XN000022-1980-02-13 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1980

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MR JONES SAID IN THE 15 MONTHS COVERING THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1980 AND THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1980/81 THE GOVERNMENT AIMED TO ACHIEVE SALES OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL LAND TOTALLING ABOUT 63 HECTARES, OR ABOUT 3-3/4 TIMES MORE THAN IN CALENDAR 1979. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE SITES WOULD PRODUCE HOUSING FOR ABOUT 95 000 PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT TWO TO FIVE YEARS AS THE LAND IS DEVELOPED.

HE SAID MAKING ALLOWANCE FOR THE INEVITABLE SLIPPAGE IN THE SALES PROGRAMME, AND ASSUMED THAT ONLY 48 HECTARES ARE MADE AVAILABLE FOR HOUSING, THIS SHOULD STILL, WHEN DEVELOPED, PROVIDE HOUSING FOR SOME 72 000 PEOPLE. THE LAND SALES PROGRAMMES FOR THE FOLLOWING YEARS SHOULD ON AVERAGE PRODUCE THIS FIGURE, AT LEAST UNTIL 1985.

ON TOP OF THIS IS THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME OF 35 000 FLATS A YEAR OR ACCOMMODATION FOR ABOUT 175 000 PEOPLE PLUS THE SUBSTANTIAL REDEVELOPMENT OF PRIVATE LAND IN THE URBAN AREAS.

ALTOGETHER IT SHOULD PRODUCE AN ANNUAL INCREMENT OF NEW HOUSING SUFFICIENT TO ACCOMMODATE OVER 300 000 PEOPLE EVERY YEAR COMPARED WITH THE AVERAGE OF 230 000 PEOPLE HOUSED A YEAR IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

MR JONES SAID IF THE MARKET DEMAND WERE TO SLACKEN, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE READY, TO STEP UP THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME INCLUDING THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME.

ON LONG-TERM MEASURES, MR JONES SAID NEW ITEMS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME FOR THE EXTENSION OF SHA TIN INTO AN AREA ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE COVE AND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF JUNK BAY INTO A NEW TOWNSHIP. THIS SHOULD EVENTUALLY EXPAND THE POPULATION OF SHA TIN TO OVER 650 000 AND PROVIDE FOR HOUSING SOME 240 000 PEOPLE IN JUNK BAY, HE SAID.

IN ADDITION, AN OUTLINE STUDY HAS BEEN CONDUCTED ON POSSIBILITIES OF FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTH WEST NEW TERRITORIES. THIS WILL BE EXPANDED IN THE NEAR FUTURE INTO A FULL SCALE PLANNING AND ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION AND WILL, IN ADDITION, TAKE IN THE NORTH EAST NEW TERRITORIES.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON NORTH LANTAU DEVELOPMENT IS NOW ALMOST COMPLETE AND THIS WILL FIT IN WITH THE MAJOR CONSULTANCIES ON THE DESIGN OF A FIXED CROSSING AND ON THE POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION OF A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT AT CHEK LAP KOK.

+THESE STUDIES COULD, IN DUE COURSES, LEAD TO MAJOR NEW INDUSTRIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ALL THROUGH THE NORTH EAST OF LANTAU, WHILE ANOTHER MAJOR POSSIBILITY WOULD LIE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE KAI TAK/KOWLOON BAY AREA, IN CONJUNCTION, PERHAPS, WITH CERTAIN RECLAMATIONS, HE ADDED.

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