No_1_1960 — Page 49

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REGIONAL PLAN NEEDED FOR HONG KONG By Professor W. G. Gregory, University of Hong Kong

[ONG KONG is easily defined as a region. It is very self-contain- ed in most aspects, although econo- mically it is still dependent and likely to remain SO on outside factors. Its political and ideological boundaries are not only boundaries but barriers. However, geologically and climatically it is difficult to dis- sociate it from a large area of mainland China.

"It is probably best considered as a nodal region centred and depen- dent on the twin cities of Victoria and Kowloon, and the port of Hong Kong in between.

"It is little more than a metropolis but there are no rules as to size when it comes to regional planning. The essential feature of a region is that it can be considered as entity, and there is no doubt that from the planning point of view the Colony presents itself as an ideal region for this form of planning.

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"In Hong Kong, there has been little planning in the sense of cen- tralised or co-ordinated planning.

"On the other hand. and quite naturally, many organisations and agencies are planning, but of course this is directed towards their own survival and/or development.

"The many Government depart- ments are planning in their own spheres, but the circumstances are such, or have grown to be such, in Hong Kong, that each organisation agency, department whatever it

is

is mainly devoted to the solu- tion of existing problems, which are added to daily.

"Future planning under this pre- sent system depends on the initiative and imagination of the head or controlling body of the organisation concerned. Liaison, balance and co- ordination again depend on initia- tive, but there is a limit to which each agency can go in both these directions.

"Examples of Government depart- ments which are concerned for instance with physical planning, are the various sub-departments of the P.W.D. Crown Lands Office, Road Office, Drainage Office, and

THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER

Water Authority. And within this there is a section entirely concerned with development.

"Other departments, which have a direct interest in planning and which spring to mind are: Resettlement. Housing Authority, Medical and Health. Education, Commerce and Industry. Traffic Branch of the Police Force, and so on.

"Then there are the utility com- panies which have to plan in antici- pation of future demands that will be made on their services; the business and commercial concerns, including the banks. which are carry- ing on economic planning for their own purposes.

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"Everyone is doing their best within the limits of their resources, not the least of which is money, to develop and prosper.

The benefits which would accrue to Hong Kong from a regional plan were urged by Professor W. G. Gregory, Professor of Arch- itecture, the University of Hong Kong, in the course of an address to the British Council on "The Concept of Regional Planning" That part of his address which dealt with Hong Kong as a subject for regional planning, is set out here.

"They are all in competition for land. finance. labour, and other facilities. But we get back to this situation: Private enterprise and initiative and I mean this in the broadest sense

which are the foundation of the Colony's economy and past prosperity, reach a point where their activities come into mutual conflict, and in my view. the result is to compromise the future and to put the possibility of fully advantageous development in the general interest of the com- munity, in jeopardy.

"It has been said that the problem of the Colony is one of people. The people are a problem indeed from the point of view of housing and the provision of social services, but they must also be regarded as the Colony's great asset.

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"Production of all kinds is the result of materials and labour. Sò far, it has not been fully ascertained what materials we have and whether they can be exploited. But we do have the other commodity, if I may so describe it

people.

"I would venture to suggest that our problem is more one of land and economics. With regard to land, I do not refer to a shortage of land. since I do not subscribe to the view that we are short of land, but rather short of ideas as to how to use land.

"If we had a plan for the Colony - a regional plan we would be able to

determine what would be the best use to put to the various categories of land, not only in terms of industrial or building develop- ment, but in terms of agriculture, forestry, water catchment and many other purposes. And also, look into the problems of how steeply sloping and inaccessible land can be used advantageously.

"Decisions could be made as to the merits of sub-economic or par- tial-economic pastoral or agrarian farming development of the shallow soil upland areas, as against affore- station, or as against building pur- poses, say in the form of new towns.

"One small aspect of this on the physical planning level, which is always provoking my thoughts is the sight of the resettlement estates occupying, because of its scarcity, valuable land, which is badly needed for recreational purposes, particular- ly sport, and for industrial purposes, and whose location on sloping sites could generally improve their en- vironment and enhance their amenity.

"On the economic side, there is the problem of finance, its avail- ability, and its balanced distribution.

"When funds are less than re- quired and there exists the potential to make use of it, it is absolutely essential that what is available is distributed to most effect and to give. balance to development, so that no one aspect goes out of phase with the others.

"This equally applies to private economic planning and financing. Are we right, for instance, in going

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