XN000022-1980-08-19 — Page 6

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1980

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MR SWEETMAN SAID THE BUILDING OF FOUR NEW TOWNS IN THE NORTHWEST REGION AND THE SEARCH FOR NEW AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT DEPENDED ON MANY FACTORS. WATER WAS NO LONGER A SERIOUS CONSTRAINT BUT A GREAT DEAL OF SOFT FILL WAS REQUIRED BEFORE ANY LAND WAS FIT FOR DEVELOPMENT - AND THERE WERE ALREADY MANY DEMANDS FOR SUCH FILL.

HE SAID GOVERNMENT HAD APPOINTED CONSULTANTS TO SEARCH FOR POSSIBLE AREAS TO PROVIDE THE EARTH REQUIRED AND IT WAS HOPED THAT IN MANY CASES THE BORROW AREAS COULD ALSO BE USED FOR DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS THOSE FLAT AREAS WHICH HAD BEEN FILLED UP.

THE NEXT REQUIREMENT, SAID MR SWEETMAN, WAS CAPITAL TO CARRY OUT THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION

INDUSTRY ON WHICH TO SPEND THE CAPITAL FUNDS.

+MOREOVER, WITHOUT A GREAT DEAL MORE RESEARCH AND COMPARISON OF ONE AREA WITH ANOTHER, WE CANNOT REACH A SENSIBLE LONG-TERM DECISION ON HOW AND WHERE AND AT WHAT PACE DEVELOPMENT SHOULD PROCEED,+ HE ADDED.

MR SWEETMAN SAID WE HAD ALSO TO LOOK AT THE MARKETABILITY OF THE REAL ESTATE PRODUCED IN THE NEW TOWNS.

+ IN THEORY, THERE IS SUCH A DESPERATE HOUSING SHORTAGE THAT ONE MAY BE TEMPTED TO CONCLUDE THAT ANYTHING WILL SELL ANYWAY.

+HOWEVER, THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE, HE SAID, +BECAUSE WE MUST PROCEED WITH BALANCED DEVELOPMENT, WITH COMMERCIAL AND

INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS BEING DEVELOPED TO EMPLOY THE LOCAL POPULATION AND WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES TO MAKE A NEW TOWN MORE ATTRACTIVE AND THUS TEMPT PEOPLE TO MOVE TO A NEW LIFE IN A FRESH ENVIRONMENT.

HE SAID ACHIEVING THE RIGHT BALANCE IN THE PACE OF DEVELOPMENT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND WE COULD NOT CONTINUE TO PUT MOST OF OUR EFFORT INTO BUILDING PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES. + IF WE DO, THERE WOULD BE INSUFFICIENT JOBS TO EMPLOY THE PEOPLE AND INSUFFICIENT SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE A FULL EDUCATIONAL RANGE IN THE VICINITY.+

EVEN IF WE HAD A FULL RANGE OF COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT IN A NEW TOWN, MR SWEETMAN SAID, WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR A LOT OF COMMUTING TO AND FROM THE URBAN AREA AND CONVENIENT TRANSPORT BETWEEN THE BRANCHES AND HEADQUARTERS OF VARIOUS ENTERPRISES AND COMMUNITY SERVICES.

+ VERY STRONGLY FEEL THAT THE KEY TO OUR DEVELOPMENT OF NEW +I

E KEY TO OUR DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS IS TO PROVIDE A REGULAR, RAPID, RELIABLE AND COMFORTABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM BECAUSE IT IS ONLY THAT WHICH IS GOING TO TEMPT CAR OWNERS OUT OF THEIR CARS AND OTHERS OUT TO THE NEW TOWNS.+

MR SWEETMAN SAID THERE WERE GOING TO BE VERY LARGE MOVEMENTS OF POPULATION IN THE NEXT 10 OR 20 YEARS INTO THE NEW TOWNS, NOT ONLY IN THE NORTHWEST REGION BUT IN OTHER PARTS OF HONG KONG.

/+A HOST