ENG-1985 — Page 207

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

Tai Po

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Tai Po is located at the northwest extremity of Tolo Harbour, about 20 kilometres north of Kowloon by road, and the rapid build-up in population in recent years has overshadowed its traditional role as a market centre. The new town (including the Shuen Wan area) covers about 3 400 hectares and in 1985 had a population of about 120 000. Under present plans this will grow to 270 000. About 170 000 people will be accommodated in six planned public housing estates, four of which will include an element of home ownership. Private residential areas are expected to house approximately 100 000 people.

To cope with this growth in population, transport links with the urban area have been improved. In September, the Governor opened the Sha Tin-Fanling section of the New Territories Trunk Road, which, incorporating the Tai Po Bypass, provides residents of Tai Po with an uninterrupted dual carriageway all the way to Kowloon. This augments the Kowloon-Canton Railway. Job opportunities for residents of the new town are provided at the Tai Po Industrial Estate.

Fanling

Fanling New Town, which includes Fanling, Luen Wo Hui, Shek Wu Hui and Sheung Shui, covers 780 hectares and lies about eight kilometres north of Tai Po. Connections with Yuen Long, Sha Tin and Tai Po will be greatly improved on completion of the New Terri- tories Trunk Road, now under construction. Fanling Bypass, which forms part of this route, was opened in June and since the opening of the Sha Tin-Fanling section of the trunk road the new town has enjoyed a rapid road link with Kowloon, uninterrupted by traffic lights.

The population of the new town reached over 100 000 during 1985, its projected total capacity being about 220 000. About 100 000 people will be accommodated in public housing including Home Ownership schemes. The existing retail and commercial 'core' of Shek Wu Hui and Luen Wo Hui will be redeveloped and the On Lok Tsuen industrial area is being improved. Provision has been made for the retention and expansion of existing villages.

Yuen Long and Northwest New Territories

The population of Yuen Long now exceeds 80 000 and the projected total for the year 2000 is more than 160 000. The town will be linked to Tuen Mun by the new Light Rail Transit System, construction of which will start in early 1986. A major new public housing estate, which will accommodate more than 30 000 people by 1990, is being built at Long Ping to the northwest of the town. An industrial estate at Wang Chau and an industrial area nearby at Tung Tau together provide over 70 hectares of serviced industrial land.

In addition to the further development of Yuen Long, another major urban development project has commenced at Tin Shui Wai, with a planned population of over 140 000. Tin Shui Wai is an area to the west of Yuen Long, at present occupied by fish ponds. Preparatory engineering works began in 1984 and land formation work is programmed to start in early 1987. The first new town residents will move in during 1990–1.

A study carried out for the government by consultants on the remaining rural areas in the northwestern New Territories was completed in 1984. The study proposes a comprehensive planning strategy to direct future development in an orderly manner, to upgrade existing settlements with limited intervention by the government, and to protect the small but valuable amount of agricultural land in the area. The major areas of concentrated urbanisation will be limited to Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai and parts of the Tuen Mun-Yuen Long Corridor.