If the Section 16 Application is disapproved, the applicant can review under Section 17 of

Town Planning Ordinance and also can appeal to the Planning Appeal Board when the

application case declared “dead” in the result. The below table is provided for handling of

further Section 16 Application when disapproves.

Table Showing Appeal Procedures when the Section 16 Application is Disapproved

Case Review Planning Appeal

Period after received Within 21 days 1 month

notification

Procedure Applicant submits further Town Planning Appeal Board to hear the
written representations submissions of the Board and Applicant, and
PLAND will consults other make a final decision
departments Uphold/ Overrule TPB’s decision
PLAND will publish public Appeal Board informs Applicant
consultation again
 Secretary of the Board
informs the Applicant
Processing Period 2-3 months 9-12 months

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3.2 Lease Conditions

There is a limitation in my research to review the government lease terms of the Cattle

Depot for my proposed appropriate adaptation when the lease is classified as a confidential

document in the Development Bureau. In this regard, NO LEASE RESTRICTION is

assumed in my research, especially on the domestic use, height, mature tree; otherwise, a

submission to Lands Department is required with compensation to the landlord when

affecting the interpretation of the terms and conditions of the Government Lease which was

designated for the use of slaughterhouse in the past, to maximize its land value if there is

any.

45
3.3 Planning Submission Roadmap 24

Planning Department Lands Department

Town Planning Board District of Land Office (DLO)

Check with the Check with the Lease

relevant Outline Terms & its Assignment
Zoning Plan & its Note Plan of the property
of the Plan /land lease

Section 16 Application Contractual

for relaxation of the Negotiation with DLO
designated use / for relaxation of the
height restriction if or lease conditions if or
not not

(1) Statutory Period: 2-3 months. (1) No Statutory Period subject to

(2) Proposal / Premium for the nature of the amendment.
compensation to the (2) Premium for compensation to
amendment would involve the difference of land value
subject to TPB’s decision. would involve subject to DLO’s
decision.

24
If the proposed use is most likely excluded from both column 1 or 2, it can be considered to apply for
change of use by amendment of the Master Plan under s.12A Application of Town Planning Ordinance such
the need of re-zoing, but a long TPB’s procedure would involve. In this regard, it is not advised in my
research.
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Table Showing Submissions for Proposed Adaptive Reuses

Planning Department  Section16 Application for Permission

Lands Department  Lease Modifications if considered necessary

47
Chapter 4

Comparative Requirements of Artist Village and Youth

Hostel: Planning Control: Building Control

This chapter aims to provide design guidelines to ensure the compliance with building

safety and health requirements under the Buildings Ordinance and its allied regulations for

proposed adaptive reuse, especially of the Youth Hostel and its induced A&A works to the

Cattle Depot in various planning, design and construction stages.

In this case of the adaptive re-use of Cattle Depot in private ownership, is a reference to the

project of Mei Ho House, submission of proposal for alteration and addition (A&A) works /

material change the use to the Buildings Department (BD) for approval under the Buildings

Ordinance is invariably required prior to commencement of works if the proposed works are

not exempted from approval by virtue of Section 41(3), (3B) & (3C) of the Buildings

Ordinance. In other words, if it is not intended to alter or change in use of the block A as

kept the office use, there is thus no provision under the Buildings Ordinance requiring the

existing block A to be brought up to the current standards.

As a Grade 2 Historic Building, comments made by the AMO will be duly considered by the

Building Authority, so it is advised to check the conditions of the existing buildings before

any works. Also, there is the lack of approved plans and structural records, which is a

common problem for many government properties built before W.W.II, as such records

were lost or destroyed during the war.

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Professional Involvements

 Registered Authorized Persons under BO shall prepare the necessary submissions.

 Registered Structural Engineers shall conduct structural appraisal and structural

integrity assessment of the historical building if necessary; taking into consideration of

the age of the building.

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4.1 Structural Stability

4.1.1 Structural System

Based on the record drawings retrieved from Architectural Services Department, there is no

structural plan recorded. It is thus advised to conduct a full survey of structural appraisal

for accurate considerations. It is now assumed that the structural system for the Cattle

Depot consists of shallow pad foundations supporting brick walls, timber column and beam,

timber truss member with Chinese tiled pitch roof as the superstructure. Also, brick walls

from ground floor to pitch roof, which was also used for partitioning the block A. The

balconies of block A are supported by reinforced concrete cantilever beams.

