ENG-1992 — Page 225

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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private investments. In this regard, a number of reviews and studies have been or are being undertaken. They included a study on better utilisation of agricultural land and review of the rural upgrading concept.

At the district level, rural improvement projects are undertaken under the Rural Development Programmes to address rural needs. These improvement projects include village improvement and expansion works; provision of sewers and sewage treatment plants; improvement, reconstruction and expansion of village access roads; provision of local recreational facilities in village areas; works related to land drainage, river training and flood prevention schemes; and the provision and improvement of communal irrigation, field drainage and farm access in selected agricultural areas. These rural improvement projects are initiated, implemented and monitored by the various District Rural Development Working Groups, with a budget totalling about $4 billion over a span of 10 years.

The implementation and progress of the rural development programme is overseen and monitored by the Rural Development Steering Committees while the overall policy and development management aspects of the RPIS are monitored by the RPIS Monitoring Group.

Port Development

The Port and Airport Development Strategy (PADS) provided a development strategy for the integrated phased provision of new port facilities along with related infrastructure. The main features of the port development element of PADS include container terminals at Stonecutters Island and South East Tsing Yi, port facilities at the proposed Lantau Port Peninsula, a River Trade Terminal (RTT) at Tuen Mun and provision for industry at Tuen Mun and Tseung Kwan O.

In March 1991 Container Terminal 8 was let by private treaty grant with estimated completion dates between September 1993 and March 1995 for its four berths. During 1992 tenders were invited for the construction of Container Terminal 9 at South East Tsing Yi, Expressions of interest were also sought for the development of the proposed RTT at Tuen Mun Area 38.

The first review of the Port Development Strategy was completed, resulting in the production of an updated Port Development Plan and Programme in June 1992. The Study of Port-related Industrial and Commercial Enterprises (SPICE), which was carried out by the Planning Department with the assistance of the Census and Statistics Department and specialist consultants, was completed in May 1992. It provides a strategic forecast of land required to accommodate a range of industrial and commercial enterprises that are important to the successful operation of the port.

After the production of a series of development statements which set out the development objectives and priorities of each component of PADS, a number of port development studies were initiated. The Lantau Port Peninsula Development Study and the Western Harbour Development Study commenced in August and September 1991 respectively. The main objective of these studies was to plan for a port peninsula at north-east Lantau Island to accommodate container terminals, river trade terminals, cargo handling areas and other waterfront facilities and to provide for additional sheltered waters in the Western Harbour. Also in August 1991, the Tuen Mun Port Development Study commenced. This study was aimed at investigating the feasibility of accommodating deep

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