XN000022-1983-08-19 — Page 2

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1983

POPULATION ESTIMATED AT 5 313 200

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THE ESTIMATED POPULATION OF HONG KONG AT THE END OF JUNE 1983 WAS 5 313 200, ACCORDING TO FIGURES RELEASED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

THAT ESTIMATE REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 25 400 PEOPLE OR 0.5 PER CENT OVER END-1982.

NET MIGRATION, THAT IS, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TOTAL ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 1983, CONTRIBUTED A VERY SMALL NET GAIN OF 1 392 PEOPLE TO THE POPULATION GROWTH.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OR BIRTHS IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1983 WAS 38 215, AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS WAS 14 183.

NATURAL INCREASE, THAT IS, THE BALANCE OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS AMOUNTED TO 24 032 OR 95 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION GROWTH.

THIS FACTOR HAS DOMINATED THE TOTAL POPULATION GROWTH EVER SINCE 1981.

TSING YI ZONING PLAN AMENDED

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THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD TODAY ANNOUNCED AMENDMENTS TO THE DRAFT TSING YI OUTLINE ZONING PLAN.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE BOARD SAID THAT THE AMENDMENTS WERE MADE TO INCORPORATE THE LATEST GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TSING YI.

ACCORDING TO THE PLAN THE FOLLOWING MAJOR AMENDMENTS ARE BEING PROPOSED:

THE LAYOUT OF THE TOWN CENTRE HAS BEEN REVISED TO INCORPORATE NEW TRANSPORTATION NETWORK AND TOWNSCAPE FEATURES. AN ADDITIONAL SITE FOR PUBLIC HOUSING AND MORE COMMERCIAL- RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS HAVE ALSO BEEN PROPOSED HERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WATERFRONT LOCATION. TWO EXISTING INDUSTRIAL LOTS IN THE AREA HAVE ALSO BEEN REZONED COMMERCIAL-RESIDENTIAL SO THAT THEIR RE-DEVELOPMENT MAY ENHANCE RATHER THAN IMPAIR THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NEW TOWN CENTRE. A WATERFRONT PROMENADE IS ALSO PROPOSED.

PART OF THE GREEN BELT IN NGAU KOK WAN HAS BEEN REZONED TO OTHER SPECIFIED USES AND ANNOTATED BOAT-BUILDING-REPAIR YARDS AND ASSOCIATED FACILITIES' TO PROVIDE FOR THE FUTURE EXTENSION OF THE BOAT BUILDING-REPAIR YARDS TO THE NORTH OF CHEUNG SHUE TAU.

THE LAYOUT