XN000022-1982-03-08 — Page 4

MONDAY, MARCH 8, 1982

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TERRITORY-WIDE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY UNDER PREPARATION

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THE GOVERNMNET IS PREPARING A DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THE TERRITORY.

IN ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT TOWN PLANNER, MR CHAU CHAM-SON OF THE LANDS, SURVEY AND TOWN PLANNING DEPARTMENT, SAID THIS WOULD FORM PART OF AN EFFORT TO CO-ORDINATE OVERALL PLANNING FOR A SATISFACTORY ENVIRONMENT AND TO MEET THE HOUSING, TRANSPORT, EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER RELATED NEEDS OF AN EXPANDING POPULATION.

MR CHAU SAID THAT PRIOR TO THE FORMATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, CO-ORDINATED_BY THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, SEVERAL SUB-REGIONAL STUDIES HAD TO BE UNDERTAKEN.

AN AGREEMENT FOR ONE OF SUCH STUDIES, CALLED +HARBOUR RECLAMATIONS AND URBAN GROWTH STUDY+ WAS SIGNED TODAY BETWEEN MR CHAU AND MR R.J. OSBORN, OF SCOTT WILSON KIRKPATRICK AND PARTNERS.

THE STUDY COVERS VICTORIA HARBOUR, HONG KONG ISLAND, KOWLOON, NEW KOWLOON AND OTHER RELATED AREAS.

MR CHAU SAID: THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY IS TO ASSESS THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF THE STUDY AREA, INCLUDING POSSIBILITIES OF FURTHER RECLAMATIONS AND THE SCOPE FOR ADDITIONAL URBAN GROWTH THROUGH REDEVELOPMENT OF EXISTING PROPERTIES AND DEVELOPMENT ON NEW SITES.+

THE STUDY WILL:

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INVESTIGATE THE COSTS, BENEFITS AND OTHER LIKELY IMPLICATIONS OF THESE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES;

* EXAMINE OTHER SPECIFIC ISSUES SUCH AS THE FUTURE USE OF ITS EXISTING SITE IF THE AIRPORT IS RELOCATED ELSEWHERE; AND

* IDENTIFY THE BEST CHOICE AS TO THE LONG-TERM OPTIONS FOR

THE LOCATION OF ADDITIONAL CONTAINER BERTHS AND ASSOCIATED PORT FACILITIES.

THE FINAL REPORT OF THE STUDY WILL CONTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS ON ALTERNATIVE PLANNING STRATEGIES TO DETERMINE THE MOST APPROPRIATE SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT FOR THE STUDY AREA. ITS FINDINGS WILL PROVIDE AN INPUT TO AN OVERALL PLANNING REVIEW OF THE TERRITORY AS A WHOLE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE POTENTIAL, CONSTRAINTS AND NEEDS OF EACH OF ITS SUB-REGIONS.

MR CHAU SAID, THIS IS A COMPLEX STUDY WHICH WILL INVOLVE A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH. THE STUDY TEAM IS THEREFORE TO INCLUDE EXPERTS IN SUCH DISCIPLINES AS TOWN PLANNING, ENGINEERING, TRANSPORT PLANNING, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ANALYSES AND PORT OPERATION. +

THE $24 MILLION