On 19th September 2012 (Wednesday), I attended an interview on the NOW TV Channel. During the programme, I expressed some of my views on the Northeast New Territories New Development Areas Plan. As only a short extract of the whole interview was broadcasted on the programme that evening, I would like to list below some of my views on the topic discussed.
1. Ratio of public housing to private housing
Currently, over three million people in Hong Kong live in public housing, including flats sold under the Home Ownership Scheme, which is also a kind of subsidised housing. This amounts to almost 50% of the total population in Hong Kong. I considered it appropriate for the percentage of public housing in the new development areas in the Northeast New Territories to be 50% or a shade over it.
2. Increase in development density
At present, the plot ratios for most developments in the New Territories range from 3 to 5. For urban areas, the plot ratios are usually 8 to 9 and for nondomestic developments, the plot ratio may go up to 15. Therefore, there is room for increasing the development density in the proposed new development areas if those areas are well supported by collective public transport networks such as the MTR.
3. Provision of job opportunities
Apart from supplying additional housing, the proposed new development areas must provide local job opportunities for people living there. The residents of Tin Shui Wai, who have to commute long distances to their jobs (assuming that they work) is a lesson to be learnt. The government should also expand the variety of jobs available so that people living in the new development areas could choose from industrial, clerical, or retail work. The government could also consider encouraging organisations or corporations such as banks, the Jockey Club, or airlines to set up back offices in these new areas. Tung Chung is a good example of this.
