BY

ii Over the years, an increasing number of sites have been designated “Comprehensive Development Areas ” (CDAs). This CDA zone is well entitled by the Town Planning Board (TPB) as an effective planning tool in facilitating urban restructuring by adding planning conditions to require a developer to submit a Master Layout Plan (MLP) before development commences, provide certain facilities, and even build places for public enjoyment. All these things would not only make the subject site more comprehensively developed, but also have a positive effect on the surrounding environment. However, things are not always as simple as planners intend them to be. This dissertation intends to examine developers ’ compliance with the planning conditions set by the TPB when it grants permission to develop CDA zones. In this dissertation, I shall provide basic information for and discuss the role of a CDA zone. Then, I will analyze all the enforcement mechanisms that ensure compliance with the planning conditions. Through site visits to 35 selected sites to assess factual compliance with physical planning conditions and by investigating the Land Registry (LR) to assess the deposit of an MLP, I found that not only were most MLPs not deposited at the LR, but there was also a lack of compliance with physical planning conditions, for instance, in providing footbridges, public open spaces, etc. iii In view of the situation, I will also discuss the implications of non-compliance. At the end of the dissertation, I will offer several suggestions for solving the present enforcement problem