PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA AND HONG KONG, 18-21 DECEMBER 1984
HONG KONG
BRIEF NO 3: SUPPLEMENTARY BRIEF FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE: HARBOUR TOUR, 21 DECEMBER, 10.45am 12.30pm
(Theme Observe existing and future developments around Victoria Harbour)
Territorial Development Strategy
1.
In the late 1970's, the Hong Kong Government came under pressure from the private sector to permit new urban development in many different parts of the territory. It also became clear that once full development of the New Towns was completed in the early 1990's, new areas would need to be found in which the requirement for further major urban growth could be met.
2. It was therefore decided, in 1980, to set up a Strategic Planning Unit in the Government Secretariat to assess likely demand for development up to the year 2001 and to examine possible options for meeting it. The aim was to produce an overall land-use and transportation development strategy which would indicate the general path along which investment and development should be directed.
3. In assessing demand, the strategic studies have examined future requirements for housing and jobs and all related urban land uses, translating them into gross land areas. The continuation of existing policies and standards has been assumed for the purpose. The population projection used throughout the studies was 7.1 million by the year 2001. The present population is estimated to be 5.3 million and existing development programmes are predicted to produce accommodation for about 0.9 million people bringing the total accommodated by the early 1990's to about 6.2 million. The quantum for which additional areas needed to be found was therefore put at 0.9 million. This translates into a requirement for about 1000 hectares of new land.
4. As well as the need for new land, related transport infrastructure requirements were assessed, taking into account existing systems and projects already in the pipeline. Similarly, possible non-population related infrastructural requirements for the 1990's, to allow for possible expansion of international communications and commercial links, were also examined. For example, port expansion, extension of the central business district and cross-border links with China were considered.
5. In parallel, a series of detailed sub-regional studies was undertaken to identify all possible options for meeting the assessed need for new land. These studies indicated the following potential options in terms of numbers of people who could be accommodated: