The Development Bureau welcomes the recommendations submitted to the Government by the Council for Sustainable Development (CSD). They are based on a public engagement exercise entitled "Building Design to Foster a Quality and Sustainable Built Environment".
     As reflected in the recommendations of the report, the exercise has pointed to a clear need for putting in place new arrangements to encourage building setback, building separation and more green coverage in buildings and changes to the current practices of granting concessions in gross floor area in buildings.
     The council recommends the Government impose an overall cap on the total gross floor area concessions to be granted, and adopt a more performance-based and site-specific approach in determining the overall cap in the longer run.
     The Government should also consider prescribing different levels of the overall cap corresponding to the building's overall environmental performance, by reference to certain benchmarks.
     The council suggests reducing the level of gross floor areas concessions for car parks in general, and promoting underground car parks. Other factors such as energy efficiency in providing lighting and air ventilation to underground car parks should be taken into account in their design.
     It also suggests the level of gross floor areas concessions for recreational facilities and clubhouses should be reduced, especially for sites with higher domestic gross floor areas. It recommends the Government review the desirability of bay windows - and the current policy and practice of their exclusion from being counted in plot ratio.