ENG-1984 — Page 225

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Land, Public Works and Utilities

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POLICY responsibility for land, public works and private building is that of the Secretary for Lands and Works, who is also the chairman of the Town Planning Board and who heads a branch which, in addition to its policy functions, monitors the performance of the six departments which form the Lands and Works group.

The development of land through public works projects is one of the government's largest items of expenditure. Projects covered include the formation and reclamation of land; its servicing by the provision of roads, drains, sewers and water supplies; the construction of highways, bridges and tunnels; port and airport works; public buildings; railway works; and the disposal of liquid and solid wastes.

In 1984-5, funds for capital works amounted to $6,782 million, about 18 per cent of the government's total expenditure. The largest portion, $3,483 million, was for the develop- ment of new towns. Some $679 million was to be spent on roads and $675 million on waterworks. In addition, $1,118 million was allocated for the acquisition of leased land for the projects involved. Details of the more important projects are contained in this chapter and in Chapters 13 and 20.

Apart from its development for public purposes, land is also in demand for private development. Since all land in Hong Kong is Crown land, its disposal by lease for such development is an important element of government revenue. It was estimated that some $4,230 million might be realised from land transactions in 1984–5.

The initial results of a series of land and transport planning studies covering all of Hong Kong and looking forward to the 1990s and beyond were announced in June 1984. The studies extended over a three-year period and were carried out with the assistance of consultants of international standing. In simple terms, their purpose was to define the land requirements and the associated transport systems and other infrastructural needs to which the government's major development programmes are forecast to give rise; to identify and compare potential opportunities throughout Hong Kong for meeting such future require- ments; and to formulate a development strategy to match the requirements and the opportunities. The overall aim will be to provide for continuing growth and to maintain satisfactory living conditions while recognising the need to do so within the limits of available resources.

The initial results indicate that, even after completion of the current new towns programme in the early 1990s, a wide range of potential development options exists which will provide ample scope for still further growth during the remainder of this century and well beyond it. Whereas the estimated land and related infrastructure requirements up to the year 2001, beyond those which current programmes are designed to meet, were based on the projected needs of an increase in population of 0.9 million people, a selection of the best options identified in the studies could meet the needs of up to 3.3 million people. The

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