XN000022-1986-04-23 — Page 30

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1986

NEVERTHELESS, THE URBAN COUNCIL WAS BUILDING A COMPLEX IN WESTERN WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A MARKET, A CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY, A YOUTH CENTRE, AN AUDITORIUM, THEATRE, EXHIBITION HALL, REHEARSAL HALLS AND INDOOR SPORTS FACILITIES.

THE COMPLEX, COSTING $192 MILLION, SHOULD BE READY IN MID-1988.

MR CHAN ADDED THAT RECLAMATIONS OFFERED OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE GOOD DEFICIENCIES IN OLDER AREAS. IN THE CASE OF WESTERN THE RECLAMATION NEARING COMPLETION WOULD BE SITE FOR AN INDOOR RECREATION CENTRE, DISTRICT COMMUNITY CENTRE AND A DISTRICT PARK.

ALSO IN HAND WAS THE TEMPORARY REPROVISIONING TO THE RECLAMATION BY DECEMBER THIS YEAR OF THE WHOLESALE POULTRY MARKET IN KENNEDY TOWN. THERE WERE ALSO PLANS TO MOVE THE CATTLE DEPOT TO THE KENNEDY TOWN ABATTOIR IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS YEAR.

MR CHAN ADDED THAT ACCESS TO WESTERN WOULD BE GREATLY IMPROVED WHEN THE UPGRADING OF CONNAUGHT ROAD WAS COMPLETED IN LATE 1989.

REPLYING TO THE HON TAI CHIN-WAH'S SUGGESTION FOR A LONG-TERM POLICY ON LAND USE, MR CHAN SAID THE NEED HAD ALREADY BEEN RECOGNISED WHICH WAS WHY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAD ENDORSED A LONG-TERM TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IN 1984.

+THESE STUDIES CONSIDERED THE POTENTIAL OF LAND NOT ONLY FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO FOR RECREATION, AGRICULTURE AND OTHER USES,+ MR CHAN SAID.

+TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE APPROVED DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, LAYOUT PLANS WILL BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE GUIDELINES FOR THE FUTURE USE OF LAND OUTSIDE NEW TOWNS.+

IN REPLY TO THE HON LAU WONG-FAT'S CALL FOR LONG-TERM PLANS TO IMPROVE FACILITIES FOR VILLAGES AND AREAS OUTSIDE THE NEW TOWNS, MR CHAN SAID HE AGREED THAT THIS WAS NECESSARY. HE ADDED THAT LAYOUT PLANS WERE BEING PREPARED TO GUIDE DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS NOT ALREADY COVERED BY DETAILED PLANS.

FOUR PILOT SCHEMES FOR VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT (AT PAK KONG IN SAI KUNG, TIN SUM IN SHA TIN, SHEUNG SHUI IN NORTH DISTRICT AND TONG FONG IN YUEN LONG) HAD BEEN SELECTED. THERE WAS ALSO A PILOT SCHEME AT SAN HING TSUEN IN TUEN MUN TO UPGRADE RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.

MR CHAN SAID THE RESULTS OF THESE PILOT SCHEMES SHOULD HELP IN PRODUCING A LONG-TERM PROGRAMME TO IMPROVE RURAL FACILITIES.

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