XN000022-1976-07-30 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1976

YAU MA TEI OUTLINE ZONING PLAN

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MORE SCHOOLS, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, CIVIC AND WELFARE CENTRES ARE AMONG THE MANY PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN A REVISED OUTLINE ZONING PLAN FOR YAU MA TEI PREPARED BY THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD.

THE REVISED PLAN, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, AIMS AT PROVIDING MORE LAND FOR A WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES TO IMPROVE THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT FOR THE DISTRICT'S ESTIMATED EVENTUAL POPULATION OF 200,000,

IT ALSO PROVIDES FOR SPECIAL INDUSTRIAL BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE MAIN RESIDENTIAL AREAS, A CARGO WORK ING AREA AND AN IMPROVED ROAD SYSTEM INCLUDING POSSIBLE PEDESTRIAN STREETS.

THE PLAN COVERS A LAND AREA OF 71.25 HECTARES BOUNDED BY NATHAN ROAD, JORDAN ROAD, ARGYLE STREET AND CHERRY STREET, AND THE WATERFRONT. THE TOTAL PLANNING AREA IS 127.58 HECTARES, INCLUDING THE YAU MA TE! TYPHOON ANCHORAGE.

ACCORDING TO MR A.F. MEYERS, PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT TOWN PLANNER OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRAWBACKS IN YAU MA TEI IS THE SHORTAGE OF OPEN SPACE AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA NORTH OF WATERLOO ROAD.

THE REVISED PLAN INCLUDES A TOTAL OF NEARLY 5.62 HECTARES EARMARKED FOR OPEN SPACE AND SOME OTHER FAIRLY LARGE AREAS ADJACENT TO THE YAU MA TEI CIVIC CENTRE. THERE WILL ALSO BE A NUMBER OF SMALLER SITES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT_FOR_LANDSCAPED AMENITY PLOTS, CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUNDS AND SITTING-OUT AREAS FOR RESIDENTS.

THE PRESENT SHORTAGE OF GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES HAS BEEN IMPROVED WITH A TOTAL OF 10.12 HECTARES ZONED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

+TWO MAJOR AREAS ARE PLANNED FOR THESE PURPOSES,+ SAID MR MEYERS, +ONE IS THE YAU MA TEI CIVIC CENTRE SOUTH OF PUBLIC SQUARE STREET, NOW BEING BUILT BY THE P.W.D.'S ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE.+

WHEN FULLY COMPLETED, IT WILL PROVIDE A MULTI-PURPOSE HALL AND STAGE FOR CONCERTS, FILM SHOWS, INDOOR SPORTS AND EXHIBITIONS" A BASKETBALL COURT CONFERENCE, READING AND STUDY ROOMS FACILITIES FOR BOTH YOUNG AND OLD PEOPLE'S GROUP ACTIVITIES A NURSERY= ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES FOR LOCAL ORGANISATIONS AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

THE OTHER MAJOR AREA IS BOUNDED BY TUNG KUN STREET. RECLAMATION STREET, WATERLOO ROAD AND THE TONG MI ROAD EXTENSION, WHERE THREE PRIMARY SCHOOLS HAVE ALREADY BEEN BUILT AND ONE SECONDARY SCHOOL IS PLANNED.

IN ADDITION, PROVISION HAS BEEN MADE FOR SMALLER GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTION AND COMMUNITY SITES DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT FOR LOCAL SOCIAL WELFARE CENTRES, HAWKER BAZAARS AND OFF-STREET REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS.

/MR. MEYERS