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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1979
PRINCE CHARLES VISITS SHA TIN ON MARCH 4
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HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE CHARLES, ON HIS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO HONG KONG EARLY NEXT MONTH, WILL BEGIN A SERIES OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS ON MARCH 4 BY TOURING SHA TIN.
ACCOMPANIED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, PRINCE CHARLES WILL ARRIVE AT A LOOKOUT POINT AT SIU LEK YUEN.
ON ARRIVAL HE WILL BE GREETED BY MR. JOHN DON, DIRECTOR OF NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT, MR. GERRY HIGGINSON, SHA TIN DISTRICT OFFICER, AND MR. FONG CHUN-NAM, SHA TIN PROJECT MANAGER.
FROM THERE, THE PRINCE WILL HAVE A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE AREA WHILE MR. FONG WILL BRIEF HIM ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN SHA TIN.
THE POPULATION OF SHA TIN AT PRESENT IS 48,000, BUT THE FIGURE IS PROJECTED TO REACH 550,000 BY 1986, WITH ABOUT 60 PER CENT LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING.
THERE ARE SEVERAL SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS IN THE AREA, NOTABLY THE NEW RACE COURSE AND THE CLOSENESS TO BOTH URBAN AREAS AND SOME FINE COUNTRY PARKS.
THE SHA TIN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. GERRY HIGGINSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THE FOCAL POINT OF THE WHOLE SHA TIN DEVELOPMENT IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TOWN CENTRE OCCUPYING A SITE OF 22 HECTARES BORDERED BY RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND THE RIVERSIDE PARK.
+ IT WILL INCLUDE A MAJOR REGIONAL SHOPPING COMPLEX WITH MAJOR DEPARTMENT STORES AND OTHER SHOPS CLOSELY LINKED TO THE TOWN HALL AND THE RAILWAY STATION, HE SAID.
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OVER THE SHOPPING AREAS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SCHEME, AND TOWER BLOCKS FOR SOME 40,000 PEOPLE ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
OFFICE ACCOMMODATION WILL INITIALLY BE PROVIDED IN A 10-STOREY BLOCK ADJACENT TO THE RAILWAY STATION, BUT SITES HAVE BEEN RESERVED FOR ADDITIONAL BLOCKS NEXT TO THE COMMERCIAL CENTRE.
THE TOWN HALL WILL INCLUDE A 1,500 SEAT AUDITORIUM -- CONCERT HALL, A RESTAURANT, LIBRARY AND REHEARSAL ROOMS UNDER GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT.
MR. HIGGINSON POINTED OUT COMMUNICATIONS WOULD BE IMPROVED BY THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY BY 1981 WITH A HIGH FREQUENCY SERVICE TO KOWLOON AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THREE NEW STATIONS AT TAI WAI, THE TOWN CENTRE AND FO TAN.
A JITS