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FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1981
MTR ISLAND LINE AREA PLAN AVAILABLE
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THE MTR ISLAND LINE RAILWAY AREA PLAN FOR THE SECTION BETWEEN WESTERN MARKET AND VICTORIA PARK (THE ROUTE OF WHICH GENERALLY FOLLOWS DES VOEUX ROAD CENTRAL, QUEENSWAY AND HENNESSY ROAD) IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION.
COPIES OF THE PLAN MAY BE SEEN DURING OFFICE HOURS AT THE ENQUIRY SUB-OFF ICE, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, WEST WING, GROUND FLOOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, 19TH FLOOR, MURRAY BUILDING, OR AT ANY CITY DISTRICT OFFICE.
THE PLAN HAS BEEN DEPOSITED IN THE LAND OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISION OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND RESUMPTION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE.
IT SHOWS THE AREAS IN WHICH LAND MAY BE RESUMED OR EASEMENTS CREATED FOR BUILDING AND RUNNING THE RAILWAY, AND THE PROPERTIES WHICH MAY BE AFFECTED. UNDER THE ORDINANCE, OWNERS OF LAND AND PROPERTY ACTUALLY AFFECTED BY THE RAILWAY MAY CLAIM COMPENSATION,
THE ISLAND LINE PROPOSAL, RUNNING INITIALLY FROM WESTERN MARKET TO CHAI WAN, HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MASS TRANS IT RAILWAY CORPORATION. THE UNDERGROUND SECTION OF THE RAILWAY WILL MOSTLY BE BUILT IN BORED TUNNEL, WITH STATION CONCOURSES LOCATED IN ADJACENT DEVELOPMENT SITES. THIS WILL MINIMISE DISRUPTION OF THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES DURING CONSTRUCTION.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID: THE ALIGNMENT OF THE RAILWAY AND THE LOCATION OF BUILDINGS CONNECTED WITH IT HAVE BEEN CHOSEN WITH GREAT CARE, AS WAS THE CASE WITH THE MODIFIED INITIAL SYSTEM AND THE TSUEN WAN EXTENSION, SO THAT THE EFFECT ON PROPERTY IS LIMITED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE+.
IT IS THE INTENTION THAT, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, THE OWNERS OF AFFECTED PROPERTIES WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO REDEVELOP THEIR PROPERTIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MTR CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME, SO THAT NOT ALL THE AFFECTED SITES WILL NEED TO BE RESUMED.
HOUSEHOLDERS OF PROPERTIES WHICH ARE REQUIRED FOR RAILWAY PURPOSES WILL, WHERE ELIGIBLE, BE OFFERED ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
THE ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS GIVING THE GOVERNOR THE POWER TO ORDER RESUMPTIONS OR EASEMENTS, EMPOWERS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO REQUIRE THE OWNER OF ANY BUILDING IN THE RAILWAY AREA TO REMOVE ANY OBJECT OR STRUCTURE WHICH IS ATTACHED TO, OR PROJECTS FROM, THE BUILDING IF HE CONSIDERS ITS REMOVAL NECESSARY.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILWAY DOES NOT MEAN THAT REDEVELOPMENT OF SITES ADJACENT TO THE RAILWAY AREA WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE +FROZEN+. IN ALL BUT A FEW CASES, REDEVELOPMENT CAN BE PERMITTED, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS,
HOWEVER, AS A SAFEGUARD AGAINST POSSIBLE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE RAILWAY WORKS AND PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THROUGH THE BUILDING AUTHORITY, HAS THE POWER TO REFUSE APPROVAL TO BUILDING PLANS IF HE CONSIDERS THEY ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILWAY.
/OWNERS MAY