XN000022-1978-02-03 — Page 2

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1978

MAJOR DEVELOPMENT FOR TSUEN WAN

PLAN LINKED WITH MTR EXTENSION

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO COMBINE THE $4,100 MILLION EXTENSION OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY TO THE NEW TERRITORIES WITH A PLAN TO GIVE TSUEN WAN A NEW COMMERCIAL CENTRE AND HOMES FOR 30,000 PEOPLE.

A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY SHOULD PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE PROGRAMME BY DEVELOPING A KOWLOON BAY TYPE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL COMPLEX ABOVE ITS TSUEN WAN DEPOT WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE CORPORATION BOARD. THE COMPLEX WILL BE BUILT ON A SEVEN HECTARE PODIUM ABOVE THE DEPOT AND WILL PROVIDE 4,000 FLATS FOR ABOUT 20,000.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAD APPROVED THE LOCATION OF THE MTR DEPOT AND TERMINUS AT NORTH TSUEN WAN, WHICH IS COMPATIBLE WITH AN EXISTING GOVERNMENT PLAN TO DEVELOP 30.5 HECTARES OF LAND BETWEEN SHING MUN ROAD AND ROUTE TWISK NORTH OF CASTLE PEAK ROAD AS PART OF THE NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT.

NORTH TSUEN WAN WILL BE DEVELOPED IN A MODERN BALANCED WAY WITH HOUSING, SCHOOLS, LARGE COMMERCIAL AREAS, NEW ROADS, RECREATIONAL AREAS, A CLINIC, AN AMBULANCE DEPOT AND OTHER COMMUNITY FACILITIES.

IN ADDITION, SURFACE TRANSPORT WILL BE INTEGRATED WITH THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY AT TSUEN WAN STATION BY THE PROVISION OF A BUS STATION, PUBLIC LIGHT BUS AND TAXI STANDS AND A MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

ON ADJACENT SITES ALONG CASTLE PEAK ROAD THE GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL LOTS AVAILABLE TO PRIVATE DEVELOPERS TO BUILD HOMES FOR A FURTHER 10,000 PEOPLE.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE LOCATION OF THE MTR DEPOT AT NORTH TSUEN WAN INSTEAD OF KWAI CHUNG, AS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, WOULD BENEFIT BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND THE ECONOMY.

+THE 10.6 HECTARES OF LAND WHICH HAD BEEN RESERVED AT KWAI CHUNG FOR THE MTR WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE FOR MUCH NEEDED SERVICES FOR THE CONTAINER PORT, WHICH HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS ONE OF THE BUSIEST IN. THE WORLD, HE SAID.

+OVERALL THIS IS A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT USE OF LAND FOR

TSUEN WAN NEW TOWN, HE ADDED.

IN ORDER TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAD ALSO APPROVED THE PHASED RESUMPTION UNDER THE CROWN LANDS (RESUMPTIONS) ORDINANCE OF ABOUT 21 HECTARES OF LAND AT NORTH TSUEN WAN.

+

/THE RESUMPTION