XN000022-1980-04-16 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1980

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CS ORDERS LAND DEVELOPMENT, AND PLANNING REVIEW

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY HAS ORDERED A REVIEW OF THE WHOLE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S LAND DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING MACHINERY, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATION, BEFORE MAKING PROPOSALS TO THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL LATER THIS YEAR.

ANNOUNCING THIS AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES SAID A SENIOR OFFICER WITH CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE IN LAND ADMINISTRATION WILL BE ASSISTING IN THE REVIEW THIS SUMMER. THE VIEWS OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL BE SOUGHT ON THE ISSUES INVOLVED.

MR JONES SAID WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOW BEGINNING TO FOCUS ON WAS NOT JUST LAND AS SUCH, BUT THE TOTAL PATTERN OF PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND THE VARIOUS OPTIONS AND SEQUENCES AVAILABLE.

+NATURALLY, AS LAND IS HONG KONG'S SCARCEST RESOURCE, LAND DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION MUST PLAY A CRUCIAL PART IN THIS PROCESS AND A UNIFIED LANDS DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OPTIONS OPEN AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING THE MACHINERY FOR GETTING THINGS DONE,+ HE SAID.

+BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IS OUR TOTAL MACHINERY FOR DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF SETTING OBJECTIVES AND ASSESSING THE MEANS AVAILABLE FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENT OVER VARIOUS PERIODS OF TIME. IT IS THIS OVERALL MACHINERY WHICH IS NOW IN NEED OF A CAREFUL STUDY.+

ON LAND STATISTICS, MR JONES SAID THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON LAND PRODUCTION WILL PRODUCE A GLOSSARY AND A STANDARD PRESENTATION FOR FUTURE LAND STATISTICS.

REFERRING TO A SUGGESTION THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SELL LAND TO SMALL INDUSTRIAL CO-OPERATIVES BY PRIVATE TREATY AT FAIR MARKET PRICES, MR JONES SAID THERE WAS AT PRESENT A GOOD SUPPLY OF INDUSTRIAL ACCOMMODATION ON THE MARKET, INCLUDING PREMISES FOR THE SMALL INDUSTRIALISTS.

HE DID NOT THINK THAT THE SUGGESTION, WOULD ASSIST VERY GREATLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR INDUSTRY ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS.

MR JONES ASSURED MEMBERS, IN SPEAKING ON ROADS, THAT ALL PROJECTS IN THE ROAD PROGRAMME WILL PROCEED IN THE ORDER OF PRIORITY LAID DOWN FOR THEM AND THAT THIS WILL EVENTUALLY INCLUDE, AMONG OTHERS, THE WHOLE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROAD LINKING ALL THE NEW TOWNS.

+ IN CONSIDERING THE SIZE OF OUR INVESTMENT IN ROADS, HOWEVER, WE MUST NOT FORGET ALSO THE TREMENDOUS COMMITMENT THAT IS BEING MADE TO A MODERN, HIGH CAPACITY AND INTERLOCKING RAIL NETWORK AND I EMPHASISE THE WORD INTERLOCKING, HE SAID.

MR JONES SAID THE OPENING OF THE MODIFIED INITIAL SYSTEM OF THE MTR HAD ALREADY SHOWN WHAT THIS COULD DO TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT. THE TSUEN WAN EXTENSION WAS NOW BEING BUILT JUST AS RAPIDLY AND, EQUALLY IMPORTANT, WAS THE MODERNISATION AND ELECTRIFICATION OF THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY.

/+THIS WILL