XN000022-1978-07-21 — Page 5

FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1978

GO-AHEAD FOR $220 MILLION YUEN LONG DEVELOPMENT

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THE GOVERNMENT IS ABOUT TO IMPLEMENT TWO MORE DEVELOPMENT +PACKAGES+ COSTING MORE THAN $220 MILLION IN YUEN LONG MARKET TOWN.

AN ENGINEER OF THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF THE P.W.D. MR. DON PATERSON, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THE TWO +PACKAGES+ ARE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S $776 MILLION PLAN TO DEVELOP THE MARKET TOWN INTO A MODERN, SELF-CONTAINED COMMUNITY WITH AN EVENTUAL POPULATION OF 95,000.

THE FIRST +PACKAGE+, COSTING $102 MILLION, ENCOMPASSES ALMOST THE WHOLE OF THE EXISTING YUEN LONG TOWN EAST OF THE CENTRAL NULLAH AND WILL HAVE COMMUNITY FACILITIES, PRIVATE HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL SITES INCLUDING MULTI-STOREY CAR PARKS.

SITE FORMATION WORK ON THE FIRST PHASE IS SCHEDULED TO START IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR AND WILL TAKE TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE.

+THIS WILL MAKE LAND AVAILABLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THREE MULTI-PURPOSE CARPARKS, A MODERN MARKET AND OPEN SPACES,+ HE SAID.

TENDERS FOR THE FIRST MULTI-STOREY CARPARK, WHICH WILL PROBABLY TIE IN WITH RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, ARE SCHEDULED TO BE CALLED IN FEBRUARY NEXT YEAR. TENDERS FOR THE

SECOND CARPARK WILL BE CALLED FOR SIX MONTHS LATER.

THE SECOND DEVELOPMENT +PACKAGE+ WILL PROVIDE 8.34 HECTARES OF LAND FOR LIGHT INDUSTRY, 1.63 HECTARES FOR COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND 2.83 HECTARES FOR AN OPEN SPACE AND AMENITY AREA. THE COST WILL BE $121 MILLION.

+ INDUSTRIAL SITES FROM 500 SQUARE METRES TO ABOUT 4,500 SQUARE METRES WILL BE FORMED ON THE LAND NORTH OF THE YUEN LONG PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE, OFFERING A WIDE RANGE OF CHOICE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND JOBS FOR ABOUT 17,000 PEOPLE,+ MR. PATERSON SAID.

+FACILITIES IN THE AREA INCLUDE TWO ACCESS BRIDGES, A BUS TERMINUS, COOKED FOOD STALLS AND PARKING AREAS,

+THIS IS MAINLY INF ILL' DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-LYING LAND USED FOR FISH AND DUCK PONDS,+ HE SAID.

TO FACILITATE THE WORKS, THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. MICHAEL CARTLAND SAID THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO RESUME A TOTAL OF 188,374.1 SQUARE METRES OF PRIVATE AGRICULTURAL LAND IN YUEN LONG. TWO MONTHS' NOTICE OF THE LAND RESUMPTION WAS PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE RESUMPTION WILL INVOLVE THE CLEARANCE OF 114 TEMPORARY DEMESTIC STRUCTURES OCCUPIED BY 122 FAMILIES OF ABOUT 635 PERSONS. SEVENTY-NINE OF THESE STRUCTURES ARE ON PRIVATE LAND AND 35 ON CROWN LAND.

/IN ADDITION,