ENG-1960 — Page 198

LAND AND HOUSING

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159

during the year. Modern shop and tenement buildings in Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Yuen Long, Shek Wu Hui and the other market towns differ little from those in Hong Kong and Kowloon. Modern and well-designed houses and bungalows are appearing in increas- ing numbers along the main roads to Fanling, Castle Peak and Clear Water Bay, as well as on Cheung Chau Island and at Silver Mine Bay on Lantau. Industrial development has been mainly concentrated at Tsuen Wan.

Squatter clearance in the urban area, together with the growth of industry and the spread of intensive vegetable cultivation, have resulted in a considerable increase in the number of wooden huts on both Crown and private land in the New Territories. A new policy was adopted during the year to encourage occupiers of temporary structures to apply for permits, which can be issued without difficulty except in places where planning or other special considerations apply. Additional land and permit staff were re- cruited for this work, as well as to clear up the existing backlog of permit applications. During the year 3,571 permits were issued for temporary structures on Crown land, bringing the total in force throughout the New Territories to 10,692. In addition-3,472 modifications of tenancy permits were issued, authorizing tem- porary structures on private land.

Mention must here be made of two special housing schemes in the New Territories. The first, involving the construction by a Better Living co-operative society of twenty four two-storeyed houses for forty eight families, of fishermen on the tiny island of Ap Chau, in Mirs Bay, was made possible by the generosity of the American people, who donated a sum of over $200,000 through the CARE Mission. The Hong Kong Government met the costs of site formation. The second project was undertaken at Tsuen Wan for the housing of fifty two families removed from the site of the Shek Pik Reservoir, Lantau Island. The removal operation has already been described in Chapter 1 and illustrated by colour plates. The accommodation which the villagers have occupied at Tsuen Wan has 47 shops and 86 flats in six five- storey housing blocks built at a cost of $2.9 million. Four flats and a shop are reserved for a village school, temple and village affairs hall. These blocks contain 106 flats over and above those