ENG-1989 — Page 236

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

reports and other publications. A revised edition of the booklet Town Planning in Hong Kong was published in January 1989 and is on sale to the public. Briefings, lectures and seminars were arranged to explain to district boards, local residents' associations, educa- tional institutions and other organisations, the concept and process of town planning in Hong Kong and also specific planning issues.

As the community becomes more concerned about the living and working environ- ment, planning information is increasingly sought. Altogether, 3 700 enquiries from members of the public were handled by or through the unit in the year. Those seeking planning information included professionals, property owners, developers, journalists, academics and students. The unit has also briefed 33 delegates and 257 visitors from overseas on town planning in Hong Kong.

New Towns and Rural Townships

The initial 10-year housing programme aimed to provide proper living conditions for 1.8 million people. To meet this objective, new town development programmes were drawn up in 1974 to co-ordinate planning and construction activities for the provision of land, infrastructure and a full range of social, educational and recreational facilities in the New Territories. Since then, the programmes have been substantially increased and extended into the 1990s. The present population design capacity of the eight new towns at Sha Tin, Tai Po, Fanling, Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai, Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan and Tseung Kwan O and rural townships is 3.5 million. At present, more than two million people are living in the new towns.

The New Territories Development Department was created in 1973 to plan and implement the new town development programmes. Since 1986, the department has extended its role to cover further development in the urban areas and its title has been changed to Territory Development Department.

The department is constituted on a multi-disciplinary basis and includes professional officers with expertise in civil engineering, town planning, architecture and landscap- ing. They work closely with the Housing Department, the City and New Territories Administration, Urban Services Department, Regional Services Department and other government departments to ensure that development objectives are met economically, efficiently and in accordance with the development programmes.

In addition to participation by other works departments and consultants, the private sector has also been actively taking part in the development of comprehensive housing schemes within the new towns and rural townships.

Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing

With the recent completion of Tsuen Wan Bay reclamation off Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan New Town - including Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi - has expanded to cover an area of 3 300 hectares and to house 700 000 people. When all major developments are completed in the mid-1990s, it will have a population of about 720 000 with 290 000 job opportunities in the manufacturing industry.

Since the opening of Tsing Tsuen Bridge to provide an alternative route between Tsing Yi Island and the mainland in late 1987, developments on the island have progressed at a faster pace. The Cheung On and Cheung Fat public housing estates in the north-eastern part of Tsing Yi Island have been completed, providing homes for 43 000 people. The Cheung Hang public housing estate and a private residential housing development, now under construction, will accommodate another 21 000 people. Two other housing estates,

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