MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1977
$1 BILLION DEVELOPMENT EARMARKED FOR NEW TOWNS
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THE GOVERNMENT IS EXPECTED TO SPEND $1,000 MILLION IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1979/80 ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
DISCLOSING THIS AT THE NEW TERRITORIES ROTARY CLUB THIS EVENING, MR, CHAN NAI-KEONG, P.W.D.'S PROJECT MANAGER (TUEN MUN), SAID THIS SUM DID NOT INCLUDE THE EXPENDITURE OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THE NEW TOWNS,
MR. CHAN SAID THAT SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN AUGUST 1973, THE ANNUAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAD RISEN TO $300 MILLION IN THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR.
+THE APPROVED ESTIMATE FOR THIS YEAR TOTALS $550 MILLION AND THE RATE OF ANNUAL EXPENDITURE IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO $1,000 MILLION IN 1979/80,+ HE SAID.
MR. CHAN SPOKE BRIEFLY ON THE DEVELOPMENT IN EACH OF THE THREE NEW TOWNS SHA TIN, TSUEN WAN AND TUEN MUN,
REFERRING TO SHA TIN, HE SAID, IT WOULD HAVE SOME 550,000 PEOPLE ON COMPLETION OF THE PRESENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.
+HOWEVER, CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO FURTHER EXTEND THE NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT AREA TO ACCOMMODATE AN ADDITIONAL 130,000 PEOPLE,+ HE ADDED.
APART FROM MAJOR SITE FORMATIONS IN PROGRESS IN SHA TIN, HE SAID, MAJOR NEW ROADS AND FLYOVERS WERE BEING BUILT SO THAT THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN GOOD TIME TO SERVE SHA TIN'S NEW POPULATION AS WELL AS THE NEW RACE COURSE.
MR. CHAN SAID: +A CITY HALL TO BE LOCATED AT THE TOWN CENTRE IS NOW UNDER ACTIVE PLANNING.
+THIS IS A PURPOSE-DESIGNED FACILITY TO ACCOMMODATE AN AUDITORIUM SUITABLE FOR CONCERTS AND CHINESE OPERAS TOGETHER WITH ANCILLARY FACILITIES SUCH AS RESTAURANT, OFFICES AND MEETING ROOMS.+
IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, HE SAID, WORK ON TWO LARGE COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT SITES WERE PROCEEDING WELL.
WHEN COMPLETED IN ABOUT TWO YEARS, THEY WOULD PROVIDE HOUSING FOR SOME 64,000 PEOPLE TO COMPLEMENT THE PUBLIC HOUSING POPULATION.
/TURNING TO .............