XN000022-1974-07-17 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 1974

POKFULAM BUILDING 'FREEZE' MAY BE LIFTED THIS YEAR

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THE TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS ON BUILDING DEVELOPMENT IN THE POKFULAM AREA MAY BE LIFTED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, BUT THOSE APPLYING TO THE MID-LEVELS ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PERIOD.+

THIS WAS INDICATED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY BY THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. WILLIAM BELL, WHEN MOVING A HOTION TO EXTEND THE RESTRICTIONS FOR A FURTHER YEAR UNTIL JULY 31, 1975. THE RESTRICTIONS WERE FIRST BROUGHT INTO FORCE IN JULY LAST YEAR. THEY WERE EXTENDED FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, AND ARE DUE TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

HR. BELL TOLD COUNCIL THAT WHILE IT WAS HOPED TO LIFT THE RESTRICTIONS IN POKFULAM SO THAT THE ADDITIONAL FLATS WHICH COULD BE BUILT UNDER EXISTING CONDITIONS AND PLANNING CONTROLS HIGHT BE ALLOWED TO GO FORWARD, THIS DID NOT MEAN THAT ALL THE PLANNED MAJOR TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AREA WOULD BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS WERE READY FOR OCCUPATION.

THE RELAXATION, HE WARNED,

COULD THEREFORE GIVE RISE TO A FURTHER DEGREE OF CONGESTION. +NEVERTHELESS, IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THIS RISK SHOULD BE TAKEN, BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR FURTHER RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ALSO IN THE HOPE THAT WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS OR SO THE PUBLIC MAY TO SOME DEGREE HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT MORE AND PRIVATE CARS LESS,+ HE ADDED.

MR. BELL TOLD COUNCIL THAT IT WAS ALSO PROPOSED TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING SIMILAR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES AS THOSE WHICH HAVE BEEN BROUGHT INTO FORCE IN THE MID-LEVELS. NOTABLY THE BUS PRIORITY SCHEME.

HE NOTED THAT IN AUGUST 1973 THERE WERE NEARLY 9.000 FLATS IN THE POKFULAM AREA, INCLUDING THE WAH FU ESTATE, WITH A POPULATION OF 49,000. WHEN BUILDINGS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND APPROVED ARE COMPLETED THERE WILL BE ALMOST 11,000 FLATS AND A POPULATION OF ABOUT 59,000.

+THE LIFTING OF THE RESTRICTION ON DEVELOPMENT WOULD MEAN THAT OVER 1,000 FURTHER FLATS COULD BE BUILT UNDER EXISTING LEASE CONDITIONS AND PLANNING CONTROLS,+ HE SAID. +THIS WOULD PRODUCE A FURTHER INCREASE IN POPULATION OF ABOUT 6,000 GIVING A TOTAL, OF 65,000 - APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD ABOVE THE 1973. FIGURE.+

MR. BELL .....