XN000022-1980-08-29 — Page 13

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1980

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NT REGIONAL COMMISSIONER OPENS FACTORY AT HA TSUEN

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A PILOT SCHEME IS NOW IN OPERATION IN THE NORTHWEST REGION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AIMED AT MAKING IT GENERALLY EASIER, BUT ENVIRONMENTALLY LESS OBJECTIONABLE, FOR SPECIFIC INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS TO MOVE AS UNOBTRUSIVELY AS POSSIBLE INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE.

REGIONAL COMMISSIONER FOR THE NORTHWESTERN NEW TERRITORIES MR JIMMY SWEETMAN SAID THIS TODAY WHEN OPENING A PLASTIC FURNITURE FACTORY AT HA TSUEN, YUEN LONG. HE SAID DISTRICT OFFICERS WERE ALREADY RECEIVING APPLICATIONS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES.

- BUT NECESSARY FOR MR SWEETMAN SAID IT WAS UNFORTUNATE SOME NEW TERRITORIES FACTORIES TO HAVE TO BE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE NEW TOWN INDUSTRIAL AREAS.

THERE WERE MANY UNDERTAKINGS THAT, DUE TO THE WEIGHT OR SIZE OF THEIR MACHINERY OR THE PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS OF THE IR PROCESSES, FOUND IT IMPRACTICAL TO OPERATE IN MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS, HE SAID.

+THE HONG KONG INDUSTRIAL ESTATES CORPORATION MANAGES TO CATER FOR SOME OF THESE, BUT ONLY THOSE WHICH CAN INTRODUCE NEW TECHNOLOGY WHICH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIVERSIFICATION AND PROGRESS OF OUR INDUSTRY.

+BUT, FOR MANY OTHERS, THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE IS TO SET UP IN A RURAL LOCATION, HE SAID.

ONE AIM OF THE PILOT SCHEME, MR SWEETMAN SAID, WAS TO ENSURE THAT RURAL FACTORIES MAINTAINED A LOW SITE COVERAGE, WERE BETTER SERVED BY ACCESS ROADS AND WERE SURROUNDED BY GREENERY TO BEAUTIFY THE IR ASPECT.

HE SAID HE WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT SHRUBS HAD BEEN PLANTED AROUND THE FACTORY TO IMPROVE ITS APPEARANCE AND HE HOPED THAT IN THE YEARS TO COME TREES WOULD ALSO BE PLANTED TO MAKE THE

BUILDING BLEND MORE HAPPILY INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE.

THE FACTORY NOW EMPLOYS 60 WORKERS, BUT THE NUMBER WILL INCREASE TO 300 WHEN IT IS FULLY OPERATIONAL.

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