XN000022-1977-01-05 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1977

DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF LANTAU UNDER STUDY

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THE GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY CARRYING OUT A STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF LANTAU ISLAND ON THE TWO ASSUMPTIONS THAT A BRIDGE WOULD, OR WOULD NOT, BE BUILT, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON, DEREK JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON, HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, HE SAID: +FROM A PLANNING POINT OF VIEW, THE ISLAND CAN BE DIVIDED BETWEEN THE NORTHERN PART, WHICH HAS SOME POTENTIAL FOR MEDIUM AND HEAVY INDUSTRY AND GENERAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE SOUTH COAST WHICH, EVEN NOW, IS ONE OF HONG KONG'S MOST IMPORTANT RECREATIONAL AREAS.+

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RECREATIONAL AREA WAS GRADUALLY PROCEEDING AT THE PRESENT TIME, AND IT COULD CONTINUE WITHOUT A LAND CONNECTION BEING PROVIDED.

HOWEVER, HE CONTINUED, ANY SUBSTANTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN PART WOULD PROBABLY REQUIRE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BRIDGE.

AND

+ THE PROBLEMS POSED BY A BRIDGE MAINLY RELATE TO TRAFFIC IN PARTICULAR, TO THE SEVERE CONSTRAINTS IMPOSED BY ROAD CAPACITY ALONG THE WEST KOWLOON CORRIDOR,+ HE SAID.

+TESTS ARE NOW BEING CONDUCTED ON THE COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT STUDY COMPUTER MODEL- AND THESE WILL LARGELY DETERMINE THE PRACTICABILITY, FROM A TRAFFIC AND COMMUNICATIONS POINT OF VIEW, OF SUBSTANTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN PART OF LANTAU, LINKED BY A BRIDGE TO THE MAINLAND.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S PRESENT THINKING WAS THAT, PROVIDED A BRIDGE WOULD NOT CREATE INTOLERABLE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS IN WEST KOWLOON, THIS FACILITY MIGHT LEND ITSELF TO PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION AT SOME FUTURE DATE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, MR. JONES ADDED, IF THE BRIDGE HAD TO BE BUILT WITH PUBLIC FUNDS, IT WOULD NOT RATE A HIGH PRIORITY IN RELATION TO OTHER TRANSPORT PROJECTS NOW BEING UNDERTAKEN OR PLANNED.

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