XN000022-1985-11-28 — Page 39

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1985

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DEVELOPERS URGED TO JOIN IN URBAN RENEWAL

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CO-OPERATIVE EFFORTS FROM PRIVATE DEVELOPERS, PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (LDC) ARE VITAL TO OUR URBAN RENEWAL PROJECTS, THE HON CHENG HON-KWAN SAID AT THE ANNUAL POLICY DEBATE TODAY (THURSDAY).

+AS A MEMBER OF THE STEERING GROUP FOR THE LDC, I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD SEIZE WITH BOTH HANDS THE CHANCE TO ACHIEVE GREAT PUBLIC BENEFITS THROUGH JOINT VENTURES AND OTHER COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS.

+THE LDC WILL HAVE OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE SPECIAL PROJECTS, BUT THE NECESSARY LIFE-BLOOD WILL HAVE TO COME FROM THE PRIVATE DEVELOPERS.

+WE SHALL NEED ALL THE TALENT AND THE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF THE WHOLE BUILDING INDUSTRY IF WE ARE TO MAKE OUR INNER-URBAN AREAS NOT ONLY GOOD PLACES TO LIVE IN BUT ALSO INTEGRAL AND VITAL PARTS OF OUR CITY, HE SAID.

MR CHENG SAID HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE SCHEMES WOULD HAVE THE VISION AND THE SCOPE TO INSPIRE EVERYONE, NOT LEAST THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, TO HELP IN CREATING NEW NEIGHBOURHOODS OF CHARACTER AND QUALITY, TO THE ADVANTAGE OF US ALL.

HOWEVER, HE SAID HE APPRECIATED THAT PEOPLE AFFECTED WOULD HAVE MIXED FEEL INGS ABOUT THESE PLANS.

ON THE ONE HAND, HE SAID, THEY HAD HOPES OF BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS IN A BRIGHTER, HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT WHILE ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE WERE FEARS OF HAVING TO MOVE AWAY FROM OLD, FAMILIAR NEIGHBOURHOOD.

+THESE FEELINGS ARE VERY NATURAL AND UNDERSTANDABLE.

+THEY MUST NOT BE IGNORED AND WE MUST MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO LOOK AFTER THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE AREAS.

+PROVISION WILL BE MADE TO REHOUSE THEM IN THE SAME NEIGHBOURHOOD IF POSSIBLE -- AND A NUMBER OF COMPENSATION OPTIONS BASED ON MARKET VALUES ARE BEING DRAWN UP FOR OWNERS OF PROPERTY AND BUSINESSES, MR CHENG SAID.

HE SAID HE WAS FULLY AWARE THAT URBAN RENEWAL IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD HAD NOT ALWAYS HAD HAPPY RESULTS, BUT HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT WE WERE NOW ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND WE COULD RELY ON THE CO-OPERATION OF THE WHOLE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN THIS ENTERPRISE.

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