ENG-1987 — Page 226

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LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

third phases of the extension of Queen Mary Hospital. The entire improvement and extensions to Queen Mary Hospital will be completed in 1992, when the existing wards will be upgraded to provide a total facility of 2 000 beds by 1994. Piling work for the Sha Tin Convalescent/Infirmary Hospital started in early 1987 and is scheduled for completion in early 1988. This project, the first of its type in Hong Kong, will provide 700 beds upon its completion in 1990, to ease the shortage of infirmary beds and reduce the occupation of valuable bed space in district and regional hospitals by convalescent and infirm patients.

With regard to recreational and cultural facilities, the Tuen Mun Town Hall, with a 1 450-seat auditorium was completed in 1987. The multi-purpose Urban Council Complex at Ngau Chi Wan was also completed during the year, with a 440-seat theatre auditorium, exhibition and lecture halls, a district library, an indoor games hall and a two-storey market. A notable milestone was achieved on the Hong Kong Cultural Centre on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, when completion of the unique suspended cable roof structure over the auditorium was celebrated by a topping out ceremony in October 1987. This scheme now encompasses the redevelopment of the adjacent Kowloon Public Pier and is targeted for overall completion in late 1988. Foundation work on the adjacent Museum of Art progressed and will be completed early in 1988. Work on the superstructure will follow with completion expected in 1990.

Stage 5 expansion work for the Hong Kong International Airport Kai Tak Passenger Terminal, entered its final phase with the demolition of the last remaining vestiges of the single storey structure which served as the terminal building until the early 1960s, to give way to an extension of the 'arrivals' and 'departures' roads and flyovers bringing traffic direct from Prince Edward Road. The whole project will be completed during 1988, providing an annual passenger throughput capacity of 18 million.

Apart from carrying out its own building contracts, the Architectural Services Depart- ment also has considerable involvement in joint-venture projects between the government and private developers, and in community facilities which are the subject of subvention by the government. Among the joint-venture projects completed or under construction in 1987 are residential flats in Ho Man Tin and Nga Tsin Wai Road, Kowloon and Tai Tam and Shouson Hill, Hong Kong, from which the government will receive a total of over 390 flats. Other major projects include MTRC developments at Tai Po Central Market, Southorn Playground, Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan; and the new China Passenger Ferry Services Terminal currently under construction in Kowloon. The department is also involved in monitoring over 370 subvented projects with a total value of over $4.3 billion. Major works in this area include the removal of acoustic plaster containing asbestos from the ceiling of school halls, noise abatement measures for schools affected by aircraft noise and overseeing the development of subvented private medical projects.

Private Building

In 1987, 716 proposals for private building development were submitted to the Buildings Ordinance Office for approval compared with 597 in 1986. Occupation permits issued for completed buildings totalled 440, providing usable floor area of 2.63 million square metres, an increase of five per cent compared with the previous year. The total sum spent on private building works, excluding land value was $9,575.5 million, a decrease of 31 per cent.

New private residential developments continued to thrive as shown by the sizeable residential development at Park View, which consists of 18 domestic towers with ancillary and recreational facilities, including a kindergarten. Approval was given for the develop- ment of the Pacific Place on Hong Kong Island. It comprises three hotel towers and one