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MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1977
CONTRACT FOR NEW BRITISH FORCES HEADQUARTERS SIGNED
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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WILL BEGIN WORK IN A FEW DAYS ON THE NEW $60 MILLION-PLUS BRITISH FORCES HEADQUARTERS AT H.M.S. TAMAR - ONE OF THE MAJOR ITEMS IN A $174 MILLION BUILDING PROGRAMME TO REHOUSE VARIOUS MILITARY UNITS.
THE MAIN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, WORTH NEARLY $41 MILLION, HAS BEEN AWARDED TO A LOCAL FIRM, TECHNIC CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD.
IT WAS FORMALLY SIGNED IN THE P.W.D. HEADQUARTERS TODAY AND WITNESSED BY THE P.W.D.'S DIRECTOR OF BUILDING DEVELOPMENT, MR. JACK STEAN, WHOSE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLANNING, DESIGN AND BUILDING OF THE NEW ARMY AND AIR FORCE FACILITIES.
A GOVERNMENT ARCHITECT, MR. W.T. MOK OF THE P.W.D.'S ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE SIGNED ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT. ATTENDING THE SIGNING CEREMONY WERE COMMANDER J.L.B. LARK INS OF THE ROYAL NAVY LT. COL. D.W. EKING, ASSISTANT QUARTER MASTER GENERAL, AND MR. D.R. RUSSELL-CROUCHER, DIRECTOR OF PROPERTY SERVICES AGENCY.
MR. STEAN SAID MOST OF THE FOUNDATION WORKS FOR THE NEW HEADQUARTERS HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND WORK ON THE SUPER-STRUCTURE WOULD BEGIN SHORTLY.
+THE BUILDING WORKS WILL TAKE ABOUT 21 MONTHS TO COMPLETE AND THE COMPLEX SHOULD BE READY TOWARDS THE END OF 1978, WELL BEFORE THE TIME THE SERVICES ARE DUE TO VACATE VICTORIA BARRACKS,+ HE SAID.
HE SAID THE NEW HEADQUARTERS WOULD TAKE THE FORM OF A 22-STOREY TOWER OVER A FIVE-STOREY PODIUM ON THE WEST SIDE OF H.M.S. TAMAR.
THE PODIUM WOULD COVER AN AREA OF ABOUT 3,800 SQUARE METRES AND WOULD PROVIDE SPACE FOR CARPARKS, A CHAPEL, THREE SQUASH COURTS, A GYMNAS FUM, A SHOOTING RANGE, STOREROOMS AND SOME OFFICES.
THE TOWER BLOCK WOULD MAINLY CONTAIN OFFICES ON THE LOWER FLOORS WHILE THE UPPER FLOORS WOULD BE TAKEN UP BY MESSES, SINGLE LIVING ACCOMMODATION AND RECREATIONAL AND OTHER FACILITIES.
THE NEW HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IS THE BIGGEST SINGLE ITEM IN THE $174 MILLION BUILDING PROGRAMME FOR THE REPROVISIONING OF MILITARY UNITS NOW BASED AT VICTORIA BARRACKS AND R.A.F. KAI TAK.
MR. STEAN SAID THE PROGRAMME HAD BEEN PREPARED ALONG A TIGHT SCHEDULE AIMED AT HAVING THE NEW SERVICE FACILITIES READY IN TIME FOR ABOUT 65 HECTARES OF MILITARY LAND TO BE HANDED BACK TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN KEEPING WITH THE DEFENCE COST AGREEMENT.
UNDER THE AGREEMENT, THE 48.5-HECTARE KA! TAK SITE IS DUE TO BE RETURNED TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BY MARCH 31, 1978 AND THE VICTORIA BARRACKS SITE OF 16.5 HECTARES BY MARCH 31, 1979.
MR. STEAN SAID WORK WAS PROGRESSING ON A WIDE FRONT ON OTHER PROJECTS IN THE REPROVISIONING PROGRAMME AND MORE CONTRACTS WOULD BE AWARDED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
+VIRTUALLY ALL THE MAJOR CONTRACTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN LET AND WORK IS PROGRESSING ON SCHEDULE, HE SAID.
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