XN000022-1976-05-21 — Page 5

FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1976

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S REPLY TO SHA TIN SHOPPERS

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OPERATORS OF 28 SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS IN SHA TIN, DUE TO BE CLEARED IN LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS TO MAKE WAY FOR THE WIDENING OF TAI PO ROAD, HAVE BEEN URGED BY THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, SIR DENYS ROBERTS, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GOVERNMENT'S OFFER OF COMMERCIAL PREMISES IN THE NEARBY LEK YUEN ESTATE.

SIR DENYS WAS REPLYING TO A LETTER THE OPERATORS SENT TO THE GOVERNOR ON APRIL 8 IN WHICH THEY REQUESTED +REASONABLE COMPENSATION AND RE-LOCATION OF SHOP UNITS.+

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS INVESTING MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHA TIN NEW TOWN AS A SELF-CONTAINED COMMUNITY, PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT, HOMES, SCHOOLS, WELFARE AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR OVER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE.

+I CAN ASSURE YOU,+ HE WROTE, THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL DO ALL IT CAN TO MITIGATE THE SUBSTANTIAL INCONVENIENCE AND THE DISRUPTION TO THE LIVELIHOOD CAUSED TO RESIDENTS OF THE AREA AND TO ASSIST THOSE MOST SERIOUSLY AFFECTED.+

SIR DENYS SAID THAT PART OF THE SITE NOW OCCUPIED BY SHA TIN MARKET WAS URGENTLY REQUIRED FOR THE WIDENING OF THE MAIN TAI PO ROAD AND ULTIMATELY THE AREA WOULD FORM PART OF THE TOWN CENTRE, CONTAINING THE MAIN COMMERCIAL AND CULTURAL AMENITIES FOR THE NEW TOWN.

HE CONTINUED: +GOVERNMENT IS FULLY AWARE OF THE HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHA TIN MARKET. IT WAS IN RECOGNITION OF THIS THAT EXCEPTIONAL CLEARANCE TERMS WERE AGREED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. THESE WILL ENABLE SHOPKEEPERS TO RECEIVE CASH COMPENSATION IN EXCESS OF THE NORMAL CEILING ADOPTED IN CLEARANCE OPERATIONS AND, FURTHER, TO PARTICIPATE IN A RESTRICTED TENDER FOR COMMERCIAL UNITS IN THE NEW LEK YUEN ESTATE.+

THESE TERMS, HE ADDED, WERE FAR MORE GENEROUS THAN THOSE NORMALLY OFFERED TO THE OCCUPANTS OF TEMPORARY STRUCTURES ON PRIVATE AGRICULTURAL LAND AND REFLECTED THE SPECIAL POSITION OF SHA TIN MARKET.

+ I AM TO SAY, THEREFORE, THAT IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THE REQUESTS YOU HAVE MADE IN YOUR LETTER HAVE ALREADY BEEN MET AND THAT ALL REASONABLE STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEMS FACED BY SHOPKEEPERS IN THE AREA.

+ IN PARTICULAR, I REGRET THAT IT IS. NOT POSSIBLE TO ALLOCATE LAND WITHIN THE LAYOUT AREA OF SHA TIN NEW TOWN FOR THE TEMPORARY RELOCATION OF THE SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS, I THEREFORE URGE YOU, UNLESS YOU ARE ABLE TO MAKE YOUR OWN ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS ELSEWHERE, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OFFER OF COMMERCIAL PREMISES IN THE NEW LEK YUEN ESTATE.

+1 AM AFRAID THAT IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE SITE TO BE CLEARED ON JUNE 16, 1976,+ SIR DENYS CONCLUDED.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION SAID THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY OF THE CLEARANCE BEING POSTPONED BEYOND JUNE 16 AS THE GOVERNMENT LAS COMMITTED TO HANDING THE AREA OVER TO THE CONTRACTOR BY THE BEGINNING OF JULY.

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