Tung Chung (東涌) is located in the northern part of Lantau Island in the New Territories, bordered by Tai Ho in the east, Chek Lap Kok in the west and Pak Kung Au in the south. Most of the area falls within the development area of Tung Chung New Town, which is part of the North Lantau New Town, and it is the most densely populated area in the Islands District at present.
At present, Tung Chung generally refers to the Tung Chung New Town area, i.e. Shek Mun Kap and the area to the north; in fact, Tung Chung can be reached as far as Tung Chung Au Management Station of the Lantau Country Park in the south, which is bordered by Pak Kung Au.
History[]
Tung Chung has been inhabited since the Sung Dynasty and is a fishing village, producing rice, garlic and spring onions, crabs and marlin, etc. Tung Chung is also known as "Tung Sai Chung" (東西涌) because there is a river flowing into the sea to the east and west of Tung Chung, and is divided into "Tung Chung Hau" (東涌口) and "Sai Chung Hau" (西涌口). In the maps contained in Guo Nui's "Great Records of Guangdong" during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, names such as Tung Sai Chung, Tai O, Sha Lo Wan, Mui Kok (Mui Wo), Shek Pik, Tai Ho Shan, and Chek Lap Kok (Chek Lap Kok San Tsuen) already existed. [1]
During the Kangxi period of the early Qing Dynasty, all Tung Chung residents were moved inland and returned to live in the same area only after the boundary was restored. During the Qianlong period, the population grew and the townships to the east were better developed, so the whole area was collectively called "Tung Chung". At present, Ma Wan Chung falls within the area of the ancient "Tung Chung Hau" and is the location of Tung Chung Market.
With the development of Tung Chung, the "Tung Chung Bus Terminus" (i.e. the Tung Chung Old Pier Bus Terminus) in Ma Wan Chung was opened in 1966, which was the first bus terminus in Tung Chung and served the residents of the district for 44 years.
Tung Chung New Town[]
In 1989, planning for the relocation of the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) from Kai Tak to Chek Lap Kok commenced and the 10 major infrastructure projects of the Airport Core Programme (ACP) were launched. Part of the neighbouring Tung Chung was included in the "Tung Chung New Town" to support the new airport and to provide housing, community and commercial facilities. The first phase of the new town development began in 1994, involving the reclamation of the Tung Chung foreshore and the formation of 67 hectares of land in and around the reclamation area for the commencement of public housing projects in Tung Chung Area 10, including three blocks of public housing in Fu Tung Estate and five blocks of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats in Yu Tung Court, providing a total of 1,664 rental flats and 2,640 HOS flats.
Due to persistent inclement weather, the completion of the Tung Chung Town Centre public housing project was delayed and the Housing Department completed the construction of Yu Tung Court and Fu Tung Estate in June and July 1997 respectively. To update tenants on the progress of occupation, the HD, in conjunction with relevant government departments, held a public forum in August and set up an information centre to co-ordinate the dissemination of information during the occupation period. In addition, tenants of Fu Tung Estate are entitled to a 5% rent reduction [2] in the first year of occupation, and the HD has a special allocation arrangement to allow priority allocation to applicants employed at the Airport [3]. Various community facilities needed by the residents were also completed during the year. The Tung Chung General Out-patient Clinic [4] was officially opened on 14 August on the ground floor of the Tung Chung Health Centre at 6 Fu Tung Street in the centre of Tung Chung, replacing the Tung Chung Ambulatory Care Centre, which had ceased to operate since the same day, and providing primary health care services to about 18,000 people in the area at that time[5].
In 1999, the first private housing estate in the new town, Tung Chung Crescent, was occupied, adjacent to the first commercial development in the area, Citygate, with its shopping malls, hotels and office buildings. The development of the new town was marked by the opening of a number of bus termini, including Tung Chung Town Centre, Tung Chung MTR Station and Tung Chung Ferry Pier. The centre of gravity of Tung Chung's development gradually shifted from Ma Wan Chung to Tung Chung Town Centre, and the Tung Chung Old Pier Bus Terminus gradually faded out from its role as a bus terminus, with a number of routes moving out of the terminus one after another, and from 16 July 2010, it ceased to be in use and fell into disuse.
Phase 2 of the Tung Chung New Town development was completed in 2001, with Yat Tung Estate housing some 69,000 residents, and Phase 3A was completed in early 2004, with a large area of reclaimed land in Tung Chung North accommodating 21,000 people, and in 2005, with a population of more than 60,000, the town lacked basic recreational and cultural facilities such as a library, an indoor stadium, a swimming pool, a community hall, and so on. In view of the special needs of the residents for swimming pool facilities, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced in July 2006 that the construction programme originally scheduled for 2009 had been advanced [5] and the Tung Chung Swimming Pool, with a $440 million shell-shaped cover, was opened in April 2011 [6]. Sixteen years after the occupation of Yu Tung Court and Fu Tung Estate, the North Lantau Hospital (NLH) in Tung Chung West commenced service on 24 September 2013, becoming the first public hospital in the district; on 30 September the same year, the Tung Chung General Outpatient Clinic was relocated to the North Lantau Community Health Centre on the third floor of the new hospital to continue providing services. [7]
With the population in the district increasing year by year, there were many views suggesting the construction of an additional market in Tung Chung. FHB pointed out that the prices of goods in public markets were determined by the stallholders themselves and might not necessarily be cheaper than those in other markets. Moreover, there are already two Pilot Markets in Tung Chung, as well as other shopping arcades, supermarkets, fresh provision shops and restaurants. In planning new public market facilities, the Government should carefully consider the viability and effectiveness of the markets to ensure proper and effective use of resources. Having weighed all relevant factors, the Bureau does not have any plan to build a new market or cooked food centre in Tung Chung at present.
