XN000022-1996-02-02 — Page 5

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80 hectares of land acquired in 1995 for public works

The Lands Department had acquired 80 hectares of land in the New Territories last year for various public works projects including Route 3, improvement works to the Shenzhen River and Drainage Works in Yuen Long, the Director of Lands, Mr Robert Pope, said today (Friday).

Speaking at the annual meet-the-media session, Mr Pope said: "We would continue to acquire as much land as possible to implement the Public Works Programme and urban renewal projects undertaken by the Land Development Corporation."

Reviewing the work achieved by the department during the past year, Mr Pope said land grants related to the development of the new airport had been proceeding smoothly.

"On December 1, 1995, the Private Tenancy Grant for the new airport at Chek Lap Kok was executed, as well as the grant for the Sha Chau Aviation Fuel Facility.

"For the Airport Railway, Private Treaty Grants for Mass Transit Railway Corporation development at Tung Chung were executed, and work is continuing on schedule for other sites at Tung Chung," he said.

Resumption of some 2,000 agricultural and buildings lots in the Tung Chung valley for implementing the Tung Chung New Town plan was proceeding on schedule, said Mr Pope.

"In addition, 582 special purpose leases had been extended as at the end of 1995. The remaining 261 cases which are currently being processed will be dealt with before June 1997," he said.

Turning to land disposal, Mr Pope said the Land Sales Programme for 1995-96 proceeded well with no site unsold by auction or tender.

"The revenue from land transactions last year amounted to $35.8 billion with $17 billion of that coming from auctions and tenders, $11.75 billion from private treaty grants, such as land for the airport railway and $7 billion from lease modification/exchanges," he said.

Turning to the work accomplished by the Task Force Black Spot, Mr Pope said by the end of last year a total of 58,028 square metres of government land had been cleared in the Pat Heung Pilot Action Area, with landscaping works completed for 32,995 square metres of land.