XN000022-1977-01-04 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1977.

GOVERNOR SEES SHA TIN NEW TOWN PROGRESS

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TODAY SPENT MOST OF THE AFTERNOON MAKING AN ON-THE-SPOT INSPECTION OF THE DEVELOPMENTS AT SHA TIN WHICH WILL BOOST THE NEW TOWN'S POPULATION BY MORE THAN 20,000 IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.

SIR MURRAY WAS GIVEN A FULL BRIEFING ON PROGRESS BY SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. HE ALSO HELD TALKS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS ON THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN TRANSFORMING SHA TIN INTO A TOWN OF 500,000 WITHIN 10 YEARS.

HE WAS ACCOMPANIED ON THE VISIT BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES- THE SHA TIN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. MICHAEL SUEN, AND THE PWD PROJECT MANAGER, MR. B. H. NEWMAN.

THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS SIR MURRAY SAW INCLUDED:

* THE FIRST STAGE OF THE WO CHE ESTATE, WHICH IS DUE TO BE COMPLETED IN JUNE THIS YEAR PROVIDING MORE THAN 2,000 FLATS FOR ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE.

*

A COMMERCIAL AND

THE SECOND STAGE OF THE PROJECT COMMUNITY CENTRE WITH SHOPS, LIBRARY, A SCHOOL FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, COMMUNITY HALL, YOUTH CENTRE, CHILDREN'S CENTRE AND 4,500 SQUARE FEET OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITY SPACE AROUND A TERRACED GARDEN, IS DUE FOR COMPLETION AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR.

ULTIMATELY, THE WO CHE ESTATE WILL HOUSE 40,000 PEOPLE.

THE FO TAN INDUSTRIAL AREA, WHERE SIX FACTORIES ARE ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WORK ON ANOTHER THREE IS TO BEGIN SOON. CHINA RESOURCES IS ALREADY OPERATING AN OIL STORAGE DEPOT AT FO TAN.

* THE FIRST NEW TERRITORIES SITE FOR THE FLATS-FOR-SALE SCHEME -- A JOCKEY CLUB BORROW AREA ABOVE WO CHE VILLAGE WHICH IS DUE TO BE HANDED OVER TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOR DETAILED PLANNING IN JUNE THIS YEAR.

SIR MURRAY STARTED HIS VISIT WITH A GENERAL BRIEFING AT THE LOOKOUT AREA BEHIND SHA TIN WAI WHICH COMMANDS A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE SHA TIN AREA.

AFTER INSPECTING VARIOUS PROJECTS, SIR MURRAY WENT TO THE SHA TIN DISTRICT OFFICE FOR A DISCUSSION ON LOCAL PROBLEMS WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE SHA TIN RURAL COMMITTEE, LED BY ITS CHAIRMAN, MR. WAI HON - LEUNG.

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