ENG-1995 — Page 248

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

Completion of the works is scheduled for January 1997, to tie in with the target opening date of the extension in mid-1997.

On the western side, the Belcher Bay Reclamation will provide about 10 hectares of land, mainly for the construction of the Belcher Bay Link, a dual carriage- way connecting the existing, upgraded, Connaught Road West with Smithfield in Kennedy Town. Both the reclamation and the construction of the link commenced in May 1993, for targeted completion in 1996–97, to tie in with the opening of the Western Harbour Crossing.

On the eastern side, the Aldrich Bay development will produce about 30 hectares of land for private and public housing, open space and other uses. The new typhoon shelter was put into use in early 1991, while reclamation of the old typhoon shelter started in August 1992 for completion, in phases, from 1995 to 1999.

The Siu Sai Wan development includes the formation of about 56 hectares of land for residential, government, institutional, community and other uses. Two secondary schools and one Private Sector Participation Scheme housing development have already been completed. Another secondary school, a Private Sector Participation Scheme housing development and an Urban Council sports ground are under construction.

Kowloon

Large-scale reclamation work is currently under way at West Kowloon. Some 340 hectares of land are being formed in West Kowloon, including reclamation at Stonecutters Island, to tie in with the government's proposed programme for the development of Hong Kong's new international airport at Chek Lap Kok. The reclamation is used for private and public housing, commercial and industrial development, and strategic transport links to the airport such as the third harbour crossing, the West Kowloon Expressway and the airport railway. The area will house about 91 000 persons. It will also be used to compensate for land-use deficiencies in adjacent areas by providing more open space and government facilities. Steady progress has been maintained in the West Kowloon Reclamation and more than 95 per cent of the area has been formed. A large open space fronting the residential estate at Mei Foo Sun Chuen was completed in June 1995 and will act as a buffer zone between the residential area and the future West Kowloon Expressway.

Reclamation at Hung Hom Bay is complete, providing 36 hectares of land for private and public housing, commercial development, extension of the existing Kowloon-Canton Railway freight yard, government facilities, institutional and com- munity facilities, schools, open space and roadworks. The area will house about 11 500 people. Engineering infrastructure, including two trunk roads (the Hung Hom Bypass and Princess Margaret Road Link), is being designed and will be completed in early 1999.

Upon the relocation of Hong Kong International Airport to Chek Lap Kok, an area of about 670 hectares in South-East Kowloon will be released for development in line with the Metroplan. Of this, about 300 hectares will be reclaimed from Kowloon Bay, about 270 hectares will be obtained from the existing airport site and about 100 hectares will be reserved for the proposed typhoon shelter and cargo-working area at Cha Kwo Ling. The adjoining 260 hectares of existing urban areas at Hung Hom, To Kwa Wan, Ma Tau Kok and Kowloon City will also offer

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