HONG KONG 2004 - Land, Public Works and Utilities

The development of new towns in the New Territories continued in 2004. At year-end, about 3.2 million people were housed in the new towns and the nearby rural townships, enjoying a wide range of community and recreational facilities, including schools, markets, shopping centres, parks and open spaces and convenient transport links.

Railway development continued to add convenient mass transit connections between the new towns and the urban areas. The new town of Tseung Kwan O has been served by the MTR Tseung Kwan O Line since August 2002. The KCR West Rail, commissioned in December 2003, links the new towns of Tsuen Wan, Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun with West Kowloon. The Ma On Shan Railway, which connects Wu Kai Sha in Ma On Shan with Tai Wai in Sha Tin, has a total length of about 11.4 kilometres and was commissioned in December 2004.

Engineering design and construction works on land formation and infrastructure of the development are overseen and coordinated by the CEDD.

Extensive landscape works continued to be implemented in conjunction with the developments, providing a green framework to the new neighbourhoods. Trees are planted along roadsides to provide shade and colour, and attention is given to the provision and design of sitting-out areas and walkways for the enjoyment of the public. Ecological restoration works have also been undertaken in accordance with the recommendation of the environmental impact assessment studies to mitigate the impact of engineering works.

Apart from the tree planting associated with the developments, large-scale afforestation programme continued in the hinterland of the new towns and urban development areas, reducing soil erosion due to water run-off from hillsides, preventing siltation of drainage systems and enhancing the countryside. More than 10 million trees and shrubs have been planted over the last five years, with about one million planted in 2004.

Tsuen Wan new town embraces the areas of Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi Island, covering a total development area of about 2 400 hectares. The current population of the new town is 774 000, and is expected to rise to about 807 000 by 2013. The new town has Hong Kong's container terminals in its midst in the Kwai Chung area. In addition, construction works of the new Container Terminal 9 have substantially been completed, with its Berths 1 and 2 in operation.

Major highway projects are being constructed or planned to further extend and reinforce the main road network. Construction is proceeding on part of the Route 8 between Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan, and the section of Route 9 between Shek Wai Kok and Chai Wan Kok.

Sha Tin new town embraces the areas of Sha Tin and Ma On Shan. It covers a total development area of about 2 000 hectares and is already home to about 628 300 people.

The new town has a well-established external transport network comprising the Kowloon-Canton Railway, Lion Rock Tunnel, Tai Po Road, Tolo Highway, Sai Sha Road, Shing Mun Tunnel and Tate's Cairn Tunnel. Recently, Trunk Road T7, connecting the Ma On Shan Road and Sai Sha Road bypassing the busy Ma On Shan Town Centre, was completed in August 2004, further improving the transport network to support the continual development of the new town. The Sha Tin Heights Tunnel linking Sha Tin to Cheung Sha Wan and the Road T3, which will connect the Sha Tin Heights Tunnel to the Sha Tin New Town, are under construction for completion in 2007.

Tuen Mun new town, in the western New Territories, is developed mainly on land reclaimed from Castle Peak Bay and on platforms built in the valley between Castle Peak and the Tai Lam Hills. It covers a total development area of about 1 900 hectares. The new town's current population is about 478 800, and this is forecast to rise to about 472 600 in 2013.

In south-west Tuen Mun, the River Trade Terminal operates as a consolidation point for containers and bulk cargoes shipped between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta ports. The reclamation for special industrial use has been completed. To cope with the increasing traffic demand in association with these developments, Lung Fu Road (Foothills Bypass) has been opened to traffic.

Tai Po has grown from a small market town into a new town with a population of around 277 300. The new town, covering about 1 114 hectares, is well developed with the major infrastructure in place.

Pak Shek Kok development covering an area of 118 hectares north of the Chinese University of Hong Kong has been planned to include a Science Park, housing, strategic recreation and tertiary education expansion. Reclamation and construction of the Science Park Phase I have been completed. Construction of Science Park Phase II is scheduled for completion in 2007.

