XN000022-1992-03-20 — Page 5

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 1992

COMMUNITY HAS ROLE TO BRING METROPLAN INTO FRUITION

HAS

OF HONG

FULL PARTICIPATION OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE CRUCIAL IN REMOULDING THE CITY KONG IN ORDER TO BRING THE METROPLAN INTO FRUITION.

FORD TODAY EXHIBITION

THIS WAS STATED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID

ROVING MONTH-LONG (FRIDAY) WHEN HE OFFICIALLY OPENED A ORGANISED BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AS PART OF A PUBLICITY EXERCISE TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THE VARIOUS PLANNING CONCEPTS SET OUT IN THE METROPLAN SELECTED STRATEGY.

APPROVED

BY THE

AND PROPOSALS

COUNCIL IN PUBLIC AND BETTER

WAS

EXECUTIVE THE METROPLAN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR TO PROVIDE A PLANNING FRAMEWORK FOR PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT WITH THE AIM OF MAKING HONG KONG A CITY IN WHICH TO LIVE AND WORK.

CONCEPTUAL

KONG

OF HONG

RATHER THAN A PROGRAMME OF WORKS BY ITSELF, IT IS A STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING AND UPGRADING THE METRO AREA ISLAND, KOWLOON AND NEW KOWLOON, TSUEN WAN AND KWAI TSING.

SIR DAVID SAID THE ·METROPLAN ALSO REPRESENTED A VISION AS AS AN ACHIEVABLE GOAL WHICH WOULD PROVIDE OPPORUNITIES TO IMPROVE OVERALL ENVIRONMENT OF THE CITY.

WELL THE

HE SAID HONG KONG WAS SMALL, COMPACT AND DENSELY POPULATED WITH MILLION WHICH THE PRESENT POPULATION IN THE METRO AREA OF ABOUT 3.8 WAS TOO CROWDED BY WORLD STANDARDS.

THERE WAS A GROWING DEMAND FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT, WITH

EXPECTATIONS INCREASING AFFLUENCE OF THE SOCIETY, AND THE RISING THE COMMUNITY, HE ADDED.

THE

OF

A

HE

AND

SAID TO CREATE A PLEASANT AND COMFORTABLE URBAN LIVING WORKING ENVIRONMENT WAS CERTAINLY NO EASY TASK FOR WHICH HONG KONG WAS ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS, REAL CHALLENGE BUT ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGINEERS AND PLANNERS; IT IMPOSED MANY CONSTRAINTS, BUT ALSO PROVIDED AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES.

HE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG COULD HAVE TRIED TO ACHIEVE WORKS IN SUCH PURSUIT IN LITTLE PIECES, FITTING IN SUCH IMPROVEMENTS TO EACH ELIMINATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA AS IT COULD MANAGE AND TRYING TO BLACK SPOTS.

"BUT

TRANSPORT HAVE BEEN

WITHOUT AN OVERALL PLAN TO STRUCTURE THE WHOLE WOULD HAVE LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE, DIFFUSE PLANNING GOALS,

AND WE WOULD

11

HE STRESSED.

CITY, WE SYSTEM

AND

WORKING TO

/SIR DAVID