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Development
The New Territories cover 370 square miles of mostly open countryside. Until recent years this was simply an area of scenic beauty, with small rural and maritime communities. These attractions still exist, but today there is much more besides. The New Territories are being developed to provide homes, work and enjoyment for millions instead of thousands. Growth be- gan in the 1950s, but it was not until the 1970s that spectacular changes were seen with the development of three new towns and various industrial and allied projects. The new towns-Sha Tin, Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan-will eventually accommodate 1.9 million people. The towns are growing in carefully planned stages in order to synchronise housing with employment op- portunities and a full range of social and community facilities for each group of newcomers as they move in. A new road network is under construction, industrial estates are being set up to attract both local and overseas investment, and land is being made available for other indus- trial projects. All this is being carried out in accordance with modern thinking on conservation and preservation-particul- arly as regards traditional communities and architecture, local custom and the countryside itself.
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Tsuen Wan, with the newly completed Kwai Chung container terminal and the bridge to Tsing Yi Island, which is part of the new town. Left: The island, The island, where traditional boat-building is now car- ried out alongside industrial concerns like the factory which builds shipping containers.
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