CHAPTER 6
THE COTTAGE AREAS
GENERAL
85. The first cottage areas were established in 1948 for squatters in central areas who were offered sites in outlying districts to build their own cottages. It was then thought that these areas would not be required for development in the foreseeable future. However, the rapid pro- gress of development has meant that many of these cottages are now having to be cleared to provide for higher density housing. There are still 15 cottage areas in Kowloon, Hong Kong Island and the New Territories, but the total authorized population has dropped considerably from 80,000 in 1964 to 57,585 on 31st March, 1970. A list of the 15 cottage areas, with the population of each, is at Appendix 3.
86. Many of the 7,565 stone or brick and 1,843 wooden huts in the cottage areas were put up by the settlers themselves, although a number have been built by welfare or non-profit-making organizations. Prominent among these sponsors were the National Catholic Welfare Conference, the Methodist Board of Missions, the Church World Service and the Hong Kong Settlers Housing Corporation. Most agencies have now found it more convenient to transfer ownership of their cottages to the Government, to be administered by the Resettlement Department. Further information on rents and permit fees charged can be found in Chapter 9.
87. During the year 1,284 cottages housing 9,919 people were cleared from Ho Man Tin/King's Park cottage area to make way for Oi Man Housing Authority Estate; 161 cottages from Chai Wan cottage area to release sites for construction of the Hing Wah resettlement estate, St. Joseph's College and Shau Kei Wan Hospital Laundry; and 23 from Ngau Tau Kok cottage area to provide sites for a commercial centre and an estate office.
PRIMARY EDUCATION AND WELFARE
88. The cottage areas contain many schools and welfare facilities, which pay a nominal fee of $2.50 a quarter for their sites. The activities of the various bodies working in the Ngau Tau Kok cottage area are typical of those to be found elsewhere. Built mainly between 1952 and 1956 in what was then a rural area, this is one of the larger cottage
26
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.