XN000022-1982-01-19 — Page 4

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1982

KOWLOON PARK COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO PROCEED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT BELOW KOWLOON PARK, FRONTING NATHAN ROAD IN TSIM SHA TSUI.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT INITIALLY THE SCHEME WOULD INVOLVE THE SALE OF SHOPPING SITES FRONTING NATHAN ROAD.

HOWEVER, NO DATE HAS YET BEEN FIXED FOR THE SALE OF LAND.

THE PLAN, FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1976 UNDER THE DRAFT TSIM SHA TSUI OUTLINE ZONING PLAN, PROPOSES THAT THREE BLOCKS OF ONE AND TWO-STOREY SHOPS WITH BASEMENTS BE BUILT ALONG THE NATHAN ROAD FRONTAGE OF THE PARK.

THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT THE PLAN AIMED TO MAXIMISE THE USE OF LAND AS THE BUILDINGS WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED TO A UNIFORM DESIGN WITH ROOFS BELOW THE PARK LEVEL.

HE SAID THAT THE USABLE RECREATIONAL AREA OF THE PARK WOULD BE INCREASED BY EXTENDING OVER THE ROOFS OF THE SHOPS.

+ANOTHER ADVANTAGE WILL BE THAT ACCESS TO THE PARK FROM NATHAN ROAD WILL BE CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED AS THE THREE SHOPPING BLOCKS WILL BE SEPARATED BY 15-METRE WIDE STAIRWAYS GIVING GENEROUS OPEN PUBLIC ACCESS INTO THE PARK, HE ADDED.

REFERRING TO THE CONCERN EXPRESSED BY SOME QUARTERS ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE PARK, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT BUILDING DESIGN AND USE WOULD BE CAREFULLY CONTROLLED BY LEASE CONDITIONS, THUS THE AMENITY VALUE AND VISUAL IMPACT OF THE SHOPS WOULD BE COMPLEMENTING RATHER THAN CONFLICTING WITH THE USE OF THE PARK.

HE ADDED THAT THE PROVISION OF A ROW OF ATTRACTIVE COLONNADED SHOPS LINKING THE EXISTING SHOPPING AREAS TO THE SOUTH AND NORTH OF THE PARK ALONG NATHAN ROAD WOULD BRING LIFE TO THE PARK DURING DAY AND NIGHT.

IN ADDITION, THE PROVISION OF TWO PEDESTRIAN ACCESSES TO THE PARK THROUGH THE PROPOSED SHOPS WOULD STIMULATE THE USE OF THE PARK.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID WHILE THE SMALL TREES ALONG THE EMBANKMENT OF THE PARK WOULD HAVE TO BE FELLED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE SHOPS, THE MATURE BANYAN TREES FRONTING NATHAN ROAD, OUTSIDE THE PARK, WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED EXCEPT, POSSIBLY, FOR SOME IMMING OF SIDE-BRANCHES ICH MIGHT HAVE GROWN FURTHER CUTWARD CVE: THE PROPOSED SHOP FRONTAGE.