XN000022-1978-12-25 — Page 3

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1978

NEW COMPENSATION RATES FOR LAND RESUMED OUTSIDE

NT DEVELOPMENT AREAS

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES FOR LAND RESUMED OUTSIDE THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT LAYOUT AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES ANNOUNCED TODAY (MONDAY) THAT THE NEW RATES WOULD BE EFFECTIVE RETROSPECTIVELY TO NOVEMBER 1, 1978.

+UNDER THE NEW RATES, OWNERS OF LAND OUTSIDE THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT LAYOUT AREAS WILL BE COMPENSATED IN PROPORTIONS RANGING FROM 20 TO 70 PER CENT OF THE CASH EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE CURRENTLY PAYABLE IN THE LAYOUT AREAS, HE SAID.

+LAND OUTSIDE THE LAYOUTS WILL BE DIVIDED INTO ZONES WHICH TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE POTENTIAL USE OF THE LAND ON THE BASIS OF ITS LOCATION AND PROXIMITY TO LAYOUT AREAS.

MR. AKERS-JONES POINTED OUT THAT THE PRESENT COMPENSATION RATE FOR PRIVATE AGRICULTURAL LAND RESUMED IN THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT LAYOUT AREAS WAS $39 PER SQUARE FOOT, A FIGURE THAT IS REVIEWED TWICE A YEAR.

HE SAID THE NEW SYSTEM HAD BEEN DRAWN UP IN LINE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE COMMITTEE ON URBAN LAND ACQUISITION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HEADED BY SIR YUET-KEUNG KAN.

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