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LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

Forward Planning Since the beginning of the 1970's Hong Kong has relied for the greater part of its urban expansion, including the provision of land for industry, on its new town programme. At present eight new towns are in various stages of construction in the New Territories, resulting in a gradual decentralisation of the population from the crowded urban areas. About 1.9 million people, or 33.9 per cent of the population, are now living in the new towns. By 1997, this figure is expected to increase to about 40 per cent.

In 1983, it was concluded after extensive strategic studies that the most economic area for further expansion beyond the new towns would be on new reclamations in the harbour. It was also recognised that the port of Hong Kong, where many of the more centralised facilities had been redeveloped for other uses in the 1970's, would require further expansion in the Western Harbour.

In 1986 and 1987 it became clear that three major problems needed further - and urgent - attention:

firstly, that both port and airport facilities were approaching saturation much faster than expected in the earlier strategic studies;

secondly, the higher environmental standards of the new towns showed up the poor environmental quality of large parts of the metropolitan areas, and,

thirdly, the environmental quality and minimal provision of services in the rural areas had become a source of increasing dissatisfaction to its residents.

This gave rise to three studies, the Port and Airport Development Strategy study, the Metroplan study and the Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy study which are described in the following three paragraphs.

The Port and Airport Development Strategy (PADS) study, which is concerned with the phased provision of new port, airport and related infrastructure facilities, started in March 1988. Good progress was made during the year on background research, planning and engineering studies, and a number of initial options for the port and airport were considered. The PADS final report is expected by mid-1989, when the number of options will have been reduced to three, one for each of three possible airport locations: Kai Tak, Chek Lap Kok or East Lantau/Western Harbour. The proposals for siting Container Terminals 8 and 9 will be announced in early 1989 in advance of the completion of the study.

The Metroplan study will provide a framework for the more comprehensive restructur- ing of the existing and planned urban areas around Victoria Harbour. 'Metroplan - the Aims' (the first consultative document identifying the broad goals and specific objectives of the study) was issued in April 1988 and much positive comment was received. Further public consultations will be conducted during the course of the study. Metroplan is expected to be completed in late 1989, in conjunction with the PADS Study Report and the feasibility studies of major reclamation proposals for the harbour at Central and Wan Chai, Green Island and West Kowloon.

The Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy proposal is aimed at improving living conditions and the general environment of the New Territories outside the new towns. This study covers the essential infrastructure for rural development, and also the planning and land administration strategy for its implementation.

Essential to all these studies will be the establishment of machinery for implementation. For instance, the Metroplan will achieve much of the environment improvement sought through the newly-formed Land Development Corporation which was established in January 1988 to undertake, encourage, promote and facilitate urban renewal in the older