XN000022-1993-09-27 — Page 7

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1993

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URBAN RENEWAL

-

CHALLENGE OF NEXT TWO DECADES

OF THE

SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT URBAN RENEWAL WOULD BE THE CHALLENGE NEXT TWO DECADES FOR HONG KONG.

SPEAKING AT THE NEW TOWN EXPERIENCE CONFERENCE, MR EASON "WE HAVE MADE A START IN THE METROPLAN STUDY WHICH HAS SHOWN KIND OF CITY WE WANT TO BUILD.

H

"THE NEXT STEP IS IN COMING UP WITH WAYS TO ACHIEVE IT.

SAID: US THE

OF THE CREATE

"NEW RECLAMATIONS AROUND THE HARBOUR AND THE FREEING EXISTING AIRPORT AREA BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHEK LAP KOK WILL SOLUTION SPACES WHICH WILL RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURE ON THE URBAN AREA, HE SAID.

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MR BASON SAID THIS WAS CREATING A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY THAT HAD TO BE EXPLOITED BUT IN ORDER ΤΟ DO So,

SOME VERY DIFFICULT PHYSICAL, INSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS HAD TO BE SOLVED.

PHYSICALLY, MORE SPACE HAD TO BE CREATED SO THE NEW TOWNS PROGRAMME WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE.

INSTITUTIONALLY, SOLUTION HAD TO BE FOUND FOR THE PROBLEMS OF MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP OF BUILDINGS AND FRAGMENTED LAND TITLE TO ALLOW LAND TO BE ASSEMBLED FOR COMPREHENSIVE REDEVELOPMENT.

THE ONLY · WAY THAT THIS COULD BE DONE WAS BY USING THE GOVERNMENT'S POWERS TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY COMPULSORILY, MR EASON SAID, POINTING OUT THAT THIS IN ITSELF RAISED A WHOLE NEW SET OF LEGAL, POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL QUESTIONS.

HE SAID THE OLDER URBAN AREAS, WHICH PROVIDED SOMB OF THE CHEAPEST RENTAL HOUSING AVAILABLE IN HONG

KONG, WERE CLOSE TO THE PLACES WHERE MANY RESIDENTS WORKED AND WERK ALSO HOME ΤΟ LONG-ESTABLISHED COMMUNITIES.

THERE WAS

AS MORE AND MORE OF THE URBAN AREA WAS REDEVELOPED, LESS AND LESS LOW-COST HOUSING FOR THEM TO MOVE ΤΟ AND THEIR COMMUNITIES WOULD BREAK UP.

TO

THUS, ONE GREAT CHALLENGE IN URBAN RENEWAL WAS TO FIND WAYS IMPROVE THE CITY WITHOUT THE COST FALLING ON THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WERE LEAST ABLE TO BEAR IT.

"WE HAVE STARTED TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THROUGH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

"THAT EXPERIENCE IS PROVING

INVALUABLE IN SUGGESTING WAYS IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECTS

FORWARD, QUITE APART FROM THE UNDOUBTED

甲

THEMSELVES, MR EASON SAID.

++ THE TASK IS NOTHING LESS THAN THE CREATION OF CITY THAT WILL CONTINUE TO MEET THE ASPIRATIONS OF ITS PEOPLE WELL INTO THE NEXT CENTURY, MR EASON SAID, STRESSING THAT HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT ANSWERS COULD BE FOUND TO THESE PROBLEMS AND THE SUCCESS OF THE TOWNS PROGRAMME COULD BE REPEATED.

NEW

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