XN000022-1978-11-05 — Page 7

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1978

'TENDER' TREATMENT FOR CROWN LAND

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A NEW TENDERING SYSTEM IS MAKING SOME VALUABLE CROWN LAND SITES AVAILABLE TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR ON SHORT-TERM TENANCIES.

SINCE THE NEW SYSTEM WAS INTRODUCED IN APRIL SEVEN SITES HAVE BEEN LET BY TENDER IN A NUMBER OF PRIME LOCATIONS.

THESE HAVE INCLUDED A 2,416-SQUARE-METRE SITE AT THE JUNCTION OF HOI YUEN AND SHING YIP STREET, KWUN TONG= A 4, 200-SQUARE-METRE SITE AT PAK TIN STREET, SHEK KIP ME! AND 350 SQUARE METRES IN NEW MARKET STREET, CENTRAL.

THE ACTING GOVERNMENT LAND AGENT, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, MR. D.M. SCOTT-WILL, SAID THAT THE NEW METHOD OF DISPOSING OF CROWN LAND ON SHORT-TERM TENANCIES HAD BEEN WORKING SMOOTHLY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

+SO FAR WE HAVE LET SEVEN SITES BRINGING A TOTAL OF ABOUT $3 MILLION TO GOVERNMENT REVENUE, SAID MR. SCOTT-WILL.

+THE IDEA IS TO UTILISE LAND THAT HAS BEEN EARMARKED FOR SOME PERMANENT USE, BUT WILL NOT BE REQUIRED IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

+THIS WAY THE SUCCESSFUL TENDERER CAN HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE LAND FOR STORAGE PURPOSES, AND THE GOVERNMENT DERIVES SOME INCOME.

+ THE TENANCIES ARE FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS, AND THEREAFTER QUARTERLY. USUALLY THE MINIMUM PERIOD A COMPANY CAN EXPECT TO HAVE USE OF THE LAND IS 15 MONTHS, BUT CERTAIN SITES MAY BE AVAILABLE TO THEM FOR A LONGER PERIOD, + HE SAID.

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MR. SCOTT-WILL ADDED THAT THE USE OF THE LAND WAS RESTRICTED TO STORAGE AND SIMILAR PURPOSES, AND SITES ALREADY LET WERE NOW BEING USED TO STORE A VARIETY OF ITEMS, INCLUDING BUILDING MATERIALS, SCRAP METAL, AND NEW VEHICLES.

HE ALSO SAID THAT USUALLY SINGLE-STOREY TEMPORARY STRUCTURES WERE ALLOWED ON UP TO 50 PER CENT OF THE AREA.

THE NEXT SITE TO BE OFFERED IS 6,000 SQUARE METRES AT YUET LUN STREET, LAI CHI KOK WHICH ALSO HAS A MARINE FRONTAGE.

OTHER SITES BECOMING AVAILABLE DURING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS INCLUDE HARBOUR ROAD, WAN CHAI NING FOO STREET, CHAI WAN AND AN AREA ON KOWLOON BAY RECLAMATION.

MR. SCOTT-WILL SAID THAT ALL THE SITES WOULD BE ADVERTISED IN THE ENGLISH AND CHINESE NEWSPAPERS, BUT THAT IF ANY COMPANY WAS INTERESTED THEY COULD BE PLACED ON THE CROWN LANDS AND SURVEY OFFICE'S MAILING LIST AND WOULD BE KEPT INFORMED OF THE AVAILABILITY OF SITES THROUGHOUT HONG KONG AND KOWLOON.

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