XN000022-1976-04-08 — Page 5

Thursday, April 8, 1976

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DEMOLITION NOTICES SERVED ON SHA TIN MARKET BUSINESSES

Demolition notices have been served on the operators of 28 shops

and restaurants and 14 wall stalls in Sha Tin market.

The notices were issued yesterday (Wednesday) by staff of the

Housing Department.

The businesses are to be cleared in June to make way for the

widening of Tai Po Road to improve communications between Sha Tin and Tai Po.

The notices said that, as the businesses were occupying an area

scheduled for clearance by June 16, the operators were to demolish the

structures they were at present occupying and vacate the site before this

date.

The shop owners were offered the opportunity to take part in a

restricted tender on March 30 for shops in the commercial complex of the

Lek Yuen Housing Estate, Sha Tin, but none turned up to participate.

"

In a letter dated yesterday (Wednesday) to the shopkeepers from

the District Office, regret was expressed at their failure to tender for the

estate shops. The letter added: "It is assumed that you will be making your

own arrangements to continue your business elsewhere. It also pointed out

that there was no question of postponing the clearance, stating: "The Tai Po

Road improvement contract commenced on March 1, 1976 and the Government is

obliged under the terms of the contract to hand over vacant possession of

the piece of land which you are now occupying in June 1976."

It said that the clearance date had now been set and appropriate

action would be taken to obtain vacant possession of the site. Operators

were requested to co-operate by vacating the area before this date. Part

of the land occupied by the shops was resumed by the Government some years

ago; the remaining portion reverts to the Crown later this month.

/A spokesman