XN000022-1978-10-11 — Page 11

WEDNESDAT, OCTOBER 11, 19/0

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LAND PRODUCTION PROGRAMME OUTLINED

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THE GOVERNMENT EXPECTS TO PRODUCE AN AVERAGE OF 229 HECTARES OF LAND A YEAR BETWEEN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR AND 1983-84, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 80 HECTARES A YEAR WILL BE PRODUCED FOR INDUSTRIAL USE. 64 FOR PRIVATE NON-INDUSTRIAL USE AND 85 FOR PUBLIC HOUSING. MANY OF THE COMMUNICATIONS PROJECTS PLANNED PROVIDE ACCESS TO THESE AREAS.

SIR MURRAY SAID: THESE FIGURES OF LAND PRODUCTION MAY SEEM SMALL, BUT IN OUR GEOGRAPHICAL CIRCUMSTANCES THEY ARE VERY LARGE AND REPRESENT A VERY MAJOR ENGINEERING COMMITMENT, AND WILL REQUIRE CAREFUL PHASING FOR FINANCIAL AND PRACTICAL REASONS.+

SIR MURRAY ADDED THAT THESE FIGURES, WHICH INCLUDE THE TWO INDUSTRIAL ESTATES. REPRESENT A MUCH HIGHER FLOW OF LAND ON TO THE MARKET THAN HAS EVER BEEN ACHIEVED BEFORE. IT IS QUESTIONABLE WHETHER IT WILL BE ENOUGH AND IN ANY CASE THERE IS THE PERIOD AFTER 1983-84 WHICH MUST BE PLANNED FOR NOW.+

THE MAIN SOURCES OF NEW LAND ARE LIKELY TO BE THE NORTH COAST OF LANTAU ISLAND AND JUNK BAY.

SIR MURRAY SAID A DECISION AS TO WHEN AND HOW DEVELOPMENT SHOULD START WOULD DEPEND ON THE GOVERNMENT'S CONSULTANTS REPORT ON A FIXED CROSSING TO LANTAU WHICH WILL BE READY BY EARLY NEXT YEAR AND THE GOVERNMENT'S OWN ENGINEERING INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF THE ISLAND AND THE LAND PRODUCTION COSTS.

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+THE EARLIEST TIME WHEN A BRIDGE COULD BE COMPLETED IS MID-1984, ALTHOUGH SUBSTANTIAL AREAS OF LAND WOULD PROBABLY BE FORMED FOR USE BY THE TIME THE BRIDGE WAS OPENED.

+BUT IT WILL ALSO BE NECESSARY TO START LAND PRODUCTION PROJECTS IN OTHER AREAS TO BRIDGE THE SHORTFALLS OF THE EARLY EIGHTIES. OF THESE THE MOST IMPORTANT IS JUNK BAY,+ SIR MURRAY SAID,

THIS AREA WOULD PROVIDE FOR A NEW SATELLITE TOWN OF SOME 200,000 PEOPLE WITH ABOUT 72 NET HECTARES OF NEW INDUSTRIAL LAND. THE PROVISION OF PROPER ACCESS AND WATER SUPPLIES WOULD ALSO ALLOW ABOUT 35 HECTARES OF EXISTING INDUSTRIAL LAND TO BE BETTER UTILISED.

SIR MURRAY SAID IT WAS PROPOSED TO SEEK THE APPROVAL OF THE PUBLIC WORKS SUB-COMMITTEE TO START WORK ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COMING YEAR. AT THE SAME TIME APPROVAL WOULD BE SOUGHT TO START DEVELOPMENT ON AN EXTENSION TO SHA TIN NEW TOWN ALONG THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE COVE TO WU KWAI SHA WHICH WOULD PROVIDE FOR ABOUT 22 AND 47 NET HECTARES OF LAND FOR INDUSTRY AND PRIVATE HOUSING RESPECTIVELY IN ADDITION TO PUBLIC USE.

SIR MURRAY ALSO SAID THAT THE RELEASE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS STATION AT LITTLE SAI MAN MOULD MAKE AVAILABLE ABOUT 30 HECTARES OF ADDITIONAL INDUSTRIAL RECREATIONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL LAND AND THE GOVERNMENT WAS AIMING TO HAVE THIS AREA FORMED AND AVAILABLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER ITS RELEASE AT THE END OF 1982.

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