MONDAY, JULY 10, 1978
DECISION MADE ON FUTURE USE OF VICTORIA BARRACKS
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AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF CONSIDERING THE REPORT OF THE VICTORIA BARRACKS PLANNING COMMITTEE AND OTHER VIEWS ON THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF THE BARRACKS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS TODAY (MONDAY) PUBLISHED PLANNING PROPOSALS ON HOW THE BARRACKS SITE SHOULD BE DEVELOPED AFTER IT IS HANDED BACK BY THE ARMY NEXT MARCH AS PART OF THE DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THE WESTERN HALF OF THE BARRACKS WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR RECREATIONAL AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES WHILE THE EASTERN HALF WILL BE PLANNED FOR PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, WITH ONE GOVERNMENT SITE ON THE QUEENSWAY FRONTAGE.
HE SAID THAT THE RELEASED AREA OF VICTORIA BARRACKS TOTALLED SOME 18 HECTARES, BUT PART OF IT IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER HAD BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE ORIGINAL PLANNING EXERCISE, BECAUSE IT WAS LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THE REALIGNMENT OF KENNEDY ROAD.
THE PLANNING EXERCISE THUS COVERED A TOTAL OF 16.8 HECTARES. OF THIS A TOTAL OF 9.72 HECTARES, MAINLY IN THE WESTERN END OF THE BARRACKS, WOULD BE USED FOR RECREATIONAL AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES.
NO PART OF THIS AREA WOULD BE USED FOR NEW GOVERNMENT OR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND IT WOULD BE ENTIRELY FREE OF TRAFFIC.
THIS AREA IS ABOUT ONE AND A HALF TIMES THE SIZE OF THE ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANIC GARDENS AND ITS USE FOR LEISURE AND RECREATION WOULD RESULT IN THE SURROUNDING DISTRICT BEING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL ENDOWED WITH AMENITY AREAS.
THE AREA IS WELL PROVIDED WITH TREES AND SHADE BUT BECAUSE OF THE HILLY TERRAIN AND THE PRESENCE OF SO MANY EXISTING BUILDINGS AND ROADWAYS, THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE BARRACKS GROUNDS FOR LEISURE PURPOSES WILL NEED TO BE CAREFULLY AND EXPERTLY PLANNED AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS THEREFORE DECIDED TO COMMISSION A SPECIAL CONSULTANTS' STUDY ON HOW IT CAN BE USED TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE, NOT ONLY BY THOSE LIVING AND WORKING IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD BUT ALSO BY PEOPLE FROM OTHER PARTS OF HONG KONG.
THE WAN CHAI END OF THE BARRACKS, WHICH IS ALREADY HEAVILY BUILT-OVER, HAS BEEN RESERVED FOR SALE FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. THE COMMERCIAL SITES WILL ENCIRCLE A PUBLIC SQUARE ENTERED FROM QUEENSWAY.
GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS THE PLANNING COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION THAT TO ENSURE HARMONIOUS ARCHITECTURE THE COMMERCIAL COMPLEX SHOULD PREFERABLY BE BUILT BY A SINGLE DEVELOPER, AND THAT IT SHOULD HAVE PEDESTRIAN LINKS WITH THE ADMIRALTY STATION AREA.
/SOME HILLSIDE