XN000022-1986-01-31 — Page 12

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1986

WAN CHAI POST OFFICE TO BE PRESERVED

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THE OLD WAN CHAI POST OFFICE BUILDING, A LANDMARK IN QUEEN'S ROAD EAST, IS TO BE PRESERVED.

THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD HAS DECIDED THAT THE 70-YEAR-OLD STRUCTURE SHOULD NOT BE DEMOLISHED.

UNLIKE OTHER PRE-WAR BUILDINGS IN THE AREA WHICH HAVE BEEN BULLDOZED AND REDEVELOPED, IT WILL BE RETAINED AS A BUILDING OF HISTORICAL VALUE AND ITS SURROUNDING AREA WILL BE EARMARKED FOR OPEN SPACE.

AS PART OF MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE AREA'S ENVIRONMENT, THE BOARD HAS ALSO PROPOSED TWO CHANGES TO THE DRAFT WAN CHAI OUTLINE ZONING PLAN, PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE BOARD SAID A SITE OF ABOUT 5 300 SQUARE METRES SOUTH OF QUENN'S ROAD EAST AND EAST OF SPRING GARDEN LANE IS TO BE REZONED FROM +RESIDENTIAL (GROUP A)+ AND +GOVERNMENT- INSTITUTION-COMMUNITY+ TO +COMPREHENSIVE REDEVELOPMENT AREA+.

+THIS REZONING IS INTENDED TO FACILITATE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT WITHIN THE AREA THROUGH A MASTER LAYOUT PLAN APPROVED BY THE BOARD, INCORPORATING THE PRESERVATION OF THE OLD WAN CHAI POST OFFICE BUILDING, HE SAID.

THE SECOND AMENDMENT INVOLVES THE PROVISION OF CAR PARKS IN FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE RESIDENTIAL (GROUP A) AND RESIDENTIAL (GROUP B) ZONE.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THIS AREA IS SERVED EITHER BY QUEEN'S ROAD EAST OR KENNEDY ROAD, BOTH HEAVILY USED BY TRAFFIC AND NEARING CAPACITY.

→THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD IS TO CARRY OUT AN OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF TRAFFIC IMPACT ALONG THESE ROADS IF CAR PARKING FACILITIES ARE PROPOSED IN DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AREA,+ HE SAID.

THE AMENDED PLAN MAY BE INSPECTED AT WAN CHAI DISTRICT OFFICE, 201 HENNESSY ROAD, GROUND FLOOR, HONG KONG: THE PUBLIC ENQUIRY SUB-OFFICE, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, WEST WING ENTRANCE, HONG KONG AND THE TOWN PLANNING DIVISION, LANDS DEPARTMENT, 4TH FLOOR, MURRAY BUILDING, GARDEN ROAD, HONG KONG,

ANY PERSON AFFECTED BY THE AMENDMENTS MAY SUBMIT HIS OBJECTION IN WRITING TO THE SECRETARY OF THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD, C/O LANDS DEPARTMENT, 4TH FLOOR, MURRAY BUILDING, GARDEN ROAD, HONG KONG, BEFORE FEBRUARY 20, 1986.

COPIES OF THE DRAFT PLAN ARE AVAILABLE AT THE SURVEY DIVISION, LANDS DEPARTMENT, 5TH FLOOR, MURRAY BUILDING, GARDEN ROAD, HONG KONG, OR THE KOWLOON MAP SALES OFFICE AT 382 NATHAN ROAD, AT $10 FOR AN UNCOLOURED COPY AND $60 FOR A COLOURED COPY,

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