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THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1977
SIR DENYS ROBERTS JOINS COMMUTERS FOR TSUEN WAN TOUR
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THE 2.15 P.M. HOVERFERRY FROM CENTRAL TO TSUEN WAN CARRIED A DISTINGUISHED COMMUTER TODAY - THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DENYS ROBERTS.
SIR DENYS, ACCOMPANIED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, JOINED THE REGULAR PASSENGERS ON THE 15-MINUTE RUN TO START AN OFFICIAL INSPECTION TOUR OF THE NEW TOWN.
THEY WERE JOINED ON ARRIVAL BY THE TSUEN WAN TOWN MANAGER, MR. JAMES HAYES, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PWD NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, MR. J.R. WHITTAKER, AND THE PWD PROJECT MANAGER IN TSUEN WAN, MR. EDDIE SHORT.
THE OFFICIAL PARTY THEN SPENT THE NEXT TWO HOURS SEEING THE PROGRESS AND DISCUSSING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF HONG KONG'S FASTEST GROWING NEW TOWN, AND LOOKING OVER SOME OF THE WORK THAT WILL COST THE GOVERNMENT MORE THAN $200 MILLION NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR.
SIR DENYS WAS TOLD THAT MORE THAN 100,000 NEWCOMERS HAD ARRIVED TO LIVE IN THE TOWN IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, PUSHING THE POPULATION UP TO 500,000.
PART OF THE TOUR TOOK SIR DENYS TO SHING ON DEVELOPMENT AREA, WHICH TOGETHER WITH THE CHEUNG SHAN ESTATE TO ITS NORTH, WILL EVENTUALLY PROVIDE PUBLIC HOUSING FOR 45,000 PEOPLE AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $164 MILLION.
SIR DENYS ALSO VISITED THE SITE WHERE THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO GRANT 3.5 HECTARES OF LAND TO THE CHINESE CIVIL SERVANTS ASSOCIATION LATER THIS YEAR FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HOUSING COMPLEX.
THE TOUR ALSO TOOK IN THE GOLDHILL - SITE OF ONE OF THE LARGEST PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS IN TSUEN WAN.
MR. HAYES EXPLAINED THAT THE FIRST UNITS ARE EXPECTED TO BE OF ABOUT 400 SQUARE FEET AND SELL AT THE CURRENT MARKET COST OF FROM $90,000 UPWARDS.
THE TWO LOTS TOTAL ABOUT FIVE HECTARES WHICH HAVE BEEN EARMARKED FOR PRIVATE HOUSING ESTATES FOR MORE THAN 30,000 PEOPLE.
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