Practice Note for Professional Persons No. 2/2005

Measures to Speed Up the Approval Process for
Post-application Submissions and Development Proposals

1. In respect of submissions concerning the following matters, the Planning Department (PlanD) has pledged to give a reply within a time limit as specified below:

   Within six weeks upon receipt of submission

   (a) the processing of a master layout plan for the purpose of section 4A(3) of the Town Planning Ordinance (the Ordinance);

   (b) the checking of compliance with conditions of approval imposed by the Town Planning Board under section 16(5) of the Ordinance; and

   Within 3 months upon receipt of submission

   (c) development proposals submitted to the Planning Department.

2. The responsible District Planning Officer (DPO) will reply to the one who has made the submission within the specified time limit. For some complicated cases which involve conflicting views and/or unresolved issues, the responsible DPO will take proactive actions, including, as necessary, convening meetings with concerned departments and those who have made the submissions, coordinating and resolving conflicts prior to replying as far as possible within the specified time limit. If a reply on these complicated cases is not possible within the time limit and/or the cases have to be deliberated by the District Planning Conference (DipCon), the responsible DPO will clearly include in the reply the following : -

   (a) the up-to-date position of the submission, setting out in detail the outstanding issues involved;

   (b) the names and telephone/fax numbers of the officers in the concerned departments to facilitate the one who has made the submission to follow up with the concerned departments directly; and

   (c) the date, time and venue of the relevant DipCon when the case will be discussed, and an invitation to the proponent to attend and make representations at the DipCon.

3. If a case is to be deliberated at the DipCon, the responsible DPO will ensure that representatives from the concerned departments are invited to attend the said DipCon. The one who has made the submission or the proponent of the development proposal will be given the opportunity to make representations and have direct dialogue with representatives of the concerned departments at the DipCon. The DipCon Chairman will act as facilitator and coordinator to iron out any disagreements or conflicts with a view to identifying solutions as far as possible. If acceptable solutions cannot be found at the DipCon, the DipCon Chairman may direct the responsible DPO to submit the case to the Town Planning Board and/or the Committee on Planning and Land Development, as the case may be, for a decision.
4. This Practice Note supersedes PlanD Practice Note for Professional Persons No. 6/2000.

(B.C.K. FUNG)
Director of Planning
Planning Department
Date : 30 August 2005