ENG-1986 — Page 210

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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sites that have been partially acquired. By the end of the year, it was estimated that some $75 million had been spent on the acquisition of properties in these areas.

Of particular note was the approval given by the Executive Council to resume 24 private lots for implementation of the Chai Wan Folk Museum project, which will be developed and managed by the Urban Council for the benefit of the residents in the eastern district of Hong Kong Island.

Special importance continues to be attached to urban renewal schemes, particularly those implemented by the Hong Kong Housing Society. To assist the Housing Society with its scheme, 100 properties at Sai Ying Pun and Yau Ma Tei were planned to be resumed and cleared by the end of the year.

To enable the government to improve the private roads and to provide for a more efficient traffic management to these roads, a programme was worked out to acquire nine private streets in Kowloon City and North Point.

Potential Development Areas

Five potential development areas, all of which require reclamation from Victoria Harbour, have been identified to meet forecast development needs and provide for further growth in the 1990s. Work continued through the year on the planning and engineering feasibility studies of these five areas at Aldrich Bay, Hung Hom Bay, West Kowloon, Central and Wan Chai and Green Island, which will provide some 640 hectares of land for development and housing for up to 420 000 people.

Reclamation of 37 hectares of land at Hung Hom Bay to provide for expansion of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Freight Yard and for a number of other government uses commenced in mid-1986 and the planning and engineering study report, prepared by consultants commissioned by the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, was submitted shortly afterwards.

The Central and Wan Chai Reclamation Study will be carried out by consultants for the government and should commence in early 1987.

The study for Aldrich Bay Reclamation, which will have an area of 17 hectares, was completed and work on reprovisioning the typhoon shelter, as a first phase, is scheduled to start in mid 1987.

The effects on the harbour of the proposed reclamations will be assessed by means of hydraulics and water quality studies.

Public Building

During 1985-6, the Architectural Services Department completed 107 building contracts under the Public Works Programme. The total capital expenditure, including that on minor works, was $1,717 million. An additional $395 million was spent by the department's Maintenance Branch in carrying out maintenance and alteration works on 6 300 govern- ment, Urban and Regional Councils and British Forces buildings, including leased accommodation and staff quarters. The overall expenditure, at $2,112 million, shows an increase of some 12 per cent over the 1984-5 expenditure of $1,876 million.

Tendering on all types of projects continued to be very active and highly competitive. During the 12-month period to March 1986 tender prices increased by slightly over 10 per cent, with most of the increase occurring in early 1986. In the same 12-month period labour and basic material costs rose by three per cent and six per cent respectively, with prices continuing to increase slightly during the year, reflecting the general upturn in the construction industry.

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