Minutes of 964 Meeting of the Town Planning Board held on 20.8 ...

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review from <strong>the</strong> <strong>Board</strong>. The applicant could also seek adjournment/ deferral <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> review
hearing during <strong>the</strong> process. He could also seek an appeal from <strong>the</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Planning</strong> Appeal
<strong>Board</strong> against <strong>the</strong> decision <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Board</strong>. It would be unreasonable to allow <strong>the</strong> submission
<strong>of</strong> a renewal application much earlier before <strong>the</strong> expiry <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> approval in order to cater for
<strong>the</strong> review/appeal applications, <strong>the</strong>reby not allowing <strong>the</strong> <strong>Board</strong> to take into account <strong>the</strong>
planning circumstance at <strong>the</strong> time nearer to <strong>the</strong> expiry <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> planning approval. The
four-month requirement would allow sufficient time for processing <strong>the</strong> renewal application
under <strong>the</strong> Ordinance and at <strong>the</strong> same time cater for <strong>the</strong> need that <strong>the</strong> <strong>Board</strong> had to take into
account <strong>the</strong> current planning circumstances when considering <strong>the</strong> renewal application.
11. In response to a Member’s query, <strong>the</strong> Chairman said that stating <strong>the</strong> rationale
for stipulating <strong>the</strong> requirements in <strong>the</strong> TPB Guidelines could help explain <strong>the</strong> reasons for
<strong>the</strong> concerned requirements and enhance transparency <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> planning system. The
Secretary supplemented that it was a usual practice to elaborate <strong>the</strong> reasons behind <strong>the</strong> key
requirements in <strong>the</strong> TPB Guidelines. For consistency, <strong>the</strong> Chairman suggested that as a
standard practice, <strong>the</strong> TPB Guidelines should set out <strong>the</strong> rationale <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> stipulation <strong>of</strong>
requirements, where appropriate. However, <strong>the</strong>re was no need for a comprehensive review
and <strong>the</strong> reasons, where appropriate, could be added as and when <strong>the</strong> relevant parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
Guidelines were amended. Members agreed.
12. The Chairman concluded that <strong>the</strong> proposed revision to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Town</strong> <strong>Planning</strong>
<strong>Board</strong> Guidelines No. 34A were agreed by Members subject to adding ‘The rationale
behind this arrangement is that..’ at <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> second sentence <strong>of</strong> paragraph 3.4
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Guidelines.