WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1984
THE SCHEME WILL ACCOMMODATE SOME 136 000 PERSONS UPON COMPLETION OF REDEVELOPMENT. A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THE EXISTING POPULATION WILL BE REHOUSED IN THE SAME ESTATE. THIS MEANS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE NEW FLATS WILL BE USED AS RECEPTION ACCOMMODATION. HOWEVER, SOME 10 TO 15 PER CENT COULD BE DEVELOPED FOR HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME IN LINE WITH THE LATEST POLICIES TO ENCOURAGE HOME OWNERSHIP AND TO PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY. NO MAJOR NEW COMMERCIAL CENTRES ARE PROPOSED FOR THE FOUR ESTATES, AS THEY WILL BE WELL SERVED BY THE DISTRICT SHOPPING CENTRES AT LOK FU/WANG TAU HOM AND THE LOWER WONG TAI SIN.
IN THIS MAMMOTH REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, THE PROBLEMS OF RELOCATION OF THE RESIDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN NEGLECTED. EXISTING TENANTS OF THE ESTATES INVOLVED ARE BEING GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE TO ESTATES OF THEIR OWN LIKING AND AMPLE TIME IS ALLOWED FOR THE MOVE TO TAKE PLACE IN ORDER THAT AS LITTLE INCONVENIENCE AS POSSIBLE WOULD BE CAUSED. THE PROBLEMS OF DISPLACEMENTS OF SHOPS, MARKET STALLS AND OTHER FACILITIES ARE ALSO CAREFULLY PLANNED AND CO-ORDINATED.
FOLLOWING DETAILED DISCUSSION WITH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, A NUMBER OF NEW COMMUNITY FACILITIES WILL BE PROVIDED WITHIN THE FOUR ESTATES WHICH INCLUDE AN AREA CENTRE, NURSERIES, AND CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES.
ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION NEEDS HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY STUDIED BY CONSULTANTS. TO LINK THE ESTATES INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, SAFER AND MORE CONVENIENT TRANSPORT AND PEDESTRIAN NETWORKS HAVE BEEN PLANNED WITH MORE OPEN SPACES TO BE PROVIDED TO FORM AN ATTRACTIVE SYSTEM OF LINKED PARKS AND LANDSCAPED WALKWAYS.
THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS AGREED THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT SHOULD TAKE OVER ALL THE PLAYGROUNDS NOW UNDER URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT CONTROL INCLUDING THE DISTRICT OPEN SPACE IN WANG TAU HOM IN EXCHANGE FOR 2.8 HECTARES OF DISTRICT OPEN SPACE IN LOK FU.
MR FORD RECALLED THAT REDEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF OLDER ESTATES WAS INITIATED IN 1972. EARLIER IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE IN THE FORM OF INSITU-CONVERSIONS OF THE OLD BLOCKS TO RELIEVE OVERCROWD ING. AND LATER, NEW 'PUMP-PRIMING' HOUSING BLOCKS WERE BUILT TO PROVIDE RECEPTION ACCOMMODATION WITHIN THE DISTRICT. THE POPULATION OF THE FOUR ESTATES HAS STEADILY REDUCED FROM 262 000 IN 1967 TO THE CURRENT FIGURE OF 137 000.
HE SAID THE PRESENT PLANS ALLOW FOR THE REHOUSING OF 136 000 PEOPLE TO MODERN STANDARDS AND PROVIDE A FAR MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND PRACTICAL APPROACH FOR IMPLEMENTATION MORE RAPIDLY.
/hr FORD