XN000022-1978-01-08 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 1978

MORE WORK TO START ON SHA TIN TOWN CENTRE

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AN AREA NORTH OF THE RAILWAY STATION IN SHA TIN IS TO BE DEVELOPED AS SITE FOR GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES, INCLUDING A TECHNICAL INSTITUTE.

SITE FORMATION WORK WILL START IN THE AREA IN JUNE TO PRODUCE ABOUT SEVEN HECTARES OF LAND BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR.

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THE PROJECT FORMS PART OF AN $80 MILLION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME - INCLUDING LAND FORMATION, ROADWORKS AND DRAINAGE FOR THE DISTRICT'S NEW TOWN CENTRE AREA.

SHA TIN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. GERRY HIGGINSON, TODAY DESCRIBED IT AS YET ANOTHER BIG STEP FORWARD IN THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF SHA TIN INTO A BALANCED, SELF-CONTAINED COMMUNITY OF HALF A MILLION PEOPLE BY MID-1980'S.

OTHER PROJECTS PLANNED FOR THE AREA ALSO HAVE A MINI-SOCCER PITCH AND PARKING SPACES FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT, HE SAID.

TO FACILITATE SITE FORMATION WORK, MR. HIGGINSON SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD RESUME ABOUT 26,000 SQUARE METRES OF LAND, MOSTLY PRIVATE AGRICULTURAL LAND, IN THE AREA NORTH OF THE SHA TIN RAILWAY STATION.

A THREE MONTHS' NOTICE OF THE LAND RESUMPTION WAS PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE LAST WEEK.

+THE GOVERNMENT WILL PAY COMPENSATION FOR CROPS, FRUIT TREES PINE TREES, FISH PONDS, GRAVES, BONE POTS, IRRIGATION PIPES, FENCES AND WELLS, HE SAID.

CULTIVATORS, PIG BREEDERS AND POULTRY FARMERS AFFECTED WOULD BE GIVEN EX-GRATÍA ALLOWANCE, HE ADDED,

THE RESUMPTION WOULD INVOLVE THE CLEARANCE OF 231 TEMPORARY DOMESTIC STRUCTURES AND 292 OTHER TEMPORARY STRUCTURES.

+EL IGIBLE FAMILIES WILL BE OFFERED PUBLIC HOUSING IN SHA TIN WHILE THOSE FOUND NOT ELIGIBLE WILL BE OFFERED SPACE IN A TEMPORARY HOUSING AREA IN THE SAME DISTRICT.

+GENUINE CULTIVATOR-FAMILIES, WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PUBLIC HOUSING BUT WHO OPT FOR A RESITE OUTSIDE THE LAYOUT TO CONTINUE FARMING, WILL BE OFFERED AN EX-GRATIA REHABILITATION ALLOWANCE OF $5,000 PER FAMILY BUT WILL FORFEIT THEIR PRIORITY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING, HE SAID.

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