace as an additional proportional allocation to the floorspace demand estimate for convenience/comparison/restaurant floorspace, usually at a level of between 10% to 20%.

4.21    Retail floorspace statistics reported in the Hong Kong Property Review do not separately identify floorspace for retail services; also, there is no centre by centre survey data on which estimates can be based. It should be noted, however, that the Housing Authority (HA) maintains records on the proportion of retail service floorspace in their centres and the proportion of retail service expenditure in total expenditure. Medium-sized HA centres have approximately 15% of retail floorspace for retail services, and the proportion of expenditure on retail services in HA retail centres ranges from about 11.3% (public rental housing estates) to about 9.6% (home ownership scheme estates). Local centres are always likely to include a higher proportion of retail floorspace for retail services than district centres which, in turn, have a higher proportion than regional centres.

4.22    For the purposes of forward planning, a simple method to derive an additional floorspace allowance for retail services is as follows:

1. 10 to 20% in local centres;

2. approximately 10% in district centres; and

3. approximately 5% in regional/metropolitan centres.

4.23    In determining the additional allowance, the following considerations should be taken into account:

1. information which the Planning Department is able to obtain on the level of retail service provision in comparable centres; and

2. the size and function of the centre under consideration.

4.24    In the case of HA projects, the level of retail services is usually determined by the Housing Department based on their experience of other public housing estates and their records of floorspace and expenditure data.  

5.1      The following limitations of the expenditure-based methodology should be noted:

1. the assessment methodology requires that the total territorial retail expenditure should equate to the total territorial turnover in shops after allowance has been made for visitor expenditure and other adjustments. In practice, it is likely that turnover is under-reported and some expenditure goes to other retail forms e.g. mail order, teleshopping. The methodology, therefore, incorporates a correction factor which will require reviewing as turnover and expenditure data are updated and data on other retail expenditure forms become available;

2. the establishment of a retail hierarchy for the system under appraisal is, to some extent, a matter of professional judgment. Some guidance for the assessor to establish the retail system is provided in para. 4.12 above. However, a hierarchy evolves over time, and the relative status of retail centres changes as new centres are introduced into the system. The addition of the centre under assessment may itself change the hierarchy;

3. the definition of catchment areas is again, to some extent, a matter of professional judgment based, in particular, on information on the hierarchy and the status of the centres. As the case studies in the Appendices indicate, guidance is provided by the relative size, retail mix, status and distance of competing centres. However, in some cases catchment data are best derived from contemporary sample survey data specific to the centre/catchment concerned;

4. the estimation of market share is one of the most important areas of judgment to be made by the assessor. Detailed examples are provided in the Appendices but each case requires individual judgment. As with the definition of catchment areas, the survey carried out as part of the Study mentioned in para. 1.3 provides comprehensive current data to assist the estimation of market share; but, again, data are best derived from contemporary sample survey data specific to the centre/catchment concerned; and

5. the recommended methodology provides a set of tools for both planners and developers for demand assessment purposes. However, other assessment models may also be used by private and public sector developers with different objectives (e.g. HA's Retail Model). Such models may employ different data and assumptions and, most importantly, may be used to estimate different requirements. The HA's model, for example, uses rental and valuation data to assess 'need' from an estate management standpoint, and provides retail floorspace estimates as well as other outputs. These alternative assessment methods are recognized and their assessment results are evaluated on their own merits.

             General Approach

6.1      The methodologies outlined in para. 4.6 to 4.23 are designed to calculating retail floor space requirements for convenience and durable goods from estimates of available expenditure within a probable catchment area. Markets which form part of the retail floor space are an important outlet in Hong Kong for convenience goods as they play a very significant role in traditional Chinese shopping patterns. This pattern allows visits to food markets once or twice a day to purchase fresh commodities, an essential quality in Chinese cooking. As important as the freshness of the ingredients purchased is their price, which means that the population require marketing outlets within easy walking or travelling distance of their place of abode.

