TNAG-1604-FCO40-2211-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-reports-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kon-1988 — Page 39

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programme. It has been decided that, in the next phase of

development, more resources should be devoted to reclaiming sizeable

areas of land around the harbour. These would provide space to

facilitate urban renewal and restructuring and to construct more

transport links. It has also been decided that more resources will

need to be devoted in the future to developing the essential economic infrastructure of the territory, particularly port

facilities and, possibly, a new airport to replace Kai Tak.

Consultants have therefore been engaged to review all development

studies so far undertaken and to prepare a strategy for port and

airport development and their relationship with the proposed new

harbour reclamations. A comprehensive study of the future transport

structure is also being undertaken. When these studies are

completed the aim will be to develop a master plan to bring together

all the preferred options in a co-ordinated strategy.

(b) Public Works Programme

The

58. In the meantime the Hong Kong Government continue to invest

heavily in capital works on the basis of current programmes. approved provision for the 1987/88 financial year is HK$5.8 billion,

excluding public housing, and the commitment to new projects

starting during the year is HK$6 billion. About a half of the

provision is for highways, civil engineering and environmental

protection projects and a further 30 per cent for building items.

Major projects planned to start during the year include the Eastern

District Hospital, already mentioned, the final stage of the Island

East Corridor road and sewage treatment and disposal facilities in

North West Kowloon. The amount available for new starts in the

financial year 1988/89 is also expected to be about HK$6 billion.

(c)

New Towns

59. Good progress continues to be made with the development of

the new towns, with expenditure on them continuing to run at about HK$3 billion a year. The first public housing estate in the extension of Sha Tin at Ma On Shan has been receiving residents and

the first housing estate in Junk Bay is also ready for occupation.

When completed in the mid-1990s, the total population of all the new

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