XN000022-1981-04-09 — Page 13

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1981

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+SUFFICIENT LAND AND OTHER RESOURCES HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE AND CONTRACTS HAVE EITHER BEEN LET OR ARE BEING PREPARED TO ENSURE THAT PRODUCTION IS MAINTAINED AT ITS CURRENT HIGH LEVEL WELL INTO THE MID-'80S. NEVERTHELESS, ANY INCREASE ABOVE THESE LEVELS SHOULD BE EFFECTED GRADUALLY AND MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES.+

HOWEVER, THE KEY TO THE CONTINUATION AND EXPANSION OF THE HOUSING PROGRAMME WAS THE AVAILABILITY OF AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF LAND, SAID MR LIAO.

FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE DECADE, INDICATIONS WERE THAT IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY 20 PER CENT TO 25 PER CENT MORE SITES THAN WOULD NORMALLY BE REQUIRED, TO ALLOW FOR THE UNSUITABILITY OF SUCH SITES, WHICH WOULD GENERALLY BE MORE DIFFICULT TO FORM AND SERVICE, TO PERMIT A POSSIBLE GRADUAL EXPANSION OF OUTPUT AND TO GUARD AGAINST SLIPPAGE IN LAND PRODUCTION.

TURNING TO THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME, MR LIAO SAID THAT ALREADY 13 453 FLATS HAD BEEN SOLD TO ELIGIBLE FAMILIES, HALF OF THEM PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS. THE ARRANGEMENT BY WHICH HALF OF HOS OUTPUT WAS SOLD TO PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS WOULD CONTINUE WITH LATER PHASES, THEREBY MAKING AVAILABLE PURCHASERS' ORIGINAL FLATS FOR RE-ALLOCATION TO OTHER FAMILIES IN NEED OF HOUSING.

IT WAS CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATED THAT THE SELLING PRICE OF THESE FLATS -- INCLUDING THE 3 099 PHASE IIIA FLATS NOW BEING SOLD WAS BETWEEN 26 AND 34 PER CENT BELOW MARKET LEVELS.

IF THE HOS WORKING PARTY CONSIDERED IT NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE ANY FURTHER DIRECT SUBSIDY TO BENEFIT PURCHASERS, ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON RE-SALE OF THE FLATS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED.

CONCERNING MIDDLE-INCOME +SANDWICHED FAMILIES, MR LIAO SAID THAT A LARGE SITE AT TUEN MUN HAD BEEN EARMARKED TO PROVIDE 2 000 FLATS RANGING IN SIZE FROM 50 TO 80 SQUARE METRES TO BE SOLD TO THIS GROUP.

UN IF IED LANDS DEPARTMENT BE ING CONSIDERED

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THE GOVERNMENT WAS STUDYING THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING A UN IF IED LANDS DEPARTMENT AND HOPED TO REACH A DECISION ON THIS BEFORE VERY LONG, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

ESPECIALLY IN HONG KONG, THE AVAILABILITY OF LAND IS THE STARTING POINT FOR ALL FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER FOR HOUSING, INDUSTRY, COMMERCE OR COMMUNITY FACILITIES, HE SAID.

REFERRING TO QUESTIONS RAISED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS THE HON LYDIA DUNN, THE HON DAVID NEWBIGGING AND THE HON S.L. CHEN, MR JONES SAID A GOOD DEAL OF WORK ON LAND DEVELOPMENT WAS ALREADY BEING UNDERTAKEN BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE VERY WILLING TO CONSIDER OTHER CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS. MR JONES POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISED THE PART TO BE PLAYED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THE PRODUCTION OF NEW LAND.

/GIVING MAMPLES