New Towns, New Development Areas and Urban Developments Civil Engineering and Development Department: The Civil All the new towns accommodate public and private Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) was housing supported by essential infrastructure and community established in July 2004 through amalgamation of the Civil facilities. External transport links were developed with all new Engineering Department and the Territory Development towns now served by rail links to the urban area and road links Department. The Civil Engineering Department evolved to the adjacent districts. Further enhancement of road links is through various stages of re-organisation of the then Public ongoing. Works Department since the late 19th century, while the Tsuen Wan: Tsuen Wan New Town covers Tsuen Territory Development Department had succeeded its former Wan, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi Island with a total New Territories Development Department in taking forward development area of about 3 286 hectares (ha) for a planned both new town development and urban area development population of 860 000. The new town’s population is about since early 1970s. 810 000 at present. In the past, we carried out new town development to Tsuen Wan was an industrial area. Although most of cope with the increase in population and to improve the living the factories have been relocated to the Mainland over the environment by decentralising the population from the over- years, Tsuen Wan still retains its character as an industrial crowded urban districts. Now, while the Government would hub. Nine container terminals of Hong Kong are located in continue to improve the new towns, it is developing New Kwai Tsing District, which is a part of Tsuen Wan New Town. Development Areas (NDAs) and exploring new strategies to Sha Tin: Sha Tin has grown from a rural township of enhance land supply. We are also providing or upgrading about 30 000 people in the early 1970s to a major community infrastructure to support the development. today. Sha Tin New Town (including Ma On Shan) has a total The basic concept for developing a new town is to development area of about 3 591 ha for a planned population provide a balanced and self-contained community as far as of 770 000. The new town is built on land mainly reclaimed possible in terms of the provision of infrastructure and from Tolo Harbour. The new town’s population is about community facilities. For major developments, new land will 712 000 at present. be formed and infrastructure will be provided to tackle Tuen Mun: Tuen Mun New Town, in the western population growth, to decant existing population and to New Territories, is developed mainly on land reclaimed from provide or upgrade facilities. The functional, environmental Castle Peak Bay and platforms formed in the valley between and aesthetic aspects of the developments are given priority Castle Peak and the Tai Lam Hills. It covers a total consideration. development area of about 3 266 ha for a planned population of 618 000. The new town’s population is about 507 000 at New Town Development: Hong Kong has developed nine present. new towns since the initiation of its New Town Development Hong Kong’s River Trade Terminal was built on the Programme in 1973. The target at the commencement of the reclamation to the southwest part of the new town and New Town Development Programme was to provide housing operates as a transit point for containers and bulk cargo for about 1.8 million people in the first three new towns, shipped between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta. An namely, Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin and Tuen Mun. The population adjacent reclaimed land is used for special industries. of Hong Kong at that time was about 4.2 million. It is now about Tai Po: Tai Po was a former traditional market town. 7.56 million. The new town covers a development area of about 3 006 ha The nine new towns could be divided into three for a planned population of 324 000. Tai Po is now home for generations. The first (Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin and Tuen Mun) about 275 000 people. started works in the early 1970s; then the second (Tai Po, Pak Shek Kok development, which covers an area of Fanling/Sheung Shui and Yuen Long) in the late 1970s; and 94 ha north of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, includes the third (Tseung Kwan O, Tin Shui Wai and Tung Chung) in the Science Park, housing and tertiary education expansion the 1980s and 1990s. The current population of these nine sites. new towns is about 3.55 million and is expected to rise to 3.70 million in 2024. Fanling/Sheung Shui: Similar to Tai Po, Fanling and works and first stage works has been substantially completed Sheung Shui were former traditional market towns. The total and the construction works have progressively commenced development area is about 667 ha. Upon full development, the since September 2019. Under the first phase development, population will be about 289 000 and the current population is the first population intake for private housing and public about 263 000. housing will commence in 2023 and 2027 respectively. The Yuen Long: Yuen Long is another new town detailed design of the remaining phase development developed from a traditional market town. The total commenced progressively in December 2019. Our target is to development area is about 561 ha. Upon full development, the have all infrastructure works for the KTN/FLN NDA completed population will reach 186 000. Its present population is about by 2031. 171 000. For the HSK/HT NDA, it will provide about 61 000 The study on Yuen Long South development units. About 150 000 employment opportunities will also be commenced in November 2012 and was substantially created in the NDA. The detailed design of the advance works completed in end 2019. The study recommends development phases 1 and 2 and stage 1 works was substantially of Yuen Long South as an extension of Yuen Long New Town. completed. The construction works are anticipated to Tin Shui Wai: Tin Shui Wai was built on land commence in phases in 2020. The first population intake is reclaimed from the low lying areas off Deep Bay. It has a total scheduled for 2024. development area of 406 ha for a planned population of Potential Development Areas in the New 300 000. The current population is about 280 000. The new Territories: The "Preliminary Feasibility Study on Developing town has a wetland park run by the Agriculture, Fisheries and the New Territories North" has formulated a broad planning Conservation Department. framework for the New Territories North (NTN). Following the Tseung Kwan O: The total development area is Government’s response in February 2019 to the Task Force about 1 718 ha for a planned population of about 470 000. The on Land Supply’s report issued in December 2018, we current population of the new town is about 414 000. commenced the study on phase one development of NTN Further development includes residential covering the San Tin/Lok Ma Chau Development Node and development at Town Centre South with open parks, the technical study on partial development of Fanling Golf recreational facilities, cycle tracks and a vibrant waterfront. Course site to the east of Fan Kam Road both in September The construction works for the Tseung Kwan O – 2019 for completion in 2021. Regarding the initial public Lam Tin Tunnel and Cross Bay Link, Tseung Kwan O projects housing development sites at Kam Tin South, the advance commenced in July 2016 and July 2018 respectively. Subject works commenced in July 2018 for completion by end 2021. to review, the projects are planned for completion in end 2021 Detailed design of the site formation and associated and 2022 respectively. infrastructure works has been substantially completed with Tung Chung: The Tung Chung New Town in North construction planned to commence in 2021 in order to meet Lantau was one of the previous Airport Core Programme the first population intake targeted in 2026-27. projects to support the development of the Hong Kong Lok Ma Chau Loop: With an area of about 87 ha, International Airport. The new town’s population is about the Lok Ma Chau Loop (the Loop) will be developed as the 114 000 at present. Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (the The Tung Chung New Town Extension project is Park). The associated infrastructure works of the Loop being taken forward to provide extension areas at Tung Chung development will be carried out in phases. East and Tung Chung West of about 245 ha in total. Upon The scope of the advance works primarily comprises completion of the extension, the Tung Chung New Town’s land decontamination treatment within the Loop, construction total population will increase to about 270 000 from the of temporary access to the Loop and establishment of currently planned population of about 124 000, with creation ecological area to pave way for the subsequent construction of about 40 000 job opportunities. The reclamation works at works for the Loop development and the ground treatment Tung Chung East commenced in late 2017 for the target first works to the first batch of land within the Loop for development population intake in 2024. of buildings and associated facilities for Phase 1 of the Park. The construction of the advance works commenced in June New Development Areas 2018 with a target to make the first batch of land available by New Development Areas in the New Territories: 2021 for Phase 1 superstructure development of the Park.