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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1977
GOVT. PLANNING COMPREHENSIVE FUTURE LAND POLICY
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THE GOVERNMENT IS TAKING POSITIVE, FORWARD LOOKING AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO LAND PRODUCTION POLICY, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
WINDING-UP THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID THAT OUR TRADITIONAL LAND POLICY HAD BEEN PROJECT ORIENTED AND CONSEQUENTLY PIECEMEAL. HE NOTED THAT CIRCUMSTANCES NOW REQUIRED US TO REVERSE THIS POLICY.
+WE SHOULD BEGIN BY ESTABLISHING THE QUANTUM OF OUR LIMITED LAND RESOURCES, AND THEN PLAN HOW AND WHEN THEY SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PRIVATE AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC SECTOR.+
HE REVEALED THAT CONSULTANTS HAVE BEEN BRIEFED TO ESTABLISH THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF LAND THAT COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE BY EXTENDING THE RECLAMATION ALREADY IN HAND AT SHA TIN AN URGENT STUDY WILL BE PUT IN HAND TO ESTABLISH THE AMOUNT OF FORMED LAND THAT COULD BE PRODUCED WITHIN CERTAIN COST RESTRICTIONS.
FROM THIS STUDY WILL BE EXCLUDED LANTAU LAND PRODUCTION INVOLVING EXCESSIVE SOCIAL DISRUPTION THROUGH CLEARANCES HONG KONG ISLAND, SINCE THE POSSIBILITIES OF PRODUCING LAND ADDITIONAL TO THAT REQUIRED FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES ARE SO LIMITED AND AREAS LIKELY TO BE DESIGNATED AS COUNTRY PARKS.
+ONCE WE HAVE THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY WE WILL KNOW HOW MUCH LAND WE CAN PRODUCE WITHOUT TACKLING, AT VERY GREAT EXPENSE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF LANTAU. THIS STUDY SHOULD INDICATE THAT THERE ARE POSSIBILITIES OF FORMING LAND ON A SCALE NOT KNOWN IN HONG KONG IN RECENT YEARS, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID.
BUT, IF AND WHEN THE LAND THUS PRODUCED IS INADEQUATE TO HONG KONG'S NEEDS, THE ONLY REMAINING POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT LIES ON THE NORTH COAST OF LANTAU, WHICH COMBINES COMPARATIVE EASE OF RECLAMATION WITH GOOD ACCESS TO THE HARBOUR, AND WHICH WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION OF PRESERVING SOUTH LANTAU FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES.
+WE HAVE IN MIND A STUDY TO ASCERTAIN HOW MUCH LAND COULD BE PRODUCED BY FORMATION AND RECLAMATION ON THE NORTH COAST OF LANTAU. THIS STUDY WOULD HAVE TO COVER THE FEASIBILITY AND COST OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BRIDGE AS WELL AS THE COST OF ACCOMPANYING ROADS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING THE COST OF SURMOUNTING THE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT BE GENERATED BETWEEN THE POINT AT WHICH THE ROUTE FROM LANTAU REACHES THE MAINLAND AND THE URBAN AREAS OF KOWLOON.
/HE ALREADY