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of the exhibition stalls are only now being demolished and the site is, therefore, not available in sufficient time for those people who wish to operate stalls at a Lunar New Year Fair. It has been the expressed view of the Flower Dealers Guild who are the principal organization concerned with the Lunar New Year Fairs that more than one fair site on Hong Kong Island would not be attractive. This is largely because much of the attraction of the Lunar New Year Fairs is the very large area and number of stalls involved which create the festive appearance. The Hawker Management Select Committee has in its programme plans to review future allocation of site and ballot of tickets for the Lunar New Year Fair, and these will be discussed shortly. The Committee would welcome in the meantime any suggestions from Members in regard to this matter.
MR. RAFEEK:- May I thank Mr. LOBO for his answer. I have no supplementaries.
(9) MR. A. de O. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, may I take time out from answering questions to put my own to you? (Laughter).
MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:
(a) Will the Chairman please state the size of the land presently occupied by the railway authorities at Tsim Sha Tsui and also of the part zoned as open space? When is it expected the area will be turned over to this Council for development?
(b) In addition, how much land has been set aside for Government Institutional and Community use? Is it known how this particular area will be developed and to what use it will be put?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
The answer to this question would normally be given by the Director of Public Works. In his unavoidable absence this afternoon, I am giving the reply.
The area of land presently occupied by the railway authorities at Tsim Sha Tsui (i.e. from the ferry concourse to the Holts Wharf access) is approximately 10.7 acres. The area zoned as open space is approximately 7.7 acres. This area is less than that occupied by the railway authorities due to the proposal to re-align Salisbury Road and to enlarge the ferry concourse area.
The date that the area will be handed over for development is dependent on the date of completion of the new Railway Terminus on the reclamation east of Chatham Road, and this is likely to be some time in 1976.
A proposed G.I.C. area of one third of an acre (or approximately 15,000 square feet) has been set aside at the eastern end of the area immediately adjoining Holts Wharf. This area is required to accommodate pumping installations for the salt water cooling of existing and proposed multi-storey buildings in the vicinity.
MR. SALES: Thank you very much Mr. Chairman for answering that question. Are you aware, Sir, that on the 9th June, 1966, the Town Planning Board stated that the site reserved for G.I.C. purposes south of Salisbury Road might well be deleted from the Zoning plan, and an assurance was then given to the people who protested when Government invited objections to the Tsim Sha Tsui Zoning plan? If not Sir, could I ask you to bring this to the attention of the Director of Public Works?
CHAIRMAN:- I wonder, Mr. SALES, whether you are referring to the original proposal which was for a G.I.C. site of approximately 100,000 sq. ft. This was eventually deleted and replaced by this small one here at Holt's Wharf.
MR. SALES:- Sir, I was aware of the change then in the area, but I was wondering whether in point of fact this reduction of site in itself has been made known to the parties who objected to the original plan and wanted a complete deletion of any reservation for G.I.C. purposes?
CHAIRMAN:- As far as I know, the plan showing 15,000 sq. ft. has been published.
MR. SALES:- Mr. Chairman, I would like to inform you that both Mr. CHEONG-LEEN and I, as Ward Councillors for Tsim Sha Tsui, had our attention drawn to this assurance from the Government and we believe that, in the circumstances, the parties were not specifically informed. I would like you, Sir, to draw the attention of the Director of Public Works to this position and have him sort it out as soon as possible.
CHAIRMAN:- I can do this Mr. SALES.
MR. D. J. R. BLAKER:- Mr. Chairman, when this area was being considered last month as a possible location for a Museum, I was given to understand by the Public Works Department that it would be available for this purpose within a period of approximately 3 years. Can you, Mr. Chairman, explain the discrepancy in the timing indicated
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of the exhibition stalls are only now being demolished and the site is, therefore, not available in sufficient time for those people who wish to operate stalls at a Lunar New Year Fair. It has been the expressed view of the Flower Dealers Guild who are the principal organization concerned with the Lunar New Year Fairs that more than one fair site on Hong Kong Island would not be attractive. This is largely because much of the attraction of the Lunar New Year Fairs is the very large area and number of stalls involved which create the festive appearance. The Hawker Management Select Committee has in its pro- gramme plans to review future allocation of site and ballot of tickets for the Lunar New Year Fair, and these will be discussed shortly. The Committee would welcome in the meantime any suggestions from Members in regard to this matter.
MR. RAFEEK:-May I thank Mr. LOBO for his answer. supplementaries.
I have no
(9) MR. A. de O. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, may I take time out from answering questions to put my own to you? (Laughter).
MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:
(a) Will the Chairman please state the size of the land presently occupied by the railway authorities at Tsim Sha Tsui and also of the part zoned as open space? When is it expected the area will be turned over to this Council for development?
(b) In addition, how much land has been set aside for Government Institutional and Community use? Is it known how this particular area will be developed and to what use it will be put?
THE CHAIRMAN, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:-
The answer to this question would normally be given by the Director of Public Works. In his unavoidable absence this afternoon, I am giving the reply.
The area of land presently occupied by the railway authorities at Tsim Sha Tsui (i.e. from the ferry concourse to the Holts Wharf access) is approximately 10.7 acres. The area zoned as open space is approximately 7.7 acres. This area is less than that occupied by the railway authorities due to the proposal to re-align Salisbury Road and to enlarge the ferry concourse area.
The date that the area will be handed over for development is dependent on the date of completion of the new Railway Terminus on the reclamation east of Chatham Road, and this is likely to be some time in 1976.
A proposed G.I.C. area of one third of an acre (or approxi- mately 15,000 square feet) has been set aside at the eastern end of the area immediately adjoining Holts Wharf. This area is required to accommodate pumping installations for the salt water cooling of existing and proposed multi-storey buildings in the vicinity.
MR. SALES: Thank you very much Mr. Chairman for answering that question. Are you aware, Sir, that on the 9th June, 1966, the Town Planning Board stated that the site reserved for G.I.C. purposes south of Salisbury Road might well be deleted from the Zoning plan, and an assurance was then given to the people who protested when Government invited objections to the Tsim Sha Tsui Zoning plan? If not Sir, could I ask you to bring this to the attention of the Director of Public Works?
CHAIRMAN:-I wonder, Mr. SALES, whether you are referring to the original proposal which was for a G.I.C. site of approximately 100,000 sq. ft. This was eventually deleted and replaced by this small one here at Holt's Wharf.
MR. SALES: -Sir, I was aware of the change then in the area, but I was wondering whether in point of fact this reduction of site in itself has been made known to the parties who objected to the original plan and wanted a complete deletion of any reservation for G.I.C. purposes? CHAIRMAN: ---As far as I know, the plan showing 15,000 sq. ft. has been published.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, I would like to inform you that both Mr. CHEONG-LEEN and I, as Ward Councillors for Tsim Sha Tsui, had our attention drawn to this assurance from the Government and we believe that, in the circumstances, the parties were not specifically informed. I would like you, Sir, to draw the attention of the Director of Public Works to this position and have him sort it out as soon as possible.
CHAIRMAN:-I can do this Mr. SALES.
MR. D. J. R. BLAKER:-Mr. Chairman, when this area was being considered last month as a possible location for a Museum, I was given to understand by the Public Works Department that it would be available for this purpose within a period of approximately 3 years. Can you, Mr. Chairman, explain the discrepancy in the timing indicated
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