TOWN PLANNING BOARD v. SOCIETY FOR PROTECTION OF THE HARBOUR LTD

FAMV No. 26 of 2003

IN THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

MISCELLANEOUS PROCEEDINGS NO. 26 OF 2003 (CIVIL)

(ON APPLICATION FOR LEAVE TO APPEAL
FROM HCAL NO. 19 OF 2003)

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DETERMINATION

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Mr Justice Bokhary PJ:

1. This application is the first of its kind. It is an application for leave to bring a civil appeal directly from the Court of First Instance of the High Court to the Court of Final Appeal. Provision for such "leap-frog" appeals is made by the recently introduced Division 3 of Part II of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance, Cap. 484. The trial judge has issued the necessary certificate. We are satisfied that this case involves a question of law which, by reason of its great public importance, ought to be submitted to the Court of Final Appeal for decision. And we are also satisfied that such decision is so urgently required that a "leap-frog" appeal is warranted. The respondent society consented to the certificate. It also consents to leave to appeal. Exercising our power to do so without an oral hearing, we grant leave to bring such an appeal.

2. An early hearing of the appeal being highly desirable, we have invited the parties to endeavour to agree an expedited procedural time-table. They have achieved such agreement. Their proposal is set out in a letter dated 13 September 2003 from the Department of Justice to the Registrar. Quoting from that letter, we direct the following time-table:

"	7 October	Board to file and serve Notice of Appeal (rr14 and 16)
		Board to file Affidavit of Service (rl6(b))
	10 October	Board to file and serve Part A of Record (r 32)
	27 October	Board to file and serve its Case (r25)
	24 November	Society to file and serve its Case (r26)
	26 November	Board to send proposed index for Part B of Record to Society for comment (r33)
	3 December	Society to provide comments, if any, on draft index to Part B Board to submit agreed Part B of Record to Registrar for approval (r36)
	5 December	Board to file and serve approved Part B of Record (r37)
		Parties to file and serve lists of authorities (r42)."

3. The parties have indicated that six hearing days will probably be needed, and have requested six working days during the period 9 to 19 December 2003. This appeal will be set down for hearing on the six working days 9-12, 15 and 16 December 2003.