TUESDAY, MAY 10, 1977
5
DEVELOPMENT OF TAI O
****
THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WILL START THE FIRST STAGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF TAI O ON LANTAU ISLAND AS A RURAL TOWNSHIP THIS MONTH WITH THE COMMENCEMENT OF A LAND FORMATION PROGRAMME ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE EXISTING VILLAGE.
THE DEVELOPMENT IS PART OF AN AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME TO PROVIDE BETTER HOMES AND FACILITIES FOR NEARLY 350,000 PEOPLE IN THE RURAL AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND ON OUTLYING ISLANDS.
THE P.W.D.'S ACTING GOVERNMENT ENGINEER (NEW TERRITORIES), MR. KENNETH KWOK, SAID TODAY THAT AS WITH THE NEW TOWNS, THE AIM IN THE RURAL AREAS IS TO PROVIDE BALANCED DEVELOPMENT WITH ALL THE BASIC FACILITIES AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES, ONLY ON A SMALLER SCALE.+
+THIS MEANS THE PROVISION OF SCHOOLS AND CLINICS. COMMUNITY HALLS AND SHOPPING CENTRES AS WELL AS HOUSING,+
THE P.W.D.'S NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS CO-ORDINATING THE PROGRAMME, TODAY LET A $3.5 MILLION CONTRACT FOR SITE FORMATION, ROADS AND DRAINAGE IN TAI O TO WING FAT CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.
MR. KWOK SAID THE WORKS INVOLVE THE FORMATION OF ABOUT SIX HECTARES OF LAND, CONSTRUCTION OF HALF A KILOMETRE OF ROAD, AND ABOUT TWO KILOMETRES OF STORMWATER AND FOUL WATER DRAINS.
+F ILL MATERIAL WILL BE USED TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF WATERLOGGED LOW-LYING LAND AROUND THE EXISTING VILLAGE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TAI O CREEK.+
+SITES WILL BE PROVIDED ON ABOUT HALF THE AREA FOR VILLAGE AND RURAL PUBLIC HOUSING TO REHOUSE 3,000 PEOPLE NOW LIVING IN SUB-STANDARD ACCOMMODATION IN TAI 0,+ MR. KWOK SAID.
+THE REST OF THE AREA WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR WORKSHOPS, A VILLAGE HALL, KINDERGARTEN, MARKET, POLICE POST AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES.+
THE WORK IS EXPECTED TO TAKE ABOUT 12 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
16