XN000022-1990-05-31 — Page 11

10

THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1990

EACH NEW TOWN HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO BE

SELF-CONTAINED AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF CO-ORDINATING THE WORK OF ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE PROVISION OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES.

THE GOVERNOR WAS TOLD THAT UP TO MARCH THIS YEAR, SOME $29 BILLION HAS BEEN SPENT ON THE NEW TOWNS, EXCLUDING EXPENDITURE ON PUBLIC HOUSING AND LAND ACQUISITION.

THE POPULATION OF THE NEW TOWNS HAS GROWN FROM JUST OVER HALF A MILLION IN THE MID SEVENTIES TO OVER TWO MILLION IN 1990, AND IS EXPECTED TO REACH THREE MILLION BY THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.

THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT AREAS ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND IN KOWLOON, SUCH AS THE CENTRAL AND WAN CHAI AND THE WEST KOWLOON RECLAMATIONS.

ABOUT $6 BILLION IS EARMARKED FOR PROJECTS IN THE NEW TOWNS AND THE OTHER NEW DEVELOPMENT AREAS FOR THIS YEAR.

HAND SHUI THE

SIR DAVID ALSO VISITED TIN SHUI WAI TO SEE AT FIRST PROGRESS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWN. HE NOTED THAT TIN WAI IS THE LATEST OF THE NEW TOWNS, AND IS NOW BEING DEVELOPED BY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON A JOINT VENTURE BASIS WITH A PRIVATE DEVELOPER.

A TOWNSHIP OF ABOUT 169 HECTARES IS TO BE DEVELOPED ΤΟ ACCOMMODATE 135,000 PEOPLE WITH HALF OF THE POPULATION IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND THE REMAINING HALF IN PRIVATE LOTS. THE FIRST RESIDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE IN BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR.

TIT

REVAMPING OF BUILDING, REGULATIONS TO ALLOW GREATER FLEXIBILITY

**

A

THE BUILDINGS AND LANDS DEPARTMENT IS ABOUT ΤΟ COMPLETE REVAMPING OF THE BUILDING (CONSTRUCTION) REGULATIONS IN A BID ΤΟ

ALLOW GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN BUILDING ACTIVITIES.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT, MR TONY EASON, WHEN HE OFFICIATED AT THE OPENING OF THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL BUILDING EXHIBITION (IBEX 90) THIS (THURSDAY) MORNING.

PLACE

MR EASON SAID THE REVISED REGULATIONS SHOULD BE IN WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND OBSOLETE PROVISIONS AND REQUIREMENTS WHICH WERE OFTEN REGARDED AS RIGID WOULD BE REPLACED BY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND CRITERIA.

"GUIDELINES AND INDICATORS AS TO HOW THE STANDARDS CRITERIA CAN BE SATISIFIED WILL BE EMBODIED IN CODES SPECIFIC ASPECTS, WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED AND TIME.

AND

OF PRACTICE UPDATED FROM TIME

ON

TO

/"BUILDERS WILL