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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1985
DEMAND FOR FLATS PICKING UP - CS
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THERE ARE NOW FIRM INDICATIONS THAT DEMAND FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE FLATS IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS IS PICKING UP, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
HE WAS SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY IN WHICH HE UNVEILED A PLAQUE TO OFFICIALLY OPEN SIU HONG COURT IN TUEN MUN, THE LARGEST HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME SO FAR DEVELOPED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
SIR PHILIP SAID HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THIS TREND WOULD CONTINUE AS THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE HAD REMOVED THE POLITICAL UNCERTAINTIES OF THE PAST TWO YEARS.
+SO, AS THE PROPERTY MARKET HAS BEGUN TO RECOVER, HONG KONG RESIDENTS HAVE REASSESSED THE WISDOM OF INVESTMENT IN HOME PURCHASE.+
SIR PHILIP SAID THE IDEA OF A HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME WAS FIRST EXPLORED A MERE NINE YEARS AGO, AND SO FAR 45 000 FAMILIES FROM BOTH PUBLIC HOUSING AND PRIVATE HOUSING HAD DIRECTLY BENEFITED FROM THE SCHEME.
+ A FURTHER 17 000 FAMILIES HAVE BENEFITED INDIRECTLY, THAT IS TO SAY, BY THE RELEASE OF RENTAL HOUSING FLATS BY PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS WHO CHOSE TO UPGRADE THEIR ACCOMMODATION BY MOVING INTO HOME OWNERSHIP FLATS.+
THE CHIEF SECRETARY DESCRIBED SIU HONG COURT AS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S VISION OF HOW BEST TO SATISFY MODERN DAY ASPIRATIONS.
+THIS SELF-CONTAINED COMMUNITY HAS 20 DOMESTIC BLOCKS WITH HOMES FOR OVER 4 500 FAMILIES, A MODERN COMMERCIAL CENTRE, A SECONDARY SCHOOL AND A PRIMARY SCHOOL, A KINDERGARTEN AND A NURSERY.+
THERE ARE ALSO COVERED PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS AND RECREATION AL FACILITIES TO CATER FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, AS WELL AS BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPED GARDENS, HE ADDED.
+IN ADDITION, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WILL PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT DURING THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO ENSURE THAT ALL THESE FACILITIES ARE KEPT IN THE BEST POSSIBLE CONDITION,
+THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME HAS THUS BECOME A PACE-SETTER IN HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL COMPLEXES AND MANY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS NOW FOLLOW THE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO DESIGN PIONEERED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.+
/SIR PHILIP