MR TAM SAID TSING YI'S DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE RAPID+, FROM A POPULATION OF 3 450 IN 1971 RISING TO THE PRESENT 50 000, AND TU REACH 20o 300 THE END OF THIS DECADE.
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+ IN A DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SCOPE AND MAGNITUDE, IT IS ESSENTIAL CONSTANTLY TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE WHOLE, HE SAID.
+CIRCUMSTANCES MAY REQUIRE A PROJECT TO BE AMENDED, OR A NEW PROJECT TO BE INCLUDED, OR THE COMPLETION OF A PROJECT TO BE DEFERRED OR ADVANCED.+
ACCORDING TO MR TAM, ABOUT 954 HECTARES OF LAND WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PLAN, OF WHICH 83 HECTARES WOULD HAVE TO BE RECLAIMED FROM THE SEA.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GREATEST CONSIDERATION HAD ALWAYS BEEN GIVEN TO THE PROBLEM OF CLEARANCES WHICH MIGHT OFTEN BE DISTRESSING BUT WHICH WERE INEVITABLE IF DEVELOPMENT WAS TO PROCEED FOR SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE GENERAL COMMUNITY.
FOR ELIGIBLE FAMILIES AFFECTED BY SUCH CLEARANCES, HE SAID PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS AND TEMPORARY HOUSING AREA (THA) ACCOMMODATION HAD BEEN RESERVED. FURTHERMORE, ANOTHER THA WOULD BE COMPLETED AT FUNG SHUE WO NEXT YEAR.
MR TAM WENT ON TO SAY THAT EQUAL CONSIDERATION WOULD ALSO BE GIVEN TO PRESERVING AND EXPANDING TRADITIONAL VALUES.
ABOUT 20 HECTARES OF LAND, MAINLY WOODED SLOPES, WOULD BE PRESERVED FOR PASSIVE RECREATIONAL USE AND AN AREA OF 400 HECTARES IN THE CENTRE OF TSING YI AS A GREEN BELT WHERE ONLY CERTAIN USES APPROPRIATE TO THE RURAL SETTING MIGHT BE PERMITTED ON SELECTED SITES.
IN ADDITION, TRADITIONAL BURIAL GROUNDS FOR TSING YI VILLAGERS AND FARMING ACTIVITIES WOULD BE MAINTAINED. AN AREA FOR MONASTERY HAD ALSO BEEN RESERVED.
ON TRANSPORT MATTERS, HE SAID THE WORK WOULD INCLUDE THE WIDENING OF THE ROAD INTO DUAL CARRIAGEWAY TO SERVE THE INDUSTRIAL AREAS ALONG THE EASTERN, SOUTHERN AND WESTERN COASTS: THE BUILDING OF DISTRIBUTORY ROADS SERVING DEVELOPMENT AREAS: SMALLER RING ROAD WITH ROUNDABOUTS SKIRTING THE NEW TOWN CENTRE: AND A SERIES OF SEGREGATED BRIDGES AND CYCLE WAYS TO PROVIDE CONVENIENT AND SAFE ACCESS TO THE TOWN CENTRE AND ALL RESIDENTIAL AREAS.