FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1978
THE RESUMPTION OF THE FIRST TWO PHASES WAS ANNOUNCED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY AND PLANS CAN BE SEEN AT THE TSUEN WAN DISTRICT OFFICE, IN ADDITION FOUR TENEMENT BLOCKS AND A SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THE AREA ARE TO BE RESUMED UNDER THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE - KNOWN AS THE MTR ORDINANCE. THIS WILL BE DONE BECAUSE THE BLOCKS WOULD NOT OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE NORTH TSUEN WAN DEVELOPMENT AS PREVIOUSLY PLANNED.
THE SPOKESMAN DESCRIBED THE DEVELOPMENT AS THE BIGGEST SINGLE PROJECT UNDERTAKEN IN THE TSUEN WAN NEW TOWN.
+OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE PROGRAMME WILL GIVE A COMPLETELY NEW LOOK TO AN AREA THAT IS NOW STUDDED WITH THOUSANDS OF OFTEN SUBSTANDARD AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SQUATTER STRUCTURES WHICH SPRANG UP IN THE EARLY POST-WAR YEARS,+ HE SAID.
+THE MTR EXTENSION TO TSUEN WAN IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BY THE END OF 1982, BY WHICH TIME MANY OF THE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ARE EXPECTED TO BE WELL ADVANCED.+
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT TWO HISTORICAL LANDMARKS IN THE AREA WOULD BE PRESERVED AND INCORPORATED AS IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
+THE ORIGINAL PART OF THE SAM TUNG UK VILLAGE, WHICH WAS BUILT IN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY, WILL BE RETAINED AND RENOVATED, POSSIBLY USED AS HOMES FOR OLD PEOPLE OR A MUSEUM. ITS PRESENT INHABITANTS ARE BEING MOVED TO NEW HOMES UNDER THE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.
+ THE EARLY 18TH CENTURY TIN HAU TEMPLE IN THE AREA WILL ALSO BE KEPT AND RESTORED AND MADE A FEATURE OF AN OPEN SPACE AMENITY,+
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT ABOUT 12,000 PEOPLE WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE RESUMPTION FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILWAY IN NORTH TSUEN WAN.
HE EMPHASISED THAT NO ONE WOULD BE LEFT HOMELESS BY THE DEVELOPMENT. ALL FAMILIES ELIGIBLE WOULD BE OFFERED PUBLIC HOUSING IN TSUEN WAN DISTRICT AND THOSE WHO ARE INELIGIBLE WOULD BE OFFERED ACCOMMODATION IN TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PAY A WIDE VARIETY OF STATUTORY AND EX-GRATIA COMPENSATION.
A NUMBER OF OLD VILLAGES WOULD BE AFFECTED. +BUT SITES HAVE ALREADY BEEN RESERVED IN THE LOCALITY TO BUILD NEW VILLAGE HOUSES PROVIDING COMFORTABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR THOSE AFFECTED, HE SAID, +AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL MEET THE COST OF BUILDING THEM. +
HE ADDED THAT THE CLEARANCE OF THE AREA WOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN SIX STAGES, THE FIRST AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THIS YEAR AND THE LAST EARLY IN 1980.
/IN ORDER TO