HONG KONG: The government plans to revise non-legally binding rules to regulate the numbering of floors after the "marketing gimmick" used on a Mid-Levels luxury residential block stirred up controversy.

"The aim is to formulate a reasonable approach and a code of good practice for floor numbering for the industry to adopt on a self-discipline basis," Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor told lawmakers yesterday.

She said the Buildings Department will soon make proposals and consult the building panel of the government-appointed Land and Development Advisory Committee for revising the practice of the industry.

The selective numbering at the nominal 88-story luxury residential project at 39 Conduit Road has raised concerns, as it has been found that the tower is just 40 stories high.

The developer, Henderson Land Development Company, skipped floor levels 4, 13, 14, 24, 34, 40 to 59, 62, 64, 65, 67 and 69 to 87, reflecting traditional beliefs about "unlucky" and "lucky" numbers.

Lam also said the Transport and Housing Bureau will hold discussions with the Real Estate Developers Association to see whether developers can clearly lay out floor numbering information in the front part of the sales brochures.

Such data are now generally in the "Information for Reference" section in the latter part of the sales brochures.

On the concerns over the impact of controversial floor numbering on rescues, Lam said, "If the floor numbering is too unconventional and overly complicated, it may affect the efficiency of the government's provision of emergency services."

She said the Buildings Department will consult the Security Bureau when mapping out the code of good practice.

Legislator James To Kun-sun suggested the government set out legally-binding rules to act on the problem.

Lam said authorities will not rule out such a move.

Binding rules may be introduced when they are deemed necessary for the sake of public interests, she said.

But Lam said revising the current set of guidelines is a more effective and efficient way to address the issue.

She said although the current set of guidelines is non-binding, she believes the industry will generally abide by the rules and there will be no repetition of controversial numbering of floors.

Patrick Lau Sau-shing, a lawmaker for the architectural, surveying and planning sector, asked authorities whether they will seek views from fung shui masters when reviewing the rules.

Lam agreed to consider Lau's idea and see whether there is any other group that should be consulted.

Currently, the Building Authority cannot reject a building plan because of the floor numbering arrangement of the block, Lam said.

But if the authority considers the floor numbering as shown on a building plan potentially confusing, it may suggest the applicant make modifications; however, such advice is not statutory, she said.

Regarding the case of the Conduit Road premises, Lam said, "Since the actual and the 'also known as' floor numbers were arranged from lower to upper floors in ascending order, the authority considered that there was no need to advise the applicant to make amendments."

But she admitted that the arrangement is "very rare".

(HK Edition 11/05/2009 page1)