Sewage and plot ratios anger hoteliers
SEWAGE surcharges and the Government's ambivalent plot ratio policy have topped the list of concerns among territory hotel operators, according to a year-end review by the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners.
The review highlighted negative sentiment in the industry over the trade effluent surcharge started last April and a plot ratio scheme imposed on hotels.
Michael Li Hon-shing, the federation's executive director, warned that the controversial policies would adversely affect confidence among hotel operators and could force developers to abandon planned hotel projects.
Hoteliers were still battling with the Government over how the trade effluent surcharge was calculated.
Hotel owners opposed to the Government's formula argued that hotels were producing a level of pollutants much lower than the official estimate.
The review said findings of independent consultants showed hotels were discharging a level of Chemical Oxygen Demand, a unit used to measure the surcharge, lower than the 3,600 units set by the administration.
The federation and the Hong Kong Hotels Association had formed a task force to negotiate a more 'reasonable' payment scheme with the Government.
Relaxation of hotel plot ratios introduced last September also aroused concern among hotel operators.
The policy was intended to assist hotel development by expanding the plot ratios allowed in hotel premises to a maximum of 15 times and bringing it into line with the less stringent ratios used by commercial buildings.
However, the new law also took away concessions which enabled hotels to develop backyard facilities such as car-parks and basements.
Mr Li claimed the new plot ratios had resulted in less building floors available to new hotel sites.
The federation was seeking independent views from surveyors and architects to show that the gross floor area under the new policy was lower than the old system when concessions were granted.
