Urban Renewal Authority 2018-19 Annual Report

45 OPERATING REVIEW Demand-led Pilot Scheme Projects Under the URS, the URA may respond to a joint approach from building owners to initiate redevelopment of their buildings. In view of this, the Demand-led Pilot Scheme was introduced in 2011. Five rounds of application for Demand-led Pilot Scheme projects were held between 2011 and 2016. As at 30 June 2019, 12 redevelopment projects under the Demand-led Pilot Scheme had been commenced, with nine under active implementation. The remaining three projects were terminated due to their failure to meet the 80% threshold on owners’ consent. Construction is underway for six of the nine projects while site clearance has been completed in the other three. The Demand-led Pilot Scheme was first reviewed in 2014 after three rounds with a view to enhancing the planning gains of projects under the Scheme. However, applications received in the fifth round in 2016 were still not conducive to its objectives, necessitating a holistic review of the Demand-led Pilot Scheme. By adopting a planning-led approach to create a greater planning impact whilst owners’ demand could be properly addressed, the URA is taking the opportunity to review the Scheme comprehensively in the YMDS. Facilitating Services The URS allows owners to request the URA’s assistance as a consultant to help them assemble their titles for redevelopment. The Facilitating Services (Pilot Scheme) commenced in 2012 to provide consultation services to interested owners of domestic and non-domestic buildings to help them assemble titles for commencing owner- initiated redevelopment through joint sale of the assembled titles in the market. Up to 31 March 2019, a total of 39 applications for facilitating services (35 for residential buildings and four for industrial buildings) had been received. One application had been successfully processed with its property interests sold by auction. The joint sale of property interests for five applications were put on the market but failed to reach a successful sale. Of the remaining applications, 28 either failed to fulfil the application criteria or were terminated for failing to reach the required threshold for joint sale. Meanwhile, three applications were selected as facilitation projects to be implemented while two applications were under review. A pilot scheme for building owners under the CBS and Government Built Housing Scheme was launched in May 2016. Since its commencement, three applications from owners of CBS buildings had been received and selected for implementation as facilitation projects. One project had been put up for sale by public tender with no bid received. Two projects had been terminated as they failed to reach the relevant threshold for joint sale.