XN000022-1975-01-12 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 1975

MORE RECLAIMED LAND FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT

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ABOUT 175 ACRES OF MUCH-NEEDED LAND WILL BE ADDED TO THE URBAN FORESHORES OF HONG KONG AND KOWLOON WHEN SIX RECLAMATION PROJECTS NOW UNDERWAY ARE COMPLETED.

OF THE SIX RECLAMATION SCHEMES, FOUR ARE ON HONG KONG ISLAND AT CHAI WAN, CENTRAL, SHAUKEIWAN AND KENNEDY TOWN - AND TWO IN KOWLOON AT SHAMSHUIPO AND KOWLOON BAY,

THE TOTAL COST OF THESE PROJECTS IS ABOUT $75 MILLION, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SAID.

OFFICIAL RECORDS SHOW THAT, IN THE PAST 120 YEARS, SOME 4,000 ACRES OF LAND HAVE BEEN RECLAIMED FROM THE SEA FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING MAJOR ROAD NETWORKS HOUSING AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES.

+IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AT PRESENT OVER ONE MILLION OF THE POPULATION ARE LIVING ON RECLAIMED LAND IN HONG KONG,+ THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

THE PROJECT IN CENTRAL

KNOWN AS CENTRAL RECLAMATION

STAGE V - WILL PROVIDE SOME 16 ACRES OF LAND TO THE WEST OF THE MACAU FERRY WHARF. ABOUT 95 PER CENT OF THE SEAWALLS ON THE SITE ARE NOW COMPLETED. WHEN READY, IT WILL BE USED FOR THE WIDENING OF CONNAUGHT ROAD CENTRAL AND CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST AND ALSO FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE MACAU FERRY WHARF. PART OF THE LAND WILL BE RESERVED FOR A SEWAGE SCREENING PLANT, DUILDING DEVELOPMENT AND OPEN SPACES. IN ADDITION, THERE WILL DE A TEMPORARY CARGO HANDLING AREA.

IN SHAMSHUIPO, ANOTHER MAJOR RECLAMATION PROJECT IS IN PROGRESS. THE 20-ACRES SITE WILL INITIALLY BE USED AS A TEMPORARY CARGO HANDLING AREA, AT A LATER STAGE, THE RECLAIMED LAND WILL BE DEVELOPED INTO A VEHICULAR AND FERRY PIER AND CONCOURSE, A SEWAGE SCREENING PLANT, A MULTI-STOREY CARPARK AND A CULTURAL COMPLEX. PART OF THE WEST KOWLOON CORRIDOR ROAD PROJECT WILL ALSO BE CONSTRUCTED ON THIS RECLAMATION. EVENTUALLY, A PROMENADE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED ALONG THE SEAFRONT.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH THE LIMIT TO RECLAMATION IN THE CENTRE OF THE HARBOUR IS NOW MORE OR LESS BEING REACHED, THERE IS STILL SCOPE FOR FURTHER RECLAMATION, ESPECIALLY AT THE WESTERN END OF THE HANDOUR.

→AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE SAID, THE PUBLIC HAVE ALREADY BEEN TOLD OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO RECLAIM LAND AT THE WESTERN END OF THE HARBOUR, THE SITE OF WHICH WILL BE FROM THE CENTRAL STAGE V RECLAMATION TO BELCHER'S POINT NEAR KENNEDY TOWN,+

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