XN000022-1977-07-14 — Page 6

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1977

5.

MUI WO DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT SIGNED

******

THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TODAY SIGNED A CONTRACT FOR ALMOST $11 MILLION FOR THE FIRST STAGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUI WO ON LANTAU ISLAND AS A RURAL TOWNSHIP.

THE CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEAWALL IN SILVER MINE BAY AND THE FORMATION OF ABOUT FIVE HECTARES OF LAND WAS AWARDED TO FOOK LEE CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD.

THE P.W.D.'S ACTING GOVERNMENT ENGINEER (NEW TERRITORIES), MR. KENNETH KWOK, SAID THAT THE LAND FORMED IN THE FIRST STAGE WOULD BE USED TO PROVIDE SITES FOR A PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE FOR 1,200 PEOPLE, A NEW AND IMPROVED BUS TERMINUS, WATERFRONT COOKED FOOD STALLS AND COMMERCIAL AND LIGHT INDUSTRIAL USE.

ALSO INCLUDED IN THE STAGE ONE WORKS ARE THE CONSTRUCTION OF 1.1 KILOMETRES OF TWO-LANE ROAD AND 2.7 KILOMETRES OF FOUL WATER DRAINS.

MR. KWOK SAID THAT ABOUT 3.2 HECTARES WOULD BE RECLAIMED INITIALLY USING FILLING MATERIAL FROM A BORROW AREA ON THE TOP OF A BARREN HILL, SOUTH OF THE WORK SITE.

THE BORROW AREA, ON COMPLETION, WOULD FORM PART OF A COUNTRY PARK AND WILL RECEIVE PROPER AMENITY TREATMENT.

+A NEW ROAD WILL BE BUILT TO THE TOP OF THE HILL,+ MR. KWOK SAID, +WHICH WILL SERVE AS AN ACCESS ROAD TO THE COUNTRY PARK TO BE CREATED THERE.+

HE SAID THAT WORK ON THE CONTRACT WAS EXPECTED TO BEGIN THIS MONTH.

EVENTUALLY A TOTAL OF 46 HECTARES OF THE AREA IS TO BE DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FACILITIES FOR A TOTAL POPULATION OF ABOUT 8,500 PEOPLE, AND FOR THE MANY THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO THE ISLAND.

IN THE GOVERNMENT'S RURAL TOWNSHIP PROGRAMME, BETTER HOMES AND FACILITIES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR A TOTAL OF 350,000 PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS OUTSIDE OF THE NEW TOWNS OF SHA TIN, TSUEN WAN AND TUEN MUN.

MUT WO IS ONE OF EIGHT AREAS LISTED FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROGRAMME.

MR. KWOK SAID THAT DETAILED PLANS FOR HOUSING AND OTHER FACILITIES AT MUI WO WERE NOW BEING DRAWN UP.

TENDERS WILL BE CALLED SOON FOR A NEW FERRY PIER AT MUI WO, TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING NUMBER OF VISITORS TO LANTAU ISLAND,

MR. KWOK SAID +FACILITIES AT THE EXISTING ONE-BERTH FERRY TERMINAL, WHICH IS THE MAIN GATEWAY TO LANTAU ISLAND, ARE INADEQUATE TO COPE WITH PEAK SUMMER TRAFFIC OF 30,000 PASSENGERS

A DAY.+

/THE NEW