TNAG-0532-FCO40-627-Conservation-of-wildlife-in-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 127

RESTRICTED

TO PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT TO ACQUIRE THE LAND. I DO NOT SEE HOW WE COULD JUSTIFY THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE IN VIEW OF THE VERY SMALL NUMBER WHO ARE INTERESTED. THERE IS LITTLE CHANCE OF THE FEW LOCAL ORNITHOLOGISTS BEING ABLE TO FIND THE MEANS OF BUYING OR RENTING THE LAND.

5. BECAUSE OF PROXIMITY OF HIS ESTATE TO THE MARSHES, THE TAI SHANG WAI DEVELOPER IS BEING REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCT A BUND AND A SCREEN OF FAST GROWING TREES ALONG THE STREAMS WHICH SEPARATE HIS LAND FROM THE MARSHES. THIS WILL REDUCE VISUAL DISTURBANCE, AND THE AMOUNT OF NOISE WHICH WOULD COME FROM AN ESTATE OF THIS KIND. HE IS ALSO BEING REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN A PROPER

SEWAGE SYSTEM.

6. IT IS PROBABLE THAT ABOUT 5,000 OF THE 11,000 FLATS BUILT BY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS DURING 1974 WERE STILL VACANT AT THE END OF 1974. SINCE MANY OF THESE FLATS WERE COMPLETED DURING THE LAST HALF OF THE YEAR THIS IS A MODEST FIGURE IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES. IT COMPARES WITH ABOUT 4,500 VACANT AT THE END OF EACH OF THE TWO PREVIOUS YEARS. THE TOTAL STOCK OF FLATS BUILT BY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS IS ABOUT 346,000 OF WHICH 11,000 (3.2 PERCENT) ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN VACANT AT THE END OF DECEMBER 1974. THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE HOUSING PROGRAMME BY BUILDING ABOUT 170,000 FLATS DURING THE NEXT 10 YEARS. THE GENERAL DEMAND FOR HOUSING WILL CERTAINLY NOT BE SATISFIED BEFORE THE

ESTATE BECOMES AVAILABLE.

7. THE CRITICISM OF THE SCHEME IN THE CORRESPONDENCE COLUMNS OF THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, HAS COME MAINLY FROM LOCAL ORNITHOLOGISTS. THE CHINESE PRESS HAS PREDICTABLY SUPPORTED THE GOVERNMENT'S

DECISION TO PERMIT THE HOUSING SCHEME TO PROCEED.

ROBERTS

FILES

HKIOD PS

2

RESTRICTED