Fanling and Sheung Shui are former traditional market towns which now have a population of about 246 100. The total development area is about 623 hectares. The new town's population is expected to reach around 263 600 in 2013.

The river training works at the River Indus Basin to relieve the risk of flooding in the Fanling and Sheung Shui areas has been completed.

Yuen Long new town has a current population of about 137 800 and this is expected to grow to around 163 400 by 2013. It covers a development area of about 1 170 hectares.

Development in the new town is being extended southward and along the Tuen Mun-Yuen Long Corridor. Infrastructure works for the southern extension area commenced in end-2002 for completion in 2006.

The river training works for the upper reaches of the Kam Tin River and the Ngau Tam Mei Catchment are in progress. Works on the San Tin Eastern Main Drainage Channel and the Yuen Long Bypass Floodway commenced in end-2002 and early 2003 for completion in 2005 and 2006, respectively. These works will alleviate flooding problems.

Tseung Kwan O new town has a current population of around 331 000 and covers a development area of about 1 005 hectares.

For external transport, the new town is served by Po Lam Road, Clear Water Bay Road and the Tseung Kwan O Tunnel. Further external road links under planning include the Western Coast Road and widening of Clear Water Bay Road to dual-carriageway standard.

The Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate is located north of Fat Tong Chau. About 95 hectares of land has been formed and serviced for development of high-technology industries or industries requiring large amounts of land. The reclamation of about 104 hectares in Fat Tong O for further industrial developments and potentially hazardous installations is substantially completed.

The feasibility study on further development of Tseung Kwan O continued and is targeted for completion in early 2005. The objective of the study is to formulate a comprehensive development plan and to improve the overall design of Tseung Kwan O and heighten its living environment.

Tin Shui Wai new town has been built on land reclaimed from low lying areas off Deep Bay. An initial Development Zone of 220 hectares has been developed with major infrastructure works and a full range of community facilities completed. The new town now houses about 251 600 people. The opening of the KCR West Rail and the Light Rail Transit extension, as well as new roads linking the new town to the trunk road network, provide good communications with the Yuen Long and Tuen Mun districts and the urban areas beyond.

Engineering works for the Reserve Zone, covering 210 hectares, have been completed. The overall population of the new town will increase to around 280 100 in 2013.

Construction works for Phase 1 of Tung Chung new town were completed in 1997, providing facilities for an initial community of around 18 000. Engineering works for Phase 2 development were completed in 2001 to serve an intended population of about 69 000. Reclamation for Phase 3A development, which can accommodate a population of 21 000, was completed early in the year. In 2004, the population has risen to about 61 000.

The new town is linked to the rest of Hong Kong by the North Lantau Highway as well as the MTR Tung Chung Line.

In December 2003, the Government granted a franchise to the MTR Corporation Limited for the finance, design, construction, operation and maintenance of a cable car system linking Tung Chung and Ngong Ping. The cable car system is now under construction and is expected to become an important tourism facility.

After completing a scoping study for a proposed logistics park at Siu Ho Wan, Lantau, the Government will embark on a feasibility study in early 2005. It will be completed in about a year.

The planning and development studies on North-East New Territories (NENT) and North-West New Territories (NWNT) have been completed. The studies have established the feasibility of developing Kwu Tung North (497 hectares) and Fanling North (192 hectares) in NENT as New Development Areas to house populations of 100 000 and 80 000, respectively, and developing Hung Shui Kiu (450 hectares) in NWNT as a New Development Area to accommodate a population of about 160 000. The development of these New Development Areas will be triggered when the need arises.

Pursuant to the 2004 Policy Address, the Lantau Development Task Force was set up in early 2004 to provide a high-level policy steer on the economic and infrastructure development in Lantau. As a start, a Concept Plan for Lantau has been drawn up to provide a coherent and balanced planning framework for the future development of Lantau. A few key development themes and proposals have been identified. Public consultation was launched in end November 2004 with a view to mapping out the future of Lantau jointly with the community.