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In relation to the North East New Territories New Development Areas (NENT NDAs) project, a Government spokesman said today (September 2) that the concerns of affected residents are understandable. The Government would endeavour to ensure that affectees would be offered reasonable arrangements, and affected farmers would be provided with opportunities for agricultural rehabilitation.
The spokesman said, "We have listened to the views of residents in the NDAs to understand their concerns and wishes relating to removal and clearance. While we will continue to communicate with them, we urge local organisations, local personalities, rural committees and village representatives to actively relay to us residents' views."
"The main objective of developing the NENT NDAs is to address the housing and employment needs arising from population growth. According to the latest population projections, there will be an increase of about 1.4 million people in the coming 30 years. There is still a strong demand for land for housing and economic development. The NENT NDAs will provide about 150 hectares of housing land, and 53,800 new residential units for about 150,000 people. The proposed 23,100 public rental units are scheduled to be completed in phases from 2022 onwards. The Government would identify suitable sites from the proposed private housing sites for new Home Ownership Scheme developments," he said.
In response to the demand of affected residents for local rehousing, the Government has reserved a site of about 3.2 hectares in the Kwu Tung North NDA to provide opportunity for rehousing eligible affected households locally.
The spokesman said, "We are now reviewing the existing compensation and rehousing policy to provide better arrangements for facilitating site clearance in the implementation of major infrastructure projects such as NDA development."
The spokesman added that the Stage 3 Public Engagement of the NENT NDAs Planning and Engineering Study has been extended to the end of September. Affected residents and the public can have more time to express their views. The Administration will consider all comments received in detail.
Members of the public are welcomed to attend and express their views at a forum organised by the Planning Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department on September 22 at HHCKLA Buddhist Ma Kam Chan Memorial English Secondary School at Luen Wo Market, Fanling.
Ends/Sunday, September 2, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:30
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