Facilitation for market to increase number of student hostels to consolidate Hong Kong's status as education hub
The Development Bureau (DEVB) and the Education Bureau (EDB) announced that the Hostels in the City Scheme will start accepting applications today (July 21). Through the Scheme, the Government has streamlined development control procedures to encourage and facilitate the market to convert commercial buildings into student hostels on a self-financing privately funded basis to increase the supply of hostel places, thereby strengthening Hong Kong's position as an international hub for post-secondary education.
"Our policy objective is to create a clear and easy-to-follow operational framework that is in compliance and cost-efficient, while putting in sufficient measures to ensure that hostels under the Scheme fulfil the Government's requirements", a Government spokesman said.
Specifically, operators may make use of the facilitation measures under the Scheme to apply for converting commercial buildings into eligible student hostels. In terms of planning procedures, the Town Planning Board has already expanded the definition of "Hotel" under the planning regime to cover eligible student hostels under the Scheme. As a result, since "Hotel" is an "always permitted use" in most commercial sites, no planning procedures would be required for converting those commercial buildings into student hostels. Under the buildings regime, converted student hostels under the Scheme will continue to be treated as non-domestic buildings for plot ratio and site coverage calculations, meaning that the existing gross floor area (GFA) of the commercial building can be retained. Moreover, facilities previously exempted from GFA calculations before conversion (e.g. car parking spaces and loading/unloading areas) can be retained and continue to be exempted from GFA calculation, so as to facilitate developers/operators to flexibly convert these facilities into facilities supporting hostel uses (e.g. gyms, study rooms, etc.) so that the hostel better suits the study and daily needs of the student tenants. In terms of land administration, most of the leases stated for non-industrial use allow student hostel use without the need for lease modification or payment of premiums. For the small number of cases where a lease modification is needed, the Lands Department will assess the amount of premium payment.
The Scheme welcomes wholesale conversion of an entire commercial building into a student hostel, while permitting partial conversion if specific conditions are fulfilled.
Industrial buildings and buildings in industrial zonings are not eligible under the Scheme. However, commercial buildings that have undergone wholesale conversions from industrial buildings located on non-industrial zonings would be eligible under the Scheme, provided that the relevant land administration procedures have been completed.
Interested developers/operators need to submit applications to the EDB using a prescribed form, and fulfil eligibility criteria under the Scheme, including:
(a) student hostels under the Scheme should be occupied by full-time local or non-local students of specified eligible institutions operating locally accredited post-secondary programmes at the sub-degree or degree levels. For operational flexibility, the Scheme allows occupation of at most 10 per cent of hostel places by persons who are affiliated with eligible institutions, such as wardens and visiting scholars, etc;
(b) conversion works should be completed within 18 months (the EDB may consider granting an extension based on actual circumstances in consultation with relevant bureaux/departments);
(c) hostel rooms must not be sold off individually; and
(d) developers/operators must take all necessary and reasonable measures to ensure that the operation of the hostel complies with relevant statutory and administrative requirements, while also striving to maintain a safe and suitable living environment for students.
When submitting applications, developers/operators must sign a statutory declaration that the eligibility criteria under the Scheme will be complied with. While the student hostel under the Scheme is in operation, a certified audit report is required to be submitted to the EDB annually, certifying that the eligibility criteria under the Scheme have been duly complied with during the reporting period. Proper records should also be maintained to demonstrate that the operator has continuously complied with the criteria. In case of non-compliance, the Government will take appropriate enforcement actions based on the aforementioned statutory declaration, land lease, and relevant ordinances.
The Government has launched the dedicated website of the Scheme (www.studenthostel.gov.hk) to announce the Scheme's details. The EDB will also publish the list of student hostels with approvals secured on the website in the future. The Development Projects Facilitation Office (DPFO) under the DEVB will provide one-stop facilitation services to applicants, including handling enquiries related to facilitation measures and application progress. Telephone and email contacts of the EDB and the DPFO are available on the dedicated website.
