XN000022-1994-12-21 — Page 11

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"A code of practice, to be prepared by the Government for application by major operator bodies and associations, is also advocated in the study to educate operators about the existing regulations and to propose practical measures by which sites may be improved," Dr Pun added.

The study has also recommended the Government to resume land and develop the basic infrastructure required at Ping Che and Ta Kwu Ling for open storage use and at San Tin for container lorry parking and empty container storage or repair.

Dr Pun said the Government would further examine these proposals in greater detail, including their impacts on traffic, drainage and environment of the areas.

Other recommended measures include rezoning some of the industrial sites on the West Kowloon Reclamation to port back-up use; encouraging open storage activities in shed-like accommodation on land reserved for rural industries; temporary use of land on reclamations; reserving possible long- term cavern development on Tsing Yi for port back-up use; and designation of a multi-storey container lorry park building near Container Terminal No. 8.

The building would provide more than 1,000 lorry parking spaces and would incorporate a container freight station and other ancillary uses.

"The long-term aim would be to encourage relocation of port back-up activities and some open storage operation to China, where land is abundant and relatively cheap.

"Relocation could provide a major solution to relieve land pressures in Hong Kong. To achieve this, more dialogue with the Chinese authorities will be required," Dr Pun noted.

Earlier, he said the main objectives of the consultancy study were to project future demand for port back-up and open storage uses up to the year 2011; to identify sites to meet future land requirements; and to make recommendations to resolve problems currently caused by such operations.

In August 1993, there were a total of 237 port back-up and 1,453 open storage sites in the territory covering 198 hectares and 362 hectares of land respectively.

These figures doubled the amount of land used for such purposes 10 years ago.