0003230
G.F. 323
CONFIDENTIAL
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(a)
"Nunnery Site" plan (Areas 'B' and 'C'), and widening Tung Tau Tsuen Road affects part of the existing Tung Tau Cottage Resettlement Area, north of the Walled City (Area 'D').
Implications of Proposed Clearance outside the Walled City.
(i)
Domestic and Factory Resettlement.
It is not considered that clearance in accordance with the revised development plan will create major difficulties over factory or domestic resettlement. Sufficient resettlement factory space is available but this is mainly in Tsuen Wan, while sufficient domestic resettlement accommodation should be available by early 1970 to enable phased resettlement, either in the Sau Mau Ping Resettlement Estate or in low cost housing projects if policy allows.
(ii) Shop Clearance.
The major problem is expected to be in the clearance of shops, of which there are some 750 in the whole "Nunnery Site "area. The widening of Tung Tau Tsuen Road involves the demolition of some 30 shops, and of Carpenter Road some 190 shops. This problem is to an extent catered for by the revised plan which provides a total of 564 shops. This is an unusually large proportion of shops to domestic units but such a departure from normal policy is considered necessary for this particular clearance. The problem will also be eased if general Resettlement Policy proposals at present under consideration are accepted. These involve the payment of compensation to shopowners in accordance with an agreed formula as an alternative to resettlement, and are considered necessary because the number of shops normally provided in resettlement estates is insufficient to cater for the demand from those wanting shops. New shops will be open to tender and it is believed that receipts from tenders may meet the cost of compensation. A decision on the new policy would be required before implementation of the "Nunnery Site" and Carpenter Road plans, but the plan for widening the Tung Tau Tsuen Road need not be delayed pending such decision. It is furthermore not considered desirable that the "Nunnery Site" clearance I should be the first area in which the new
policy, if accepted, should be tried out,
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both because many of the shops are well established and substantial, and because of the potential security risk. It is, however, considered that the Resettlement Department should be allowed the maximum degree of flexibility in dealing with both domestic and shop resettlement in this specific area.
(iii)
CONFIDENTIAL