XN000022-1985-10-21 — Page 5

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1985

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HK'S LAND SUPPLY ADEQUATE FOR FUTURE NEEDS

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THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR JOHN TODD, SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT HONG KONG HAD FINALLY GOT AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF LAND.

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF VICTORIA, MR TODD SAID LAND SHORTAGE HAD BEEN HONG KONG'S NORMAL SITUATION FOR MANY YEARS. IF ANYONE HAD BEEN ASKED 10 OR EVEN FIVE YEARS AGO IF THE SITUATION WOULD CHANGE THE ANSWER WOULD HAVE BEEN +NO+.

+HOWEVER,+ HE CONTINUED, IT HAS CHANGED WITH THE BUILDING OF THE NEW TOWN PROGRAMMES. IT SEEMS THAT HONG KONG HAS AT LAST REACHED THE STAGE WHERE IT HAS AN ADEQUATE, I DO NOT SAY AN ABUNDANT, SUPPLY OF LAND.

+A POSITION IN WHICH THE PRESENT AND FORESEEN SUPPLY OF LAND IS GOOD GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW OUR POSITION AND TO HAVE A CHANCE TO CREATE A LAND DISPOSAL PROGRAMME BETTER ABLE TO RESPOND TO DEMAND.

+ THE PRESENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT WE SHALL HAVE ENOUGH LAND TO MEET OUR OVERALL REQUIREMENTS IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND PERHAPS TO HAVE SOME LAND IN HAND TO MEET FUTURE NEEDS,+ SAID MR TODD.

GIVING FIGURES TO ILLUSTRATE THE LAND POSITION, MR TODD SAID THAT THE PRESENT PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING PROGRAMME CALLED FOR 26 200 FLATS A YEAR ON NEW LAND AND 3 800 THROUGH REDEVELOPMENT. UP TO 1990 THE LAND NEEDED WAS ALREADY INCLUDED IN PLANNED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AND RECENT DECISIONS ON FUTURE DEVELOPMENT SHOULD ENSURE THAT THE NECESSARY SUPPLY CONTINUED AFTER THAT DATE.

HE ADDED THAT NEW LAND WOULD ALSO BE NEEDED FOR SOME 16 000 FLATS TO BE BUILT BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THE PRESENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES SHOULD SUPPLY THIS NEED AND INDEED CREATE A SURPLUS.

MR TODD WARNED: +THERE MUST BE SOME CONCERN THAT THIS SURPLUS COULD LEAD DEVELOPERS TO CONCENTRATE ON FLAT PRODUCTION IN THE URBAN AREA TO THE NEGLECT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+THIS COULD BE UNFORTUNATE AS IT COULD LEAD TO AN IMBALANCE IN THE COMMUNITIES IN THE NEW TOWNS.+

ON THE QUESTION OF INDUSTRIAL LAND MR TODD SAID CHEAP LAND EXISTED IN THE NEW TOWNS BUT WAS NOT FAVOURED BY INDUSTRIALISTS WHO LIKED TO REMAIN NEAR THE URBAN AREAS WITH THEIR SERVICES, LABOUR POOLS AND GOOD COMMUNICATIONS.

THE GOVERNMENT'S PROBLEM WAS THAT IF IT KEPT CREATING LAND IN THESE FAVOURED AREAS THE NEW TOWN INDUSTRIAL ZONES WOULD NOT BE DEVELOPED FOR MANY YEARS AND THE ORIGINAL AIM OF BALANCED DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT BE REACHED. HOWEVER, IF IT DID NOT SUPPLY LAND IN THESE URBAN AREAS INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION MIGHT BE INHIBITED.

/GIVING HIS