WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1981
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DEVELOPMENT ON THE SITE WILL FORM THE CORE OF THE TOWN CENTRE, EXPECTED TO BECOME THE REGIONAL SHOPPING AND CULTURAL CENTRE FOR THE EASTERN PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.
IT CARRIES A BUILDING COVENANT OF $163 MILLION TO BE FULFILLED WITHIN FOUR YEARS.
INCLUDED IN THE COMMERCIAL COMPLEX AREA WILL BE A BUS STATION FOR INTERNAL CITY ROUTES. ADJACENT TO THE RAILWAY STATION WILL BE A FURTHER BUS STATION FOR EXTERNAL SERVICES.
THERE WILL ALSO BE TWO 800-SEAT CINEMAS.
THE COMPLEX WILL BE AT THE HUB OF THE TRANSPORT INTERCHANGE IN SHA TIN, LINKED ON TWO LEVELS TO THE RAILWAY STATION, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER RE-CONSTRUCTION.
MORE THAN 400 000 PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO PASS THROUGH THE TRANSPORT INTERCHANGE EACH DAY BY THE END OF THE DECADE WHEN THE NEW TOWN'S POPULATION IS PROJECTED TO REACH 750 000.
THE COMMERCIAL COMPLEX WILL BE THE SECOND OF FOUR PHASES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TOWN CENTRE FOR SHA TIN,
PHASES AND IT WILL BE MAINLY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, PROVIDING HOMES FOR 40 000 TO 50 000 PEOPLE.
PHASE IV WILL INCLUDE OFFICE BLOCKS, A MAGISTRACY, A CULTURAL COMPLEX AND A TOWN PARK FRONTING SHING MUN RIVER.
THE GROSS COMMERCIAL FLOOR AREA OF THE COMPLEX WILL BE 90 655 SQUARE METRES.
COMMUNITY BUILDING VITAL IN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT
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THE PROBLEMS OF DEVELOPING A NEW TOWN CANNOT BE OVERCOME MERELY BY BUILDING SOCIAL FACILITIES: HUMAN CONTACTS AND WIDESPREAD LIAISON WORK ARE OBVIOUSLY OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE.
THIS WAS SAID TODAY BY THE DISTRICT OFFICER SHA TIN, DR PATRICK
HASE, AT A MEETING OF SHA TIN ROTARY CLUB.
DR HASE SAID A HAPPY LIFE REQUIRED, OF COURSE, HEALTHY AND
DECENT PHYSICAL SURROUNDINGS.
BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT REQUIRED A SUITABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR A SATISFYING FAMILY LIFE, AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH FRIENDSHIPS COULD FLOURISH AND IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS COULD RELATE TO A SMOOTHLY RUNNING AND POSITIVE COMMUNITY.
IT REQUIRED ALSO THE CAPACITY TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO FULFIL THE IR SPIRITUAL AND MENTAL NEEDS.
IN SHORT