XN000022-1983-10-23 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1983

NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT CONTINUING UNABATED

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THE POPULATION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS AS A RESULT OF THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AMBITIOUS NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT, MR BRYAN O'RORKE, TODAY IN A REVIEW OF THE WORK CARRIED OUT BY HIS DEPARTMENT OVER THE LAST DECADE.

HE RECALLED THAT FOLLOWING THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO LAUNCH AN AMBITIOUS HOUSING PROGRAMME, THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT (NTDD) WAS SET UP IN 1973 AND CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DEVELOPING NEW TOWNS.

THE AIM IS TO PROVIDE BALANCED COMMUNITIES IN THESE NEW TOWNS WITH THE FULL RANGE OF MEDICAL, EDUCATIONAL, EMPLOYMENT AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

+ TO THIS END, THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN ASSESSING AND PLANNING THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES WHO WILL INHABIT THESE NEW TOWNS, MR O'RORKE SAID.

+ THE POPULATION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES THEN WAS 680 000 AND THIS HAS INCREASED TO MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION TODAY,+ MR O'RORKE SAID.

+SINCE 1973, THE GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT MORE THAN $10 BILLION ON LAND FORMATION AND THE PROVISION OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN THE NEW TOWNS.+

IN ADDITION, $5.5 BILLION HAS BEEN SPENT ON PUBLIC HOUSING.

DURING THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW, NO LESS THAN 108 SCHOOLS, SIX POLICE STATIONS, SIX FIRE AND AMBULANCE STATIONS, 12 HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, 205 HECTARES OF DISTRICT PARKS AND RECREATION GROUNDS, 18 COMMUNITY HALLS AND 150 KILOMETRES OF ROADS WERE BUILT IN THE NEW TOWNS.

+ BEFORE THE DUST SETTLES ON COMPLETION OF ONE PROJECT, IT IS STIRRED AFRESH BY THE COMMENCEMENT OF WORK ON ANOTHER. THIS IS THE KIND OF PACE THAT IS BEING SET BY THE AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME THAT HAS BEEN CHANGING THE FACE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES,+ MR O'RORKE SAID.

HE DESCRIBED THE SCALE AND THE PACE OF DEVELOPMENT AS UNRIVALLED ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

HE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAMS OF STAFF IN THE NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT OFFICES FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION WHICH HAD MADE THE NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME SO SUCCESSFUL.

/ON THE