CO129-613-3 Scheme for reclamation of southern shore of Deep Bay 4-9-1946 - 19-11-1947 — Page 21

· 3

21.

of Government's intentions regarding the construction of an

airfield at Pingshan was made to them. If, as I hope, it is

decided to carry out the Deep Bay project, I recommend that the

Chinese Government should be officially informed that a civil

airport conforming to modern safety standards is about to be built

on the Deep Bay site in the New Territories, owing to the inade-

quacy of the present airfield at Kai Tak, and that a note to this

effect should be transmitted to them through His Majesty's Ambassador,

Nanking, before a public announcement is made.

7.

The construction of an airport at Deep Bay would mean

that the existing aerodrome at Kai Tak would be no longer required

and that the land at Kai Tak would be available for sale apart from

a small area adjacent to the sea wall which would be retained for

a seaplane base. The proceeds of the sale of Kai Tak which at

present comprises an area of approximately 345.4 acres, would be

offset against the cost of the Deep Bay scheme.

The old aerodrome

which was approximately 183.6 acres in extent was however, enlarged

by the Japanese during their occupation, and claims for compensation

have already been received from the various owners of land and

property in the area affected. Detailed investigations have not yet

been made into the treatment accorded by the Japanese to these land-

owners, but it appears that such compensation as was paid was totally

inadequate and in computing the probable receipts from the sale of

Kai Tak, I have considered it advisable to deduct the estimated cost

of such outstanding claims. It is, of course, not possible to produce

any accurate estimates at the present time of land values in this

area in, say, 1950. The price that will be realised will depend on

many factors including the political and conomic situation and the

plans which may have been adopted by then for the development of.

this portion of New Kowloon. It has been calculated that the sale

value of both the old and the new airport areas at Kai Tak will be

in the neighbourhood of $18,750,000 but against this outstanding

claims are estimated at $8,000,000. The estimated net value of Kai