3.21 Previous feasibility studies have set the pattern for the development of new towns at Tuen Mun and Sha Tin, each planned for a population of about 0.5 million people. Studies currently in the programme include, for example, areas for development such as Tai Hom, the next stage of development in the New Towns of Tuen Mun and Sha Tin, Tsing Yi Island, and areas north of La Salle Road and Tat Chee Avenue as well as many other locations. The accelerated public housing target has caused considerable revision of programmes for the New Towns.
Airport Development
3.22 A 10-Year development plan for Hong Kong Airport drawn up by the Civil Aviation Department provides the overall framework within which detailed planning of works done by the Civil Engineering Office is carried out. Such considerations as the growth in cargo and passenger traffic, aircraft movements and the commercial use of even larger and heavier aircraft are taken into account.
3.23 Work currently in hand on the extension of the runway and aircraft parking aprons will virtually exhaust the physical capacity of the present Airport for major expansion in those respects and with the completion of the planned air cargo complex in a few years' time, there will be room only for improvement rather than additional facilities.
Railway Development
3.24 The land at the present time occupied by the Terminus of the Kowloon-Canton Railway at Tsim Sha Tsui is required for more comprehensive development and the Terminus is therefore being resited on the Hung Hom Reclamation. A description of the progress of this work is given elsewhere in this report. The new Terminus is expected to become an important centre of communications since it is served by passenger ferries from North Point and Wan Chai, is adjacent to the Kowloon entrance of the Cross Harbour Tunnel, and will be served by buses. It may also, possibly, be served in future by an underground railway line.
3.25 The 32-acre new site will accommodate a Terminus which will be able to handle 13,000 passengers an hour and 5,000 tons of goods a day. The passenger circulating area, waiting rooms, restaurants and railway offices will be built on a podium above the passenger platforms.
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