Source: AI-found images
HKSAR Government expresses dissatisfaction with and opposition to unfounded comments by individual so-called human rights experts on Lai Chee-ying case
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (December 24) expressed dissatisfaction with and opposition to the unfounded comments by individual so-called human rights experts after the court of the HKSAR convicted Lai Chee-ying of offences of endangering national security in strict accordance with the law and evidence.
A spokesperson for the HKSAR Government pointed out, "The HKSAR Government noted that individual so-called human rights experts have entirely no respect for the HKSAR court's independent judgment of the case, which had been made on the basis of facts and evidence. They also refused to acknowledge the evidence set out in the reasons for verdict, and refused to understand the court's considerations and the reasons for verdict. Instead, they wantonly launched attacks, slandered and attacked the HKSAR Government, with despicable political manipulations to demand the immediate release of Lai Chee-ying, overriding the rule of law with politics and confounding right and wrong. Their despicable intent to interfere with the court's sentencing has been seen through by all. The HKSAR Government has to refute resolutely to set the record straight."
Court's conviction verdict was entirely free from any political considerations
"The court's reasons for verdict in this case are 855 pages long, which are fully open for public inspection, and include the court's analysis of the relevant legal principles and evidence, as well as the reasons for convicting Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies in full detail. The court clearly pointed out in the reasons for verdict that Lai Chee-ying was not on trial for his political views or beliefs. The court's conviction verdict is well-founded and reasoned, fully demonstrating that the court has made its decision on the case strictly in accordance with the law and evidence, free from any interference, and absolutely free of any political considerations."
The spokesperson stressed, "Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law and has always adhered to the principle that laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers be held accountable. Article 5 of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) and section 2 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) clearly stipulate that the principle of the rule of law shall be adhered to in preventing, suppressing and imposing punishment for offences endangering national security. Any suggestion that certain individuals or organisations should be immune from legal consequences for their illegal acts is no different from advocating a special privilege to break the law, and this totally runs contrary to the spirit of the rule of law."
The Lai Chee-ying case has nothing to do with freedom of speech and of the press at all
The spokesman pointed out, "These so-called human rights experts have conflated the criminal acts in this case with freedom of speech and of the press, with the purpose of misleading the public and defaming the HKSAR. In fact, the Lai Chee-ying case has nothing to do with freedom of speech and of the press at all. Over the years, the defendants were using journalism as a guise to commit acts that brought harm to our country and Hong Kong.
"The public trial of this case revealed Lai Chee-ying's close management and hands-on control of the editorial direction of Apple Daily. Lai Chee-ying had repeatedly and personally colluded with foreign forces, begging for sanctions and hostile actions against the Central Authorities and the HKSAR Government. The court clearly pointed out that Lai Chee-ying's only intent, whether pre or post HKNSL, was to seek the downfall of the Communist Party of China, even though the ultimate cost was the sacrifice of the interests of the people of the People's Republic of China and the HKSAR.
"Anyone who vilify the rule of law and human rights situation in the HKSAR using this case is fact-twisting and has no integrity at all. We have to emphasise that the HKNSL and the SNSO clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. The rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of the press, of speech and of publication, enjoyed by Hong Kong people under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to the HKSAR, are protected in accordance with the law. However, like all other places in the world, journalists, like everyone else, have an obligation to abide by all the laws. According to the principles established by Article 19 of the ICCPR, the European Convention on Human Rights and relevant jurisprudence, when the media and journalists publish opinions, information and articles, they must observe and discharge 'special duties and responsibilities', including the protection of national security and public order; journalists must, in accordance with the tenets of 'responsible journalism', act in good faith on an accurate factual basis and provide reliable and precise information, so as to be entitled to the protection of freedom of speech and press freedom."
The spokesman reiterated, "The HKSAR Government will continue to resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the HKNSL, the SNSO and other relevant laws safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, to effectively prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law, whilst upholding the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law, so as to ensure the steadfast and successful implementation of the principle of 'one country, two systems'. The HKSAR Government urges the relevant so-called human rights experts to understand the facts clearly and stop making any unfounded criticisms."
Source: AI-found images
