XN000022-1975-03-14 — Page 11

FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 1975

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FOUNDATIONS FOR WO CHE ESTATE ALMOST COMPLETE

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PILING WORK FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S WO CHE ESTATE IN SHA TIN IS NOW WELL IN HAND AND TENDERS FOR THE FIRST BUILDING CONTRACT WILL BE INVITED IN MAY.

WO CHE, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO LEK YUEN ESTATE AND ONLY A STONE'S THROW FROM SHA TIN RAILWAY STATION, WILL EVENTUALLY BE THE HOME OF 34,000 PEOPLE.

THE BUILDING CONTRACT WILL INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THREE TWIN-TOWER BLOCKS AND A GARAGE. THIS PHASE OF WORK WILL PROVIDE ABOUT 2,200 SELF-CONTAINED FLATS TO ACCOMMODATE 15,000 PEOPLE. THESE FLATS, SIMILAR TO THOSE AT OI MAN ESTATE, WILL ALL HAVE A PRIVATE BALCONY, KITCHEN, TOILET AND SHOWER.

TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, PILING WORK WILL ALSO START ON THE COMMERCIAL COMPLEX WHICH WILL SERVE ESTATE TENANTS AS WELL AS RESIDENTS IN THE SHA TIN AREA.

WHEN COMPLETED BY THE END OF 1978, THE ESTATE WILL HAVE SIX TWIN-TOWER BLOCKS, THREE SLAB BLOCKS TOGETHER WITH A COMMERCIAL COMPLEX AND SIX SCHOOL BUILDINGS. THE SLAB BLOCKS WILL CONTAIN TWO-BEDROOM FLATS EACH OF 590 SQUARE FEET.

HOUSING DEPARTMENT ARCHITECTS HAVE ALSO RESERVED 16 ACRES OF LAND WITHIN THE ESTATE BOUNDARY AS OPEN SPACE FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ESTATE TENANTS, THERE WILL ALSO BE A HOST OF WELFARE FACILITIES TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.

THE BUILDING PROGRAMME OF THE ESTATE IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS, AND RECLAMATION WORK WILL SOON START IN SHA TIN HOI AT HA WO CHE TO PROVIDE LAND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE TWO.

APART FROM THE ESTATE BLOCKS, FACILITIES TO BE BUILT ON THE RECLAMATION INCLUDE SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS TO REPLACE THE TEMPORARY WORKS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THE VICINITY, A SEWAGE PUMPING STATION, AN AMBULANCE DEPOT AND A FIRE STATION.

ABOUT 1.2 MILLION CUBIC METRES OF FILLING MATERIAL WILL BE TAKEN FROM BORROW AREAS ADJACENT TO LION ROCK TUNNEL ROAD FOR RECLAMATION PURPOSES. THESE BORROW AREAS WILL IN TURN BE FORMED FOR SUBSEQUENT USE.

IN ADDITION, 700 METRES OF RIVER WALL WILL BE BUILT ALONG THE SHING MUN RIVER EXTENSION WHICH FLOWS THROUGH THE AREA INTO SHA TIN HOI, PARTLY TO RETAIN THE RECLAMATION AND PARTLY TO PROTECT IT FROM THE SEA.

RECLAMATION WORK IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN MAY THIS YEAR AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN JUNE 1976, WHEN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WILL MOVE IN TO START PILING WORK FOR THE SECOND PHASE OF THE ESTATE.

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