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prioritised and always encounters resistance fromaffected villagers where land resumption is required.Mainly for historical reasons, village settlements areusually very compact in the core, but houses arescattered apart in the periphery. Coupled with the landresumption and resource problems, the provision of EVAsin X V zones has to face a number of difficulties.3.42 Therefore, irrespective of whether a village iscovered by a layout plan or not, in granting aCertificate of Exemption (C of E) for Small Houses toindividual villagers, it would be very difficult ,for theLands D to impose a condition requiring the provision ofan EVA. (The issue of a C of E is administered by theLands D and is used to control authorisation of buildingwork in respect of development under the BuildingsOrdinance (Application to the New Territories)Ordinance.)3.43 Similarly, for an application for thedevelopment of a single village house in 'Green Belt' or'Agriculture' zone, it would be difficult for the TPB toimpose a condition requiring the provision of an EVAbecause it would obviously be outside one villager'sability to provide the access which could satisfy theFSD's requirements because of difficult problems such asland ownership, construction cost, and subsequentmanagement and maintenance responsibility. •3.44 In view of these problems, the low-rise natureof the village houses and the small population to beserved, the FSD has proposed to set a criterion ofrequiring a development of ten houses or more as a majoror 'large' development to include the provision of anEVA. When such developments require planning permission,this criterion would become a necessary condition whensuch development is recommended by the Plan D to the TPBfor its consideration. The government departmentsconcerned have yet to resolve this particular issue.3.45 To conclude the above, the Plan D's involvementin the provision of EVAs and PS Is and equipment inrespect of building developments vis-a-vis othergovernment departments such as the FSD and the BD isindirect, and is achieved through plan preparation/processing of applications for development and commentingon building plans.- 23 -