Thursday, April 8, 1976
4
DEMOLITION NOTICES SERVED ON SHA TIN MARKET BUSINESSES
Demolition notices have been served on the operators of 28 shops
and restaurants and 14 wall stalls in Sha Tin market.
The notices were issued yesterday (Wednesday) by staff of the
Housing Department.
The businesses are to be cleared in June to make way for the
widening of Tai Po Road to improve communications between Sha Tin and Tai Po.
The notices said that, as the businesses were occupying an area
scheduled for clearance by June 16, the operators were to demolish the
structures they were at present occupying and vacate the site before this
date.
The shop owners were offered the opportunity to take part in a
restricted tender on March 30 for shops in the commercial complex of the
Lek Yuen Housing Estate, Sha Tin, but none turned up to participate.
"
In a letter dated yesterday (Wednesday) to the shopkeepers from
the District Office, regret was expressed at their failure to tender for the
estate shops. The letter added: "It is assumed that you will be making your
own arrangements to continue your business elsewhere. It also pointed out
that there was no question of postponing the clearance, stating: "The Tai Po
Road improvement contract commenced on March 1, 1976 and the Government is
obliged under the terms of the contract to hand over vacant possession of
the piece of land which you are now occupying in June 1976."
It said that the clearance date had now been set and appropriate
action would be taken to obtain vacant possession of the site. Operators
were requested to co-operate by vacating the area before this date. Part
of the land occupied by the shops was resumed by the Government some years
ago; the remaining portion reverts to the Crown later this month.
/A spokesman