URA supports building management and maintenance proposal

In response to the release of a consultation paper by the Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands, Mr. Michael Suen, today (Friday) on promoting building management and maintenance, the Urban Renewal Authority welcomes the paper. A spokesman of the Authority said:

"The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) supports in particular the proposal for the introduction of mandatory building inspection to foster and promote building care and maintenance. We believe that this would be a move in the right direction for Hong Kong in searching for an effective long-term solution to address the long-standing and increasingly serious problem of building neglect and disrepair particularly in the old districts.

In the interest of both the community and individual building owners, it is hoped that the mandatory building inspection proposal will be positively received by the public.

The URA takes the view that the building rehabilitation incentive scheme and loan scheme currently being undertaken by the URA will help to promote the success of the proposed mandatory building inspection scheme.

In response to the Government's initiative, the URA has introduced new measures to further enhance the effectiveness of its schemes in providing incentives and assistance to building owners.

Building rehabilitation is an effective solution to help slow down the pace of urban decay. It is also an integral part of the URA's holistic 4Rs strategy, namely redevelopment, rehabilitation, revitalisation and preservation, for the regeneration of the nine target areas of urban renewal. With the support of the building owners, the two schemes have achieved very satisfactory results in the past two years."

  
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