HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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MINUTES.
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 4th August, 1964 were confirmed.
PAPERS.
THE CHAIRMAN laid upon the table the following paper:-
Report on the work of the Urban Council and Urban Services Department for the month of August 1964.
QUESTIONS.
(1) MR. LI YIU-BOR asked the following question:-
In view of the high density in resettlement housing, will the Chairman inform this Council
(a) whether adequate provision is made for open space in the new estates to serve as lungs for these areas; and
(b) whether or not the Urban Amenities Select Committee has been consulted in this matter?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:—
As regards the first part of the question, provision for public open space is included in the planning of all resettlement estates. The proportion of land so set aside has varied from estate to estate depending upon such factors as the nature of the site and population density, but generally the aim has been to achieve a figure of about 10 per cent of each estate area in areas of new development where this percentage can be achieved. Planning of estate layouts also attempts to give the population of the estate the maximum benefit possible from the strategic siting of the open space, so far as physical and other planning considerations allow. To illustrate how this has worked out in practice, within the areas of 10 completed resettlement estates in the urban areas which cover a total of 205 acres there are 28 areas of public pleasure grounds covering just under 27 acres, representing about 13 per cent of the total area. These areas together will provide 8 mini soccer pitches, 40 ball games pitches, 16 children's playgrounds and 7 rest gardens.
Whether these estates can be said to be adequately provided with such facilities, is a matter of opinion, but the open space covered by the figures quoted includes only that which is actually within the estate areas. There are other areas not within estates but sufficiently close by to be reasonably considered as providing amenities or lungs for the estates concerned. Examples of these are the 5.3 acre Choi Hung Road Children's Playground next to Wong Tai Sin Estate and the 2.2 acre Po On Road Playground near Li Cheng Uk Estate. In addition there will be for future development the 11.5 acre Kwun Tong recreational ground between the estate there and the main road and also the 44.7 acre Ta Ku Ling Park in the middle of the resettlement area comprising Wong Tai Sin, Tung Tau, Lo Fu Ngam and Wong Tau Hom estates. On the second part of the question, the Urban Amenities Select Committee has not, I believe, been specifically consulted on open space standards within resettlement estates, although it is kept informed of open space reservation in these estates by papers and reports on amenity planning zones and as individual projects are planned and implemented in detail. The question of open space standards in resettlement estates is only part of the wider question of such standards throughout the Colony which is the subject of a later question at this meeting. When the general subject is discussed in the Urban Amenities Select Committee, consideration of requirements in resettlement estates will, I am sure, be included.
MR. LI: Mr. Chairman, may I ask a supplementary question? In view of the large number of children in resettlement estates, do you consider that 16 children's playgrounds are sufficient for their needs?
CHAIRMAN: Sir, I did say in the reply that whether these facilities were provided in adequate number was a matter of opinion. I believe that it is considered to be the best that can be done in present circumstances.
MR. LI: Thank you.
(2) MR. LI YIU-BOR asked the following question:-
On my visits to resettlement estates I have found that trees are conspicuous by their absence. Will the Chairman inform this Council whether in the projected tree-planting programme, resettlement estates are included?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
The answer to the question is "Yes". Plans are in hand to carry out new and replacement planting as part of the Council's tree planting programme.
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