ENG-1982 — Page 161

HOUSING AND LAND

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works completed include the formation and servicing of land in various planning areas, reclamation at the mouth of the Shing Mun River, fresh and salt water service reservoirs, a new railway station forming part of the modernisation of the Kowloon-Canton Railway with an associated podium for buses, and elevated roads and footbridges.

With building about 30 per cent complete, Sha Tin is being progressively developed to provide a full range of housing and job opportunities plus social and recreational facilities complete with comprehensive cycle, road and rail transport systems.

During the year, 5 700 flats were completed at Mei Lam, Sha Kok and Sun Tin Wai estates. Building works in progress comprise the second phase of Mei Lam and various phases of Lung Hang, Pok Hang, Sun Chui, Chun Shek and Yue Tin Court, with a total of 23 200 flats under construction. Caisson work has been started for the second and third phases of Pok Hang Estate. Schools, clinics, community halls, district and local open space and commercial complexes are being built concurrently with public and private housing projects. The Jubilee Sports Centre, a major sports training facility funded by the government and the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, opened during the year. By early 1983, the 1 450-bed Prince of Wales teaching hospital will be fully commissioned.

In Tai Po, building is well advanced at Kwong Fuk Estate and Wang Fuk Court to provide 8 200 rental and Home Ownership flats. Public housing for 32 000 people is already available in the new town which has a projected population of 244 000-A community centre has been completed and other community facilities under construction include a primary school, two secondary schools, a clinic and two community halls. During the year, sites in the town centre were sold for commercial and residential use, and development of Tai Po Industrial Estate progressed according to plan. The sewage treatment works is being extended in stages to cope with the population growth and industrial development; the construction of two new trunk roads linking Tai Po with Sha Tin and Fanling is underway; and a new station to replace the existing Tai Po Market Station under the modernisation project of the Kowloon-Canton Railway is being constructed. =

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A new town, to accommodate 223 000 people, is growing at Fanling/Shek Wu Hui. Some 5 300 flats have been completed at the first public housing development - Choi Yuen Estate and Yuk Po Court where schools and commercial facilities are also provided. A further 4 200 flats are under construction at Cheung Wah Estate. The first phase of the sewage treatment works was substantially completed during the year and construction continued on the Fanling by-pass, and new railway stations to replace the existing ones. The population of Yuen Long new town has now reached about 50 000 of its projected 142 000. Formation work started on the second public housing estate to the north of the town for 40 000 people. Engineering work continued to provide land for private residential and industrial use and community facilities. Planning and engineering design commenced for a light rail transit system between Tuen Mun and Yuen Long.

The four townships on the outlying islands have a population of some 34 000 at present and this will increase to 67 000 over the next 10 years. Construction commenced on a rural public housing estate for 2 000 people at Cheung Chau and on a new ferry pier to serve the island of Peng Chau. Land continued to be reclaimed at Mui Wo, Cheung Chau and Peng Chau to provide land for sewage treatment work, village-type housing, open space and community facilities.

Junk Bay new town is fast becoming a reality now that the planning, engineering and sector studies have been completed. The detailed design work for the initial development areas is well in hand and the first construction contracts were let in October. This third generation new town has been designed using the latest planning concepts and is for a