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"The second generation of public housing can be said
to have begun when all types of accommodation became self-contained
with their own kitchens, toilets and private balconies. Shops,
market stalls, schools and other community facilities have all been included in the estates built since the beginning of the decade,
although the former Housing Authority estates, such as Wah Fu
and Ping Shek, were already built as self-contained townships in
the mid-sixties.
"As for the provision of community facilities, we have
certainly come a long way and we can confidently say that all
new self-contained housing will be in a decent environment with
facilities catering for the daily needs of the people. Not only
are air-conditioned shopping complexes with restaurants, banks,
supermarkets and market stalls plus car parking standard features
of these new estates, but both primary and secondary schools are
being built as part of the contract to ensure that school places
are available at the same time as the flats are occupied. All
necessary welfare facilities as well as recreational areas are
to be found on these estates.
"The land necessary to do this has already been earmarked
and site formation work is progressing, recruitment is continuing to bring the necessary design and construction staff to full
strength and, with the recession behind us, we should, metaphorically
speaking, be getting up to cruising speed, provided we continue
to obtain the necessary support from all concerned.
"Now that the No Smoking' sign is off, it may be useful to cast our minds on how 60 per cent of the projected population,
are going to live in public housing estates when our target is
reached.
"Over two million people will certainly be living in the existing or currently built estates with the majority in flats allocated at 35 sq. ft. per person.
"For the remainder, a range of 'third generation'
accommodation will be provided, offering a variety of facilities,
such as one would expect to find in a 'town' and these are what
our estates virtually are elsewhere in the developed world.
Housing standards in this third generation accommodation
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will
/4.