XN000022-1982-10-06 — Page 13

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1982

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SIR EDWARD SAID ALSO THAT RECENT STUDIES INDICATED THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT IS ENORMOUS+, AND SOME 388 HECTARES WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MAIN URBAN AREA.

THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT, HOWEVER THAT THIS HAD TO BE VIEWED +IN THE CONTEXT OF LONGER TERM STRATEGIC OPTIONS.+ NEVERTHELESS,

IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN LIMITED AREAS THROUGH REDEVELOPMENT AND THE LANDS DEPARTMENT WAS LOOKING INTO THE MATTER.

DISCUSSING RURAL IMPROVEMENT, THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT THAT +THERE ARE LARGE AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES THAT CAN BE CALLED NEITHER URBAN NOR RURAL IN NATURE.

THE DETERIORATING AND UNPLANNED NATURE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN THESE AREAS WAS A CAUSE OF CONCERN, AND WAS ANOTHER PROBLEM BEING CONSIDERED BY BOTH THE LANDS DEPARTMENT AND THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON LAND SUPPLY.

♦THE CONSULTANTS WHO WILL BE INVESTIGATING THE CONCEPT OF A DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WILL ALSO BE ASKED TO CONSIDER THE USE OF SMALL CORPORATIONS IN IMPLEMENTING LIMITED RURAL STYLE DEVELOPMENT IN THESE AREAS, SIR EDWARD SAID.

STUDIES ON DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS EXPECTED TO

BE READY WITHIN A YEAR

*****

REGIONAL AND SUB-REGIONAL STUDIES ARE NOW IN HAND TO IDENTIFY DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+WE AIM TO COMPLETE THESE STUDIES AND THE FORMULATION OF A LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY WITHIN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, + HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD EXPLAINED THAT THE CHOICE OF A PARTICULAR STRATEGY INVOLVED RECONCILING THE DEMANDS OF HOUSING, INDUSTRY, DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT, ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES.

+LIKEWISE, THE QUESTION OF REPLACING KAI TAK WITH A NEW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS THE SUBJECT OF DETAILED AND ON-GOING CONSIDERATION WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT, RELATED AS IT IS TO THE STUDIES PRESENTLY IN HAND,✦ HE ADDED.

SIR EDWARD NOTED THAT THE TOTAL VALUE OF OUTSTANDING COMMITMENTS ON CAPITAL WORKS PROJECTS, EXCLUDING PUBLIC HOUSING AND THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, HAD INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS $14.2 BILLION AT THE BEGINNING OF 1980-81, $21.6 BILLION AT THE BEGINNING OF 1981-82, AND $26 BILLION AT THE START OF 1982-83.

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+FOR ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL REASONS, I DO NOT THINK ANY FURTHER INCREASE CAN BE CONTEMPLATED FOR THE TIME BEING,+ SIR EDWARD STATED.

BUT HE