May_1967 — Page 4

used as access to machine rooms and alternately to toilets, resulting in two floors being served by one machine room and toilet area. Every floor is entirely free of columns.

A. L. Luz Associates are the architects for the building, which is being constructed for Metro Central Mercantile Corp. by Lian Eng Construction.

TAX OFFER ON NEW BUILDINGS

SINGAPORE's housing developers have warmly welcomed the Government's offer of tax concessions to those pre- pared to participate in 20 designated areas earmarked for urban renewal schemes.

Mr. Hanson Kwauk, president of the Land and Housing Development Association, representing some 75 developers, said last month that for the past 20 years there had been very few large-scale development projects in the city sector. Most buildings in the centre of the city were near a century old, and the Government's announcement of the urban renewal schemes was most timely.

"We have every confidence that the Government will succeed in these schemes because of its careful planning, vitality and resourcefulness," he said. "We private develop- ers will endeavour to do our very best to give full support and to work closely with the Government in attaining its objective."

The concessions to developers are provided under an order under Section 8 of the Property Tax Ordinance, 1960. They include the complete waiving for a certain period of property tax on the vacant land, while construc- tion of a designated project is going on. After the build- ing has been completed and occupied, the normal rate of 36 per cent will be reduced to 12 per cent for a guaranteed period of 20 years.

tax

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Mr. Kwauk said his association felt that besides at- tracting local housing developers and local capital, the proposals would also bring in substantial foreign capital to participate in the re-development schemes.

LAI CHI KOK BRIDGE PROGRESS

CONSTRUCTION work on Hong Kong's longest bridge, at at Lai Chi Kok on the southern coast of Kowloon, is now ahead of schedule and foundations for 15 of the 29 spans for the bridge have been completed. The 2,600 ft. structure, described in the July 1966 FEA & B, is due for completion by the middle of next year.

Because the bridge straddles Lai Chi Kok Bay, piling goes on both in the sea and on land with the greater emphasis on land at the moment. The aim of this is to have all the foundations on land completed before the rainy season which could delay work.

The bridge will be a vital part of the modern road system planned to link Kowloon and the New Territories. Besides spanning the bay. it will form an elevated road- way through the Mei Fu Chuen housing estate, under construction by Mobil Oil Co. It will carry two 33-ft.- wide carriageways and provide three traffic lanes in each direction.

Progress is also reported by engineers working on the Lai Chi Kok Coastal Road and the Kwai Chung Road which join to form a five-mile-link between Kowloon and the New Territories with Lai Chi Kok Bridge at one end and Castle Peak Road at the other. The opening of these two roads will coincide with that of the bridge.

Consulting engineers for the projects are Scott and Wilson, Kirkpatrick and Partners.

QUEEN'S ROAD E. FLYOVER

THE editor regrets that the credits given in the feature on Queen's Road E. Flyover, Hong Kong, which appeared in the April issue were misleading. The work is being carried out for the Director of Public Works, Hon. A.M.J. Wright, CMG. Mr. H.D. Stead, chief engineer, Roads and Drainage, is the engineer for the project, while Mr. P. Connor, is directly responsible for the work.

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Far East Architect & Builder May, 1967