LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
preventing siltation of drainage systems and enhancing the countryside. Nearly eight million trees have been planted over the last five years, with more than two million planted over some 240 hectares in 2000.
Tsuen Wan
Tsuen Wan new town embraces the areas of Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi Island. It covers a total development area of about 2360 hectares and has a population of about 783 000 people. The population is expected to rise to about 852 000 in 2009. The new town has Hong Kong's container terminals in its midst in the Kwai Chung area. Construction of the Container Terminal 9 commenced in May in south-eastern Tsing Yi for completion by 2004.
Major highway projects are being planned to further extend and reinforce the main road network. These include the Route 9 between Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan. The Sha Tsui Road Flyover across Castle Peak Road connecting Tsuen King Circuit and Sha Tsui Road was completed in July. The KCRC West Rail is under construction and will have one station in Tsuen Wan West.
Since 1996, about 1.2 million trees have been planted over 136 hectares of hill slopes on Tsing Yi Island under the TDD's afforestation programme to restore and enhance the landscape. In 2000, about 200 000 trees were planted in the north-west of the island to complement the Tsing Yi Nature Trails and a further 250 000 trees planted in southern Tsing Yi to restore the vegetation cover after hill fires.
Sha Tin
Sha Tin new town embraces the areas of Sha Tin and Ma On Shan. It covers a total development area of about 2 000 hectares. It is already home to about 630 000 people, approximately 68 per cent of whom live in public housing developments which comprise 15 public rental estates and 22 home ownership and private sector participation scheme developments. The new town will house about 650 000 people by end-2001. The construction of Road T3, which will connect with Route 9 to West Kowloon, is planned to start in 2002 for completion in 2006.
Since 1981, development works of the Sha Tin new town have been extended to Ma On Shan. Work on the primary road link to Ma On Shan Town Centre is scheduled for completion in 2002. Five public housing estates/Home Ownership Scheme projects. are under construction. The construction of Trunk Road T7, which will bypass the Town Centre, was due to start in January 2001 for completion in 2004. Upon full development, Ma On Shan will house more than 200 000 people.
The programme to improve conditions in the old villages in and around Sha Tin will continue. An afforestation programme to restore the eroded areas in the hills behind the new town will be completed in 2001. About four million trees have been planted in these areas in recent years.
Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun new town, in the western New Territories, is developed mainly on land reclaimed from Castle Peak Bay and on platforms formed in the valley between Castle Peak and the Tai Lam Hills. It covers a total development area of about 1 920 hectares.
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