Major Defect

During the site inspection, it was noted that there were deteriorated timber member truss by

termite / wear & tear for years. It seems that they were constructed as the strengthening

works to the building at an intermediate date of its history. The structural elements

appeared in fair conditions, frequent maintenance of these structural elements is still

recommended.

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4.1.2 Imposed Load

Permanent Artist Village Youth Hostel

Building The imposed load on any building, street, building works or street works shall be the
(Construction) greatest applied load likely to arise from the intended use or purpose of the building, street,
Regulation 17 building works or street works (including forces exerted by the adjacent ground), of course
subject to the loading distribution and supporting, etc.
Considerations Sanitary Fitment 2KPa Sanitary Fitment 2KPa
Office for General Use 2.5KPa Office for General Use 2.5KPa
Arts galleries 5KPa Domestic Use 4KPa
Workshop 5KPa Restaurant 5KPa
Place of Public Entertainment 5KPa Place of Public Entertainment 5KPa
Plants Rooms / Boiler Room for 7.5Kpa
Domestic Use
Area of Current
Artist Village
Design Further site investigation and some laboratory testing are necessary considered to
Guidelines determine the existing conditions of
the buildings, the allowable loading capacity of the floor and other important structural
information for the adaptive re-use of the buildings.

Block A of 2-storey
As purposed built of office use, it is advised to keep retaining the original use. Based on
visual inspection and the age of building, it is possible that a reduction factor of 40% to the
original design loading is applicable for this block. It is thus advised to review and assess
the loading capacity of 2nd floor by RSEs for strengthening works if there is any required.

Blocks B to E & G of single-storey

As provided that buildings built on ground, the design loading are believed to be applicable
for proposed adaptive reuse.

Abandoned Areas
Design To utilize the entire site area for proposed adaptive reuse, the abandoned area is
Guidelines necessary considered to have an re-development, therefore, a geotechnical investigation is
suggested to seek for suitability of the abandoned site by materials search, mapping,
content proportion on clay, sand, granite, block, rock, water content in the slope (water
table), shear force, penetration, density, bearing load, strength to verify if the slope is
compactable or not, in order to prepare an adequate and economic design.

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4.2 Building Safety

In proposed to re-develop the abandoned site so as to utilize the entire site area to the

community whereas to have minimal works of upgrading / improvement for existing historic

blocks of the Artist Village so as to reflect the original sense of buildings, the below tables

are necessary considered.

4.2.1 Density

As discussed in the Chapter 3, design of maximization of height level and use of building

are also governed by Building Authority according to Buildings Ordinance and allied

regulations, therefore, proposed new building construction in the existing abandoned area

of the Cattle Depot would be based on no objection from the District Land Office and

Planning Department to the adaptive re-use, especially of the Youth Hostel.

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 Permanent Artist Village Youth Hostel
Building Every building with the maximum site coverage / plot ratio permitted in respect of a building on
(Planning) various site classes shall be determined.
Regulation 19
Consideration Site Classification 25
1. Class A Site means of the entire site abuts on one specified street of not less than 4.5m
wide.
2. Class B Site means of the entire site abuts on two specified street of not less than 4.5m wide
and also at least 40% per cent of the entire site boundary.
3. Class C Site means of the entire site as a corner site abutting three specified street of not
less than 4.5m wide and also at least 60% per cent of the entire site boundary.

Permitted Site Coverage 26

The area of the site that is covered by the building that is erected thereon and , when used in
relation to a part of a composite building, means the area of the site which the building is erected
that is covered by that part of the building.

Permitted Plot Ratio 27

The maximum plot ratio shall be permitted.
During the Site It was noted that two paved roads of not less than 4.5m wide are located respectively of San
Inspection Shan Road and Ma Tau Kok Road.
Design Permitted Site Coverage & Plot Ratio 28
Guidelines on Re- As defined the class B site of the entire site abuts on two specified street of not less than 4.5m
development of wide and also at least 40% per cent of the entire site boundary.
abandoned area , it thus determines the maximization of permitted site coverage and permitted plot ratio no matter
of various adaptive reuses.

25
Building (Planning) Regulation 18A, Buildings Ordinance Cap 123.
26
Building (Planning) Regulation 20, Buildings Ordinance Cap 123.
27
Building (Planning) Regulation 21, Buildings Ordinance Cap 123.
28
First Schedule, Buildings Ordinance Cap 123.
53