LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
212
Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai and North-West New Territories
Yuen Long town was first developed in the early 1970s. Its population, which stood at 120 000 at the end of the year, is expected to grow to 150 000 early in the next decade.
Development is spreading to the Tuen Mun-Yuen Long Corridor. The rural area is being rejuvenated, with new infrastructure providing for improved rural development. The construction of new infrastructure at Hung Shui Kiu and Ping Shan areas will be implemented in different stages commencing in the end of 1997 for completion by 2002.
Tin Shui Wai has become the focal point for development after Yuen Long in the NWNT. An initial Development Zone of 220 hectares has been developed into a new town for about 150 000 people, complete with major infrastructure and a full range of community facilities.
With the increasing demand for land to meet future housing needs, engineering investigations for further expansion of Tin Shui Wai into the Reserve Zone were commissioned in November 1995. Upon full development, the population of Tin Shui Wai is expected to reach 315 000 before 2004.
Large tracts of low-lying land north and west of Yuen Long are particularly susceptible to flooding during heavy rains. A series of major flood prevention projects are being implemented to solve this problem. Apart from the flood control works for the Shan Pui River, the downstream and mid-stream sections of the Kam Tin River that are currently in progress, there are also two village flood protection projects at Sha Po Tsuen and San Tin villages due to start in early 1997.
Tseung Kwan O
The development of Tseung Kwan O new town, which started in 1982, is divided into three phases. Phase I has been substantially completed, with about 568 hectares of land formed. Engineering infrastructure has been provided to cater for private and public housing and associated community facilities.
Phase II includes the reclamation and engineering infrastructure for the town centre northern area, to be completed in early 2000. It will provide 96 hectares of land for commercial, residential, government, institutional and community uses.
Phase III for the reclamation of Town Centre South and the provision of land and services for the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate is also in progress. An initial 30 hectares of land was completed in March 1995. Upon completion in 1997, an additional 65 hectares will be available for industrial development. The southern part of Siu Chik Cha is being developed for industrial use.
In preparation for further industrial development, about 102 hectares of land south of Tseung Kwan O will be developed for deep waterfront industries and potentially hazardous installations. Reclamation is in progress. The population of the new town, which stood at 142 000 at the end of March 1996, will be more than 440 000 upon full development by 2010. The proposed extension of MTR to Tseung Kwan O and the Western Coastal Road, both intended to improve the traffic of the new town with the metro area, are now under study.