6.2      Markets are built and managed by three government departments : the Housing Department (HD), whose markets are designed primarily to serve residents' daily needs, and the Urban Services Department (USD) and the Regional Services Department (RSD) who are responsible to the Provisional Urban Council (UC) and the Provisional Regional Council (RC) respectively to make provision for those living within the urban area or the New Territories.

6.3      The UC policy has been in general to resite only wet goods hawkers whereas dry goods hawkers would continue to trade on the streets or where feasible within hawker bazaars. Provision of markets should no longer be simply to meet a hawker resiting commitment and has to be justified on a case by case basis with viability ensured. UC markets are normally built and managed by USD, but private developers may be required through lease conditions to provide markets in large private residential developments. The RC policy is to focus on resiting of hawkers. In areas without resiting commitment, market facilities may be provided by RC itself (to be managed by RC or contracted out to the private sector) or through requirements in the lease conditions imposed on private developers in respect of large private residential development accommodating 20 000 or more persons.

            USD & RSD Standards of Provision

            Standard

6.4      Based on the findings of the survey carried out in 1987 on market facilities in the urban area and the methodology for deriving planning standards as endorsed by UC, the standard for market provision in urban area is 1 stall per 55 - 65 households or approximately 40 - 45 stalls per 10 000 population. This standard is also applicable to NT areas without resiting commitment to facilitate site reservation on Outline Development Plans. The standard serves as a guideline and should be applied flexibly to take into account the resiting commitment, availability of complementary retail facilities in the vicinity, the nature and scale of bulk and retail sales, viability of the market and the existing nuisance caused by the hawkers. Each case would have to be assessed in a district context.

           Size of Market

6.5      As far as the size of a market is concerned, this depends very much on viability, hawker resiting commitment and availability of suitable sites within a particular catchment area. There cannot, therefore be a hard and fast rule to derive the minimum size of market. For general planning purposes, the optimum size of a market site is approximately 3 000 m² (which will provide 200 stalls) if only the ground floor is used. A site of 2 000 m² is needed, if both the ground and first floors are designated for market purpose. Sites with an area less than 2 000 m² (i.e. to accommodate less than 200 stalls) may have to be considered on an individual viability basis. If the market is to be provided as part of an UC/RC complex, the optimum site area is 3 000 m².

6.6      In terms of site requirement per capita, the area required for a single-storey market is 0.065 m² - 0.073 m² per person, and for a two-storey market is 0.040m² - 0.045m² to be adjusted according to the proposed mix between large and mini-stalls. A summary of standards on the provision of markets is at Table 1.

             Locational Factors

6.7      A market should be centrally located within densely populated areas or close to the residential areas it serves, preferably within 10 minutes' walking distance. Market sites should ideally be easily accessible and visible to the general public. Whenever possible, it is preferable to build a single-storey market with more than one street frontage. Under normal circumstance a market should not be built to more than two storeys. Should two-storey markets be built, consideration should be given to providing convenient access to the first floor level e.g. direct connection of footbridge across the adjacent road to the first floor level of the market.

6.8      As market activities may create nuisance such as odour, waste water and noise from delivery vehicles during early morning hours to other uses in the vicinity, due consideration should be given to the location, design and management of the markets to minimize the potential environmental impacts (see Chapter 9 of HKPSG).

Housing Authority Standards of Provision

6.9      The level of provision of markets within a housing estate aims at meeting residents' basic daily needs for fresh produce and is therefore based on the expenditure methodology adopted by the HD to calculate the total retailing provision for a particular estate. As well as utilizing an expenditure approach to calculate marketing provision the HD uses experience gained from operating markets in public housing estates. This indicates that on average, market stalls account for approximately 12% of total retial floor space in public housing estates.

Cooked Food Centres

General Approach

6.10    Both UC and RC have no statutory obligation to provide cooked food centres (CFCs) but may do so if they perceive a demand.

