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Wednesday, March 27, 1974
REVISED PLAN FOR DEVELOPING MURRAY HOUSE SITE
A revised plan for the development of a large car park, government
offices and the new Supreme Court on the present site of Murray House,
is expected to be submitted shortly to the Public Works Sub-Committee.
The Secretary for the Environment, the Hon. James Robson today
told Legislative Council that for the development of the complex, Murray
House must "either be incorporated in the design of the proposed complex,
dismantled and re-erected elsewhere, or demolished."
He was replying to a question from the Hon. Woo Pak-chuen on
whether government has any plans for the future of Murray House.
Mr. Robson explained that due to the attractive form and details
of the building, considerable thought had been given to its preservation,
"If the building is to be preserved', he said, "the sensible
course of action would be to dismantle and re-establish it with suitable
reinforcement on another site."
But the cost involved in the rebuilding process would amount to
some $6.5 million, and any reasonable central site capable of accommodating
Murray House would have a value of at least $40 to $50 million.
With regard to an open space site, the Secretary for the
Environment said "the Urban Council has advised Government that it
should not support such a proposal as it would mean alienating open space
already in short supply in the. urban area."
/In addition, ................