Private recreation leases reviewed

May 22, 2013

The Home Affairs Bureau has advised all private recreational leaseholders that the Government will conduct a comprehensive review of the private recreational leases policy, and that lessees should not assume that their leases will be renewed under the same terms and conditions upon expiry.
 
Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing told lawmakers today that whilst renewing private recreational leases that expired in 2011 and 2012, the Government is overseeing lessees' compliance with the terms of the private recreational leases, including implementation of schemes to allow greater access to their facilities.
 
He said renewing existing private recreational leases for 15 years is considered appropriate and reasonable to allow lessees time to respond to possible policy changes by the Government.
 
“Under the existing lease terms, the administration has the power to resume specific sites occupied under private recreational leases, provided an appropriate notification period is given to the lessee. The length of the renewal term should not in principle have a bearing on the Administration's long-term planning.”
 
He said sports clubs operating under private recreational leases have the promotion of sport and recreation as one of their objects, which is consistent with the Government's policy for sports development.
 
Over the years, sports clubs throughout Hong Kong have provided their services to over 650,000 members, their relatives and friends, and given outside bodies access to their sports facilities.
 
Up to now, the Government has approved 46 schemes submitted by private recreational leaseholders to allow greater access to their sports facilities. Seven had completed the lease renewal procedures by the end of April.
 
Mr Tsang said all of the seven cases have agreed to allow access to their sports and recreational facilities well in excess of the minimum requirement of 50 hours per month.
 
Following formal consultation, the sports clubs concerned have agreed to open their facilities as far as possible in accordance with their respective scale and conditions, with the total number of hours of access ranging from 161 to 3,320 per month.