6.11    The current UC policy is to build CFCs to meet resiting commitments of on-street cooked food stalls in private residential areas. For industrial areas, the UC policy is to plan provision on a need basis, especially in newly developed industrial areas such as Kowloon Bay. A CFC is intended as an alternative eating facility for replacing illegal hawker business and illegal food establishments to facilitate hawker control. Resiting commitments are considered when problems arise, especially in mixed industrial/residential areas, such as Tai Kok Tsui and Sham Shui Po.

6.12    The current RC policy is also to build CFCs to meet resiting commitments of on-street cooked food stalls in private residential areas. For industrial areas, the RC policy tends to plan provision according to resiting commitments. Nevertheless, in the absence of resiting commitments, sites should still be reserved for CFCs on town plans so that provision can be made whenever demands warrant it.

Standard

6.13    There is no set standard for the provision of CFCs in private residential areas where CFCs are built by UC and RC to resite on-street cooked food stalls or hawkers.

6.14    In industrial areas, the standard for CFC provision is 0.06 m² net site area per industrial worker. This standard is derived from the findings of the 1986 UC survey on eating facilities in selected industrial areas, the current trend of CFC demand and the land/floor space requirements for CFC development. This standard is also applicable to RC areas without resiting commitments as a guide for site reservation on town plans. The CFC standard can be adjusted in individual industrial areas to meet the local demand (taking into consideration of the availability of other types of eating facility such as factory canteens, fast food shops and restaurants) and the resiting commitments.

6.15    Recognizing the fluctuation in the provision of various types of eating facility in industrial areas, sites reserved for CFCs can be made available for other temporary uses as an interim measure. Sites for CFCs are normally allocated on a temporary basis. However, when a clear demand has emerged and when other compatible uses can be integrated with the CFCs, permanent land allocation can be made. Each case has to be considered on its own merits.

Size of CFCs

6.16    Although small CFCs with few stalls may not be attractive, for operational reasons, the optimum number of stalls to be provided in a single-storey CFC should not be more than 12, and for a 2-storey CFC, the optimum number should be restricted to 15.

6.17    For general planning purpose, the size of a standard cooked food stall should be 60 - 70 m² gross floor area to allow for the provision of ancillary facilities.

Locational and Design Factors

6.18    CFCs should be located on sites easily accessible to the industrial workers. Sites surrounded by main roads should be avoided as far as possible. It is preferable to accommodate CFCs in a free-standing one level structure. However, to economize land use, particularly in the urban area, 2-storey CFCs can be considered. Consideration should also be given to integrating CFC with other compatible uses, such as rooftop rest gardens, community and government uses on upper floors.

6.19    The design of CFCs should comply with both hygiene and fire safety standards. Due consideration should also be given to minimizing those potential adverse environmental impacts that may be created by CFCs, such as fumes, odour, refuse and wastewater. Although managed by the same agency, it is preferable to locate CFCs, public toilets and refuse collection points on different sites. In case due to land constraints, a public toilet, refuse collection point and CFC have to be combined on the same site, they should be physically segregated from each other, including the provision of separate access, separate ventilation openings and screening between them.

Need for Review

6.20    The standards for markets and cooked food stalls are summarized in Table 1. These standards should be kept under review in the light of possible changes in UC/RC policies resulting from researches undertaken by departments concerned.  

7.1      These retail guidelines provide the necessary background, framework, guidance and tools in the planning and assessment of retail facilities by both public and private sectors. For territorial planning, an econometric forecasting model is recommended. As a basis for forward planning and preparation of development briefs, these guidelines recommend the use of expenditure-based models to assess retail floorspace needs.

7.2      Whilst providing a guide for the public and private sectors, the guidelines also attempt to achieve a balanced approach to ensure the provision of functional retail facilities on the one hand; and, on the other hand, allow the market to continue to find its own level of retail provision allowing an efficient and appropriate response to the social, economic and demographic changes of the population.