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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1978
TUEN MUN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT TO COST $5.5 BILLION
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REVISED ESTIMATES SHOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL SPEND ABOUT $5.5 BILLION TO DEVELOP TUEN MUN NEW TOWN, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE WAS TOLD TODAY.
THE NEW FIGURE WAS GIVEN DURING ONE OF SIR MURRAY'S
REGULAR VISITS TO TUEN MUN TO SEE THE PROGRESS OF DEVELOPMENT WORKS. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. PETER NG, AND THE P.W.D. PROJECT MANAGER, MR. STANLEY BARDEN.
DURING A BRIEFING SESSION WITH SIR MURRAY, GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS POINTED OUT THAT THE LAST ESTIMATE OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON THE NEW TOWN PROJECT WAS ABOUT $4 BILLION, BUT THE LATEST ESTIMATE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE CHANGING VALUE OF MONEY AND AMENDMENTS TO THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AT TUEN MUN.
THE OUTLINE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, FOR EXAMPLE, NOW ENVISAGES A NEW TOWN AREA OF 1,180 HECTARES WITH AN ULTIMATE POPULATION OF 529,000 PEOPLE.
OTHER POINTS RAISED AT THE BRIEFING WERE:
* ENGINEERING FEASIBILITY STUDIES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR
THE NEW TOWN EXTENSION INTO SIU LAM AND SO KWUN WAT. RESULTS INDICATE THE POSSIBILITY OF OBTAINING ABOUT 40 NET HECTARES OF LAND, FORMED AFTER BORROW OPERATIONS, AND SUFFICIENT TO HOUSE 30,000 PEOPLE IN LOW-RISE DEVELOPMENT.
* APPROXIMATELY 110 HECTARES OF LAND HAVE SO FAR BEEN FORMED
COMPLETE WITH SERVICES SUCH AS WATER, ROADS AND DRAINS
IMMEDIATELY WEST OF THE NULLAH, NEARLY 50 HECTARES ARE FOR INDUSTRIAL USE.
* IN THE MAIN CASTLE PEAK BAY 16 HECTARES HAVE BEEN
MADE AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT EAST OF THE MAIN TUEN MUN ROAD THROUGH THE TOWN.
* TO THE WEST OF THE ROAD LINE, THE RECLAMATION OF SOME
30 HECTARES OF LAND FOR PUBLIC HOUSING, 13 HECTARES FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IS NEARING COMPLETION.
* ANOTHER MAJOR CONTRACT FOR FORMATION OF 22 HECTARES OF
LAND IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE TOWN MAINLY FOR PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOR THE TRAINING OF THE RIVER IS CONTINUING SATISFACTORILY.
* SCHOOLS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES ARE BEING BUILT IN PACE
WITH HOUSING CONSTRUCTION, IN TAI HING, THREE PRIMARY SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED WHILST CONSTRUCTION OF TWO SECONDARY SCHOOLS HAVE REACHED ROOF LEVEL, OTHER FACILITIES SUCH AS A POLICE POST, A FIRE STATION, MARKET AND A LIBRARY HAVE ALSO BEEN COMPLETED IN THE ESTATE.
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