Yuen Long New Town

Yuen Long New Town (zh-c|c=元朗新市鎮/元朗新市镇, Pinyin: Yuanlang Xin Shizhen) is a new town in the northwest New Territories, Hong Kong. It was developed from the traditional market town of Yuen Long Town (zh-t|t=元朗市) from the late 1970s.

As it is located in the centre of Yuen Long Plain, the town occupies the best location for villages in the surrounding area to sell their crops and fishes. To the west is Ping Shan, south Shap Pat Heung, east Kam Tin, and north Nam Sang Wai.

History

Yuen Long Town was a traditional market town in the area also known as Yuen Long San Hui in present-day, within the Yuen Long District in the New Territories. The market town and the adjacent areas (Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long Industrial Estate, Tong Tau Industrial Area, YOHO Town, etc.) have developed into the Yuen Long New Town in the 1970s and early 1980s. ("See Yuen Long Town for more details.")

The Hong Kong Government first put Yuen Long New Town on the list of new towns in 1972 and planned several large-scale housing estates. The first development started in 1974. In 1978, Yuen Long New Town was put on the list of second generation new towns. It served as a secondary administrative centre.

Although the new town started in the 1970s, it was developed much more slowly compared to the other new towns due to its long distance from urban Kowloon. Commuters needed to travel via other areas like Tuen Mun or Shek Kong with no rail transport. With the rapid development of an adjacent new town, Tin Shui Wai New Town, in the 1980s, the road network was drastically improved by the late 1990s. It was not until late 2003 that the West Rail Line was completed. These improvements spurred new waves of town development in the 2000s.

Residential

Housing estates

Under government plans, the western new town is mainly residential. There are three public housing estates in the area.
* Yuen Long Estate (demolished)
* Shui Pin Wai Estate
* Long Ping EstateThe latter two are larger and thus there are many facilities built around them, like Yuen Long Park, Yuen Long Sports Ground, Yuen Long Theatre, schools, and other community facilities.

House ownership

* Fung Ting Court

Industry

Industry is concentrated in the North side of Yuen Long New Town, namely Yuen Long Industrial Estate and Tung Tau Industrial Area. These areas are controlled by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park. Only new and improved companies can operate in the area.

Transport

Before Tai Lam Tunnel was opened, the Castle Peak Road and Tuen Mun Road forms the arteries of traffic with urban Kowloon. If the two roads are closed due to accidents or any other reason, it would affect the traffic of Yuen Long. The Tai Lam Tunnel, West Rail Line and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) provide alternative routes to residents of Yuen Long.

External links

* [http://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/about/achievements/regional/regi_yuenlong.htm Website of the new town (from Civil Engineering and Development Department)]
* [http://www.wwf.org.hk/eng/pdf/education/cd-rom/E_factsheet4.pdf Info from WWF HK]