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TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1983
THOUGHTS ON URBAN RENEWAL
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COORDINATED CLEAN-UP EXERCISES, HELPED BY THE FORMATION OF DISTRICT MANAGEMENT TEAMS AND THE MORAL ENCOURAGEMENT GIVEN BY DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, ARE BEGINNING TO MAKE A REAL IMPRESSION ON PAVEMENTS AND BACKLANES.
THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR GRAHAM BARNES, SAID THIS TODAY (TUESDAY) IN A SPEECH ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE OLDER URBAN AREAS TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG.
+THIS KIND OF COOPERATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE URBAN COUNCIL MUST BE INTENS IF IED, AND IT COULD MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN OTHER AREAS ALSO, SUCH AS BETTER CONTROL OF UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES AND OFFENSIVE TRADES AND POLLUTION, WERE GOVERNMENT OR THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS A CONTROL FUNCTION, HE SAID.
THE REGIONAL SECRETARY STRESSED THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT HONG KONG SHOULD CONCENTRATE ITS ENERGIES ON IN THE PROCESS OF URBAN RENEWAL.
+URBAN RENEWAL IS A COMPLICATED PROCESS IT HAS BEEN MOST SUCCESSFUL WHEN DONE FOR SOUND ECONOMIC REASONS BUT IT IS ALWAYS COSTLY, EVEN WHERE IT WILL RESULT IN AN APPRECIATION OF PROPERTY VALUES, + MR BARNES SAID.
+ IN HONG KONG, BECAUSE OF EXISTING HIGH DENSITIES AND THE NEED TO THIN OUT RATHER THAN INTENSIFY DEVELOPMENT, PROPERT: VALUES ARE NOT LIKELY TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY.
+SO URBAN RENEWAL COSTS WILL TEND TO FALL ON THE PUBLIC SECTOR.+
HOWEVER, MR BARNES NOTED THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT HONG KONG COULD AFFORD WHOLESALE REPLANNING AND REPLACEMENT OF DETERIORATED AREAS EXCEPT AT AN UNACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE OF OTHER PRIORITIES.
HE SUGGESTED, INSTEAD, THAT ENERGIES SHOULD BE CONCENTRATED ON IMPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, BETTER BUILDING MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE, AND SELECTED URBAN RENEWAL PROJECTS IN AREAS OF GREATEST NEED.
ON BUILDING MANAGEMENT, MR BARNES SAID PRIVATE BUILDINGS PRODUCED MUCH GREATER PROBLEMS, BECAUSE THE IR INTERNAL ORDET WAS THE AFFAIR OF THOSE WHO LIVED IN THEM AND THE IR MAINTENANCE SHOULD BE THEIR OWNERS' RESPONSIBILITY.
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