GENERAL
INTRODUCTION
1.01 The Colony of Hong Kong has an area of approximately 400 square miles and a population of about 4,000,000. The bulk of this population is concentrated in a very intensively developed area of some nine square miles covering the Northern shore of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon from Lei Yue Mun in the East to Lai Chi Kok in the West. The new town of Tsuen Wan in the New Territories, a few miles to the North-West, continues to develop rapidly and Castle Peak New Town, at almost the Western extremity of the mainland, is also growing fast. The extent of these urban concentrations is shown on the frontispiece map.
1.02 Private building activity continued at a high level throughout the year 1971-72 and although fewer industrial and tenement buildings were commenced, the number of apartment buildings on which work was started rose by 85% compared with the previous year.
1.03 At a ceremony on 27th October, 1971, H.R.H. The Princess Anne formally laid the foundation stone of the new general hospital at Lai Chi Kok. When completed, this hospital will have 1,320 beds and will serve the residents of North-West Kowloon and the Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung areas.
1.04 The Swimming Pools and Recreation Ground complex at Kwun Tong was officially opened by H.R.H. The Princess Anne on 30th October, 1971. The Swimming Pools and Recreation Ground occupy an overall area of approximately half a million square feet. There are eight pools, and included in the recreation ground area are a grassed soccer pitch, two miniature soccer pitches, basket-ball and volley-ball courts, and a roller skating rink.
1.05 On 21st October, 1971, the Director of Public Works handed over the new Yau Ma Tei Government Slipway complex to the Director of Marine. This project comprises a 15-storey building providing some 130,000 square feet of office accommodation for various Government departments, together with workshops, marine stores, and a small Post Office.