XN000022-1991-11-22 — Page 15

14

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1991

HE

CITED

THAT

ALREADY, INITIATIVES HAD BEEN TAKEN BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR RELATING TO THE REDEVELOPMENT OF SHIPYARDS IN YAU TONG, THE REHABILITATION OF THE ANDERSON ROAD AND SHEK 0

THE QUARRIES, REDEVELOPMENT OF THE OBSOLETE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY STATION IN HUNG HOM AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MAJOR COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL PROJECT IN KOWLOON POINT

FINAL REPORT ON METROPLAN WAS APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR IN THE COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 17 AS A BLUEPRINT TO PROVIDE A LAND USE/TRANSPORT/ENVIRONMENT PLANNING FRAMEWORK FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE METRO AREA OF HONG KONG ISLAND. NEW KOWLOON, INCLUDING TSUEN WAN AND KWAI TSING.

―

KOWLOON

AND

BEFORE THE PLAN WAS FINALISED, THE GOVERNMENT HAD RESPECTIVELY PUBLISHED IN 1988 AND LAST YEAR TWO BOOKLETS IN THE

OF COURSE FORMULATING

THAT THE STRATEGY,

15, "METROPLAN

THE AIMS" AND "METROPLAN INITIAL OPTIONS" IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE WIDEST FOSSIBLE PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE SUBJECT IN VIEW OF IT'S IMPACTS AND MAGNITUDE.

-

HOWEVER, MR BARNES EMPHASISED THAT THE METROPLAN WAS NOT, LIKE THE PORT AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, A CAPITAL PROJECT OR A PROGRAMME OF WORKS BY ITSELF.

"IT IS A CONCEPTUAL STRATEGY WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR AGENCIES MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE COHERENT AND TIMELY DEVELOPMENT AND UPGRADING THE METRO AREA.

OF

"THE RATE AT WHICH CHANGE WILL TAKE PLACE WILL DEPEND ON THE AVAILABILITY AND ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES WITHIN GOVERNMENT, ON PREVAILING MARKET FORCES AND ON THE DEGREE OF INVOLVEMENT WHICH THE 17 HE PRIVATE SECTOR AND OTHER QUASI-PUBLIC BODIES TAKE IN THE PROCESS, EXPLAINED.

THE SELECTED STRATEGY PROVIDED BY THE METROPLAN WAS PREPARED UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE CITY SHOULD GROW IN SIZE BY ABOUT 30 PER CENT FROM 6,500 HECTARES WITH THE OVERALL DENSITY OF POPULATION OF THE METRO AREA WOULD FALL FROM ABOUT 650 PERSONS PER HECTARE TO ABOUT 500 PERSONS PER HECTARE AT A DESIGNED POPULATION OF 4.2 MILLION PEOPLE.

WITH THE TIME HORIZON ASSUMED FOR METROPLAN IN 2011, MR BARNES OF SAID THE SELECTED STRATEGY OF THE METROPLAN SET OUT BROAD PATTERNS LAND USE AND PROPOSED VARIOUS GUIDELINES WITH REGARD TO THE TYPE, FORM AND DENSITY OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEVELOPMENT,

THE OVERALL PATTERN OF LAND USR HAS BEEN FORMULATED WITHIN A NETWORK OF PRINCIPAL HIGHWAYS AND RAILWAYS TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFE AND CONVENIENT MOVEMENT OF GOODS AND PASSENGERS ABOUT THE CITY.

NEW

THE RESTRUCTURING OF OUR CITY TAKES PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE EVENTUAL RELOCATION OF THE AIRPORT FROM KAI TAK.

/THE OTHER