XN000022-1978-08-12 — Page 4

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 1978

3

SCOTT VISITS PRIVATE HOUSING PROJECT

*****

THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR. ALAN SCOTT HAS INSPECTED A LOW-DENSITY HOUSING PROJECT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AS PART OF HIS GENERAL INTEREST IN MAJOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS.

THE PROJECT FEATURES SEMI-DETACHED TWO-STOREY HOUSES WITH THEIR OWN GARDENS WHICH, MR. SCOTT NOTED, +WOULD GIVE HONG KONG ITS FIRST TRUE TASTE OF SUBURBAN LIVING AT PRICES MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES COULD AFFORD.

+THERE IS GROWING EVIDENCE PEOPLE WILL LEAVE THE OLD URBAN AREAS IF THEY CAN BE OFFERED A BETTER LIVING ENVIRONMENT,+ SAID PR. SCOTT. +GOVERNMENT IS LEADING THE WAY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS, AND IT IS HEARTENING TO SEE PRIVATE DEVELOPERS COMPLEMENTING THIS TREND.+

THE HOUSES ARE BEING BUILT ON A 300-ACRE SITE BETWEEN YUEN LONG AND SHEUNG SHUT. WHEN COMPLETED IN THE EARLY 1980'S, THE DEVELOPMENT WILL BE A SELF-CONTAINED TOWNSHIP FOR 5,000 FAMILIES WITH A POPULATION DENSITY OF LESS THAN 100 PEOPLE PËR ACRE.

OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO MR. SCOTT WAS THE HIGHLY MECHANISED CONSTRUCTION METHOD BEING USED. WALLS AND CEILINGS ARE PRECAST IN CONCRETE ON SITE, AND CAN BE ASSEMBLED AT THE RATE OF THREE HOUSES A DAY.

+ALTHOUGH THIS METHOD IS ONLY PRACTICAL ON LARGE DEVELOPMENTS WITH UNIFORM DESIGN, IT IS THE SORT OF SYSTEM WHICH ALL BUILDERS MUST CONSIDER IF WE ARE TO KEEP PACE WITH THE DEMAND FOR HOMES,+ HE SAID.

+THE DIGGEST POTENTIAL PROBLEM TO THE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME IS SHORTAGE OF LABOUR, SO THAT ANY SYSTEM WHICH USES LESS LABOUR AND SAVES TIME MUST BE ENCOURAGED.+

MR. SCOTT WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSES, AND COMPLIMENTED THE DEVELOPERS ON THE PRACTICAL LAYOUT AND

INGENIOUS USE OF AVAILABLE SPACE.

THE PROJECT, TO BE CALLED FAIRVIEW PARK, IS BEING BUILT BY CANADIAN OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD.

14