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MR. LOBO:-The Markets Select Committee will certainly be happy to look into it, but we would like to wait until the policy on hawkers has been set.
MR. BERNACCHI:-Perhaps the policy in this particular matter depends very much upon whether it is, or is not, practical to sell fish and meat from mini-stalls.
(11) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:
(a) Is the Chairman able to tell this Council whether the Government has ever considered setting aside the plot of land presently used as an open-air car park at Middle Road, for development as public open space similar to Statue Square?
(b) If not, is the Chairman prepared to press the Government to do so?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:
In answering this question from Mr. SALES, which enquires if Government has ever considered reserving, for development as open space similar to Statue Square, the site in Middle Road now used as an open-air car park, I would like to recall to mind the objections raised some three years ago by this Council to the Tsim Sha Tsui Outline-Use Zoning Plan.
Those of you who were Members at that time, will remember appointing Dr. BELL and Mr. Wilson WANG as delegates to elaborate Council's objections before the Town Planning Board. In the notes concerning the relevant Board meeting, there are references to the Council's delegates having suggested the development of the area in question as a "piazza" to improve the appearance of this part of Tsim Sha Tsui. This suggestion did in fact arise from a similar recommendation made by Mr. SALES himself at an earlier meeting of the Recreation and Amenities Select Committee.
The Town Planning Board subsequently met to consider all formal objections to the Plan and responded to a number of these objections by proposing substantial amendments to the Plan. Dr. BELL's and Mr. WANG's suggestion, however, appears to have received no support.
The amendments proposed by the Board did not envisage any change in the status of the present car park site which was zoned for commercial/residential development, but did allow for a greater area of open space to the south of Salisbury Road and for more open space to the east of Chatham Road.
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The Standing Committee of the Whole Council at a meeting held on 21st June, 1966, considered these amendments and agreed that, subject to the Town Planning Board formally recommending them, the Urban Council would withdraw its objections. I should perhaps add that this Council subsequently sought an alteration to the plan in respect of the Whitfield Barracks' site: this resulted, as Members are aware, in the allocation for development as public open space, of a larger and much more attractive part of the site than had originally been considered. The proposed Plan, suitably amended, went forward and was eventually approved by the Governor in Council on 7th November, 1967.
I have confirmed, then, that the Town Planning Board did consider at some length a proposal for open space on the car park site and, insofar as Government relies for advice from the Board on all aspects of town planning, the answer to the first part of Mr. SALES' question, is a qualified "yes". And, although statutory plans may be revised if the Governor in Council so directs, I should, in answer to the second part of the question, be reluctant at this stage to press for any revision of the Tsim Sha Tsui plan to take care of the matter now raised.
However, should Government's plans for the disposal of this site not come to fruition, then I would be prepared to ask if reconsideration could be given to this particular matter.
MR. SALES-Sir, as circumstances have changed since the Council lodged its objections three years ago, would you be prepared, if the relevant Select Committee were to ask you to do so, to make fresh representations on behalf of the Council?
CHAIRMAN: -Yes, Mr. SALES.
MR. SALES: ---Would you then, Sir, be prepared to make such fresh representations, as I am sure the Select Committee will so direct you?
MR. BERNACCHI:-May I make a personal statement again? I think that this Council should be wary of going back on the definite decision that they took in regard to this matter. We did withdraw our objections and it is now being proposed, Mr. Chairman, by Mr. SALES,
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