Resettlement_Department_Annual_Report_1972-1973 — Page 22

63. The whole Shek Kip Mei scheme is expected to take six years to complete. Meanwhile, detailed studies are being conducted into similar schemes for the other 11 Mark I and Mark II estates with 210 blocks and 480,000 tenants.

CHAPTER 6

COTTAGE AREAS

64. Cottage areas were first established in 1948 for squatters in urban areas who were offered sites in outlying districts to build their own cottages. At present, there are still 14 cottage areas with a total authorized population of 49,907 plus an additional 3,812 accepted unauthorized persons and 3,669 unauthorized persons. Authorized persons are cottage permit-holders; accepted unauthorized persons are residents whose names do not appear on the permit but are accepted because they were included in the 1963 census; unauthorized persons are residents neither on the permit nor included in the census. A list of the 14 cottage areas together with the population of each is at Appendix 3.

65. Many of the 6,654 stone or brick and 1,747 wooden huts in the cottage areas were built by the settlers themselves, although some were 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 found it more convenient to transfer ownership of their cottages to Govern- ment, to be administered by the department. Apart from permit fees, rents are charged for government-owned huts in the cottage areas.

66. During the year four cottages housing 15 persons were cleared from Tai Wo Ping Cottage Area to make way for Nam Cheong Street/Lung Cheung Road Extension and five cottages housing 46 persons were cleared from Chai Wan Cottage Area to release land for the construction of Chai Wan Sub-Police Station. All authorized persons affected were rehoused in public housing estates. 470 cottages in Tai Wo Ping Cottage Area were also scheduled for clearance in connection with Lung Cheung Road Widening.

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