LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
181
The railway construction, other formation works and the central area clearance affected a number of villages, and resite programmes undertaken by the government have been largely completed. Improvement and expansion plans are being drawn up for existing villages, many of which lie in the green belt area of the foothills, to the north of Tsuen Wan. In addition, there are proposals to reduce pollution and conserve many of the natural features of this area, which should ensure its future as a valuable recreational facility within easy reach of the new town. An extensive programme to provide additional park and recreational facilities is underway to meet the needs of an expanding population. More swimming pools, games halls and squash courts are planned, together with the reconstruc- tion of Yeung Uk Road Sportsground as a modern stadium.
About 1 300 hectares of serviced, developed land already exist within the new town, and another 600 hectares will be made available in the future. More than 30 per cent of this will be used for public housing and community facilities and a further 25 per cent set aside for open space and recreational facilities. Investigations have commenced on the comprehen- sive development of the Sham Tseng area with a possible population of up to 60 000.
Sha Tin
Sha Tin Valley contains some 1 700 hectares of serviced land which include 640 hectares of reclamation. The development of Ma On Shan as an extension of the new town will add another 419 hectares, of which 160 hectares will be reclaimed land. Land formation in the valley continued and by the end of the year was virtually complete, while engineering works for reclamation and land formation began at Ma On Shan.
Since 1974, the population of Sha Tin has grown from 25 000 to nearly 300 000. The ultimate population of 800 000 will be reached by the mid-1990s. To maintain a balanced social mix, about 60 per cent of the population will be housed in over 20 public housing estates (including Home Ownership and Private Sector Participation Schemes) with the remainder in private development schemes or in existing villages.
Building works in the town are approximately 36 per cent complete and a full range of job opportunities and social, recreational, educational and community facilities is being provided to keep pace with this development. A comprehensive road, rail, cycle and foot- path network is being laid down to link these functions of the new town. Stage one of the sewage treatment works is complete and stage two was under construction during the year. One of the features of Sha Tin is its recreational and social facilities along the Shing Mun River. Added to the Sha Tin Racecourse and the Jubilee Sports Centre will be an international rowing course, a stadium, swimming pool complex and squash and tennis courts. All these will be linked by a proposed riverside promenade and culminate in a 9.5-hectare town park which is nearing completion. The town park will in turn link with the town centre, where the New Town Plaza has been opened; alongside this is the nearly complete cultural complex plus other commercial office and hotel accommodation.
Other important regional facilities include the new Prince of Wales Hospital, providing over 1 400 beds, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Plans for other hospitals, a college of education, and a technical institute are being considered.
Tuen Mun
Although detailed planning for Tuen Mun did not begin until the mid-1960s, the new town already houses 238 000 people. This rapid pace of development is expected to continue over the next decade; it is estimated that by the mid-1990s, the total population will be about 490 000.