ENG-1992 — Page 232

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

were formed. Construction of a fire boat berthing point at Mui Wo and upgrading of roads and sewerage at Rural Committee Road and Chung Hau Street commenced in August 1992, for completion within two years.

During the year, community facilities completed were an indoor recreation centre in Cheung Chau and a beach building in Ma Wan.

Urban Development Areas

Six development areas at Aldrich Bay, Siu Sai Wan, Hung Hom Bay, West Kowloon, Central/Wan Chai and Belcher Bay, all involving reclamations in Victoria Harbour, are under planning or construction to meet forecast development needs in the 1990s and beyond. The Aldrich Bay Reclamation will produce about 18 hectares of land for residential, public housing and open space uses. The newly completed typhoon shelter has already been put into use while reclamation of the old typhoon shelter started in August 1992 for completion in August 1997.

The Siu Sai Wan development includes the formation of about 56 hectares of land for industrial, residential, government/institution/community and other uses. Land formation was complete and developments have already taken place.

Twenty hectares of land have so far been formed at Hung Hom Bay out of a total of 36 hectares, with the remaining area due for completion in 1994. Future uses for this reclamation will include residential, commercial, community facilities, open space, trans- port interchange facilities and expansion of the existing Kowloon-Canton Railway freight yard. Two new ferry piers and a bus concourse have been constructed near Whampoa Garden and were opened in March 1991.

Steady progress was maintained in the West Kowloon Reclamation scheduled for substantial completion by the end of 1994. In accordance with Metroplan the reclaimed area of some 330 hectares will provide opportunities for thinning-out existing high density development in the West Kowloon hinterland as well as accommodating strategic transport links to serve the new airport at Chek Lap Kok, namely the Airport Railway, the West Kowloon Expressway and Route 3.

Tenders for 20 hectares of reclamation in Central Hong Kong Island between Blake Pier and Rumsey Street multi-story carpark were invited in June 19, 1992. This reclamation will provide land for the Central terminal of the Airport Railway and also provide opportunities for the development of commercial and open space uses.

Belcher Bay reclamation will create about 10 hectares of land mainly for the construction of a dual carriageway connecting the existing upgraded Connaught Road West with Smithfield in Kennedy Town. Both the reclamation and the link were scheduled tọ commence in January 1993 for completion by 1996 to tie in with the opening of the Western Harbour Crossing.

Urban Renewal

Over the years, government and private developers have been involved in the redevelop- ment of the older urban districts where buildings are old and in dilapidated condition and where the provision of various community and infrastructural facilities is inadequate. In the course of preparing the Metroplan, the older urban districts are seen as offering redevelopment opportunities for comprehensive urban renewal in order to create a better urban environment.

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