Revitalisation of Industrial Buildings

The Chief Executive announced in her 2018 Policy Address to reactivate the revitalisation scheme for industrial buildings ("the new IB Revitalization Scheme") to optimize utilization of the existing industrial stock and make better use of our valuable land resources, while addressing more effectively the issues of fire safety and non-compliant uses. The new IB Revitalization Scheme includes six key measures facilitating the wholesale conversion, redevelopment and non-industrial uses of existing industrial buildings ("IBs"). While some of these measures are to facilitate transitional housing and other specific uses (such as those in relation to the arts and cultural sectors, creative industries, and innovation and technology industries) in wholesale-converted IBs, some others are related to the use of existing IBs by certain sectors (namely the arts and cultural sectors, creative industries, and innovation and technology sectors) or certain uses (namely telecommunications exchange centres and computer/data processing centres on buffer floors; and cargo handling and forwarding operation and recyclable collection centre for "godown" use). For each revitalization measure’s details, please refer to the relevant Land Administration Office (LAO) Practice Notes and the announcement made by the Development Bureau on "Relaxation of Waiver Application for Existing Industrial Buildings" on 1 February 2019.

• Development Bureau's Press Release on extending the effective period of the relaxation of waiver application for existing industrial building to 31 January 2025 (Date: 26 January 2024)
• The Chief Executive's 2018 Policy Address on Revitalisation of Industrial Buildings
• Development Bureau's Announcement on Relaxation of Waiver Application for Existing Industrial Buildings (Date: 1 February 2019)
• Relevant LAO Practice Notes
• Summary of Applications Received and Under Processing pursuant to LAO P.N. Nos. 2/2019, 2/2019A, 3/2019, 6/2019, 6/2019A, 7/2019, 7/2024 and 8/2024
• Executed Lease Modification Cases pursuant to LAO P.N. Nos. 2/2019, 2/2019A and 7/2024
• Executed Land Exchange Cases pursuant to LAO P.N. Nos. 2/2019, 2/2019A and 7/2024
• Executed Special Waiver Cases pursuant to LAO P.N. Nos. 6/2019, 6/2019A and 8/2024

To further expedite the redevelopment of pre-1987 IBs, government launched a scheme in 2021 for charging land premium at standard rates in respect of lease modifications for redevelopment of eligible IBs. The scheme has been regularised in December 2023 and extends the applicable scope to cover IBs for special industrial uses completed before 1987. The Lands Department issued LAO Practice Note No. 12/2023 on 28 December 2023 for industry’s reference on the operational details of the scheme.

• Legislative Council Brief (4 March 2021)
• Relevant LAO Practice Notes (LAO PN 12/2023, Appendix I, Appendix II, Appendix III, LAO PN 12/2023A)
• Frequently-asked Questions on the scheme

For information on "Revitalisation of Industrial Buildings 2009", please click here.