CO129-560-2 Air Ministry- requirements of land at Kai Tak Aerodromes 8-1-1937 - 5-2-1938 — Page 64

HONG

KONG.

Acquisition of Land for Air Force purposes.

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1. The Air Ministry is interested in the acquisition of several areas of land in Hong Kong for Air Force purposes and the following is a resumé of the present position:-

Kai Tak Air Base.

2.

Following the decision of H.M. Government in 1927 that the acquisition of the Kai Tak site for an aerodrome was most desirable for reasons of Imperial Defence the site shewn in blue on plan was laid out and made available for Royal Air Force use (28 acres were reserved for Royal Air Force buildings), a grant in aid of £100,000 being paid from Air Votes towards the cost. This contribution was subject to Air Ministry approval of the lay-out and development of the aerodrome and to no rent or other charges, except for maintenance which is shared equally with the local Government.

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In planning the lay-out of the site in 1928 to meet thenexisting requirements, Mr. Dawson of the Air Ministry reported that to provide an aerodrome with adequate scope for development for civil purposes and the permanent location of service units, the inclusion of the areas to the north and east of the blue aree, shewn brown and pink respectively on plan, would be necessary. The Hong Kong Government intimated in 1928 that they were willing to adopt Mr. Dawson's recommendations subject to review of the £100,000 contribution, but as the Air Ministry took the view that the area coloured blue would suffice for immediate service and civil requirements, subject to the reservation of the brown areas for future development, the extension was not proceeded with.

4.

In 1932, negotiations took place with the Hong Kong Government for the additional land, shewn pink on plan, to the east for the siting of technical buildings required for a projected squadron of flying boats and for the land, shewn yellow on plan, for an officers' mess. Payments of capitalised Crown rent of $173.492 and $36.625 respectively were asked for these areas by the Hong Kong Government, who subsequently, in 1935, added a request for reimbursement of the cost of forming and resuming the areas ($149.370 and $726 respectively). The latter costs were paid, but payment of the capitalised Crown rent was deferred pending further consideration of the terms on which land required for defence purposes in Hong Kong should be acquired

5.

The need for the acquisition of 234 acres shewn light green and dark green on plan, for anti-malarial measures is now contemplated by the Air Officer Commanding Far East. The est mate cost is $404,000, of which $294,000 is consolidated Crown rent. A further additional area, hatched black, is required for the siting of the W/T station on the spit at the south east corner of the station which may, however, be leased.

At a conference at Government House in 1934, attended by the Air Officer Commanding Far East, it was agreed that it was most desirable that the Dawson recommendation to include the brown area to the north of the aerodrome should be implemented as

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