XN000022-1986-12-01 — Page 7

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1986

SIMILARLY, A SET OF MAXIMAL TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES WAS DERIVED.

+HENCE THE PROBLEM OF DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IS TO SPECIFY IN BROAD TERMS; WHEN TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT WHICH OF THESE POTENTIAL SCHEMES,+ HE SAID.

ANOTHER DIFFICULTY OF LONG-TERM PLANNING WAS THE NEED TO

CONSIDER MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES, HE ADDED.

THE EXPERIENCE IN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT INDICATED THAT THE PROVISION OF BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE SHOULD PREFERABLY BE UNDERTAKEN BY GOVERNMENT RATHER THAN AS PART OF A LARGE PACKAGE BY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS, IF THE PITFALLS OF THE EFFECT OF THE FLUCTUATION IN MARKET CONDITIONS WERE TO BE AVOIDED.

CONSEQUENTLY, IT WAS DECIDED THAT LAND FORMATION AND THE ESSENTIAL BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE OF ROADS, DRAINAGE WATER SUPPLY AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL WOULD HAVE TO BE PROVIDED BY THE PUBLIC SECTOR FOR PLANNING PURPOSES.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IT WAS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO KEEP DOWN PUBLIC SECTOR EXPENDITURE.

MR BARNES SAID IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT. THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY DERIVED IN THIS WAY FOR HONG KONG FOR THE 1990'S DIRECTED FURTHER URBAN GROWTH BACK TO THE EXPANSION OF THE MAIN URBAN AREAS AFTER COMPLETION OF THE CURRENT NEW TOWNS.

THUS A NEW CYCLE OF CENTRALISED URBAN GROWTH IN HONG KONG

WAS DUE TO START IN THE 1990'S.

+THIS TREND IS ALSO COMPATIBLE WITH THE DESIRE TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT OF THOSE AREAS WHICH HAVE LAGGED BEHIND IN URBAN REDEVELOPMENT SINCE THE 1950'S,+ HE SAID.

THE NEW URBAN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THE 1990'S MUST ALSO PROVIDE FOR THE MEANS TO SUSTAIN ECONOMIC GROWTH.

TRADE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA HAD GROWN VERY RAPIDLY

IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS OR SO.

ADDITIONAL PORT AND CARGO-HANDLING FACILITIES, EXPANSION OF THE RAILWAY FREIGHT TERMINAL AND OF CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT WOULD BE ESSENTIAL.

+ THE RENEWAL EMPHASIS ON DEVELOPMENT ROUND THE HARBOUR IS THUS COMPATIBLE WITH THE TREND OF FUTURE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.

/MR BARNES