LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
tourist attractions in Hong Kong. Upon completion of the system, visitors will be able to enjoy an approximately 5.7-kilometre ride between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping and admire the scenic views of Lantau and the Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok. The cable car system will also provide an additional linkage among different attractions on Lantau, including the outdoor seated bronze Buddha, which is believed to be the largest of its type in the world.
New Development in North-East New Territories and
North-West New Territories
The planning and development study on the North-East New Territories continues. The study has established the feasibility of developing Kwu Tung North (497 hectares) and Fanling North (192 hectares) as New Development Areas to house a population of 100 000 and 80 000 respectively by 2014. These two areas will accommodate part of the projected territorial population growth in the coming decade.
In the North-West Territories, the planning and engineering feasibility study for the development of Hung Shui Kiu as a New Development Area to accommodate a target population of 160 000 people and to provide container back-up sites is under way. It covers a total development area of about 435 hectares.
Islands District
Development works on other islands continue mainly to improve the living environment of existing residential districts. Reclamation, road and drainage works at the central part and north-western part of Peng Chau are in progress. Reclamation, road and drainage works at Yung Shue Wan on Lamma Island are also in progress. Construction of the north-eastern riverwall and site formation work adjacent to Lung Tin Estate in Tai O are scheduled for completion in mid-2002. In Cheung Chau Old Town, detailed design of the Stage 2 improvement works to existing roads and drains is in progress. Construction is scheduled to commence in mid-2003 for completion in mid-2006.
Building Development
The Private Sector
Private building development continued to slow down. The number of building plan submissions remained comparatively low. The number of building sites on which superstructure works started decreased from 162 in 2000 to 110 in 2001, involving total floor areas of 3 052 793 square metres and 1 603 983 square metres, respectively. A total of 449 buildings, with a total floor area of 2.76 million square metres, were completed at a cost of $30.12 billion, compared with 642 buildings, with a total floor area of three million square metres, built at a cost of $36.51 billion in 2000.
The tall commercial building at the Hong Kong Station, on the Central Reclamation, was among the notable developments under construction. Works also commenced for two extension projects on the Kowloon-Canton Railway's East Rail the Ma On Shan Rail and the Tsim Sha Tsui Extension. The 130-hectare Hong Kong Disneyland theme park is at the design stage.
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