************************************************************
The spokesperson for the Planning Department (PlanD) and the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) said today (September 19) that due to the large number of people registered for the forum on the North East New Territories New Development Areas (NENT NDAs) Study this Saturday, the forum will be moved to the lawn at Po Wan Road, Sheung Shui, to widely gather views of the locals and those concerned about the NENT NDAs Study.
The forum will be conducted in Cantonese. Details are as follows:
Date: September 22 (Saturday)
Time: 2.30pm to 5.30pm
Venue: The lawn at Po Wan Road, Sheung Shui (adjacent to the car park of Man Kok Village, Sheung Shui Heung) (location map attached)
In case of bad weather, the forum may be postponed. Arrangements will be announced through the media and the Study's website.
"The objective of implementing the NENT NDAs is to cater for Hong Kong's population growth and the long-term demand for housing and economic development. We understand the wishes of the affected residents, and hope to maintain a rational dialogue with them," the spokesman emphasised.
To ensure all participants have an equal chance to express their views, the moderator will invite, by ballot drawing, registered commenters to speak up to three minutes each. Other participants who wish to raise their questions at the forum can simply drop their written comments or questions into a collection box, and these will also be drawn randomly.
Government representatives attending the forum will include the Assistant Director of Planning, Mr Raymond Lee; Chief Engineer of the CEDD Mr Law Man-tim; the District Officer (North), Mr Donald Chen; and Chief Town Planner of PlanD Ms Amy Cheung.
The NENT NDAs Study was commissioned in 2008. It aims at establishing a planning and development framework for the NDAs and to formulate a development and implementation strategy. PlanD and the CEDD have already completed the first two stages of the Study. The final Stage 3 Public Engagement commenced in mid-June to gauge public views on the Recommended Outline Development Plans and related issues. After the completion of the public engagement exercise, the layout plans will be further amended in response to the comments received.
Ends/Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:19
NNNN