Road Structure[]
Most of the roads in Tung Chung are two-way, with some exceptions, such as the section of Tat Tung Road east of the junction with Mei Tung Street, which is clockwise only.
The section of Tung Chung Road south of the roundabout at its junction with Shek Mun Kap Road is within the Lantau Closed Road and is restricted to vehicles holding a Lantau Closed Road Permit.
All North Lantau External Routes passing through or terminating at Tung Chung are routed to and from Tung Chung via the Tung Chung Eastern Interchange, and all local routes also pass through Tung Chung Waterfront Road or Shun Tung Road.
Bus and Minibus Termini[]
Tung Chung Town Centre[]
| List of bus termini within Tung Chung Town Centre | ||
|---|---|---|
| Article Name | Location | Introduction |
| Tung Chung Station Bus Terminus | G/F, Citygate Phase 1, 20 Tat Tung Road | Franchised Bus Terminus |
| Tung Chung Tat Tung Road Bus Terminus | Tat Tung Road eastbound beside Tat Tung Road Garden | Franchised Bus Terminus |
| Tung Chung Station (Hing Tung Street) Bus Terminus | Tung Chung Goods Loading and Unloading Area 2, Hing Tung Street | Resident Bus Terminus |
| Mei Tung Street | Mei Tung Street road end outside Tung Chung Crescent Block 6 | Temporary Bus Terminus of Route X52 |
| Tung Chung Town Centre Bus Terminus | 20 Tat Tung Road beside Citygate Phase 1 | Demolished Bus Terminus |
Tung Chung West[]
| List of bus termini within Tung Chung West | ||
|---|---|---|
| Article Name | Location | Introduction |
| Yat Tung Estate Bus Terminus | G/F, Yat Tung Estate Car Park 3, Yat Tung Street | Franchised Bus Terminus |
| Kui Yat House Yat Tung Estate | Yat Tung Street westbound near Kui Yat House Yat Tung (ii) Estate | Terminus of Routes E36A and E42P |
| North Lantau Hospital Bus Terminus | North Lantau Hospital podium level | Franchised Bus Terminus, Unopened Green Minibus Terminus |
| Mun Tung Estate Bus Terminus | Yu Tung Road westbound outside Mun Wo House Mun Tung Estate | Franchised Bus Terminus |
| Yung Yat House Yat Tung Estate | Yu Tung Road eastbound near Yung Yat House Yat Tung (i) Estate | Starting point of Route 37P and terminus of Route 38X |
| North Lantau Hospital (Chung Yan Road) | Chung Yan Road near North Lantau Hospital | Former terminus of Route 38X |
| Ma Wan Sun Tsuen (Tung Chung Road) | Tung Chung Road southbound outside 58 Ma Wan Sun Tsuen | Temporary terminus of Route 34X |
| Hong Yat House | Yu Tung Road eastbound near Hong Yat House Yat Tung (i) Estate | Disused temporary bus terminus |
Tung Chung South[]
| List of bus termini within Tung Chung South | ||
|---|---|---|
| Article Name | Location | Introduction |
| Shek Mun Kap Bus Terminus | Shek Mun Kap Road westbound outside 9 Shek Mun Kap | Franchised Bus Terminus |
Tung Chung North[]
| List of bus termini within Tung Chung North | ||
|---|---|---|
| Article Name | Location | Introduction |
| Tung Chung Development Pier Bus Terminus | Tung Chung Waterfront Road eastbound outside Tung Chung Development Ferry Pier | Franchised Bus Terminus |
| Ying Tung Estate Bus Terminus | Ying Tung Road east-westbound near Ying Tung Estate Market | Franchised Bus Terminus, GMB Terminus |
| Yu Nga Court Bus Terminus | Yi Tung Road southbound near Yu Nga Court | Franchised Bus Terminus |
| Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung Hotel | Yi Tung Road southbound near Yu Nga Shopping Centre | Terminus of Route X11R |
| Kin Tung Road | Kin Tung Road eastbound outside Sik Sik Yuen Ho Yu Primary School | Terminus of Route 37P, former "Caribbean Coast" terminus of Route 37 |
| Caribbean Coast Bus Terminus | Caribbean Coast access | Resident Bus Terminus, with three stop locations |
| Citygate Outlets Bus Terminus | outside Citygate | Non-franchised Bus Terminus |
Ma Wan Chung[]
| List of bus termini within Ma Wan Chung | ||
|---|---|---|
| Article Name | Location | Introduction |
| Tung Chung Old Pier Bus Terminus | Tung Chung Road North road end beside Tung Chung Public Pier | Disused Bus Terminus |
Future Developments[]
In recent years, the government has begun to study the development of the entire Lantau Island, with Tung Chung playing an important role in connecting the island with the rest of the world, and on 3 June 2017, the government announced the Sustainable Lantau Blueprint [8]. According to the Blueprint, Tung Chung New Town will be developed into a balanced community to support the airport, with a future population of about 270,000 in Tung Chung. In addition, a marina is proposed to be built in Tung Chung, and the Tung Chung waterfront is planned to be a promenade for residents to walk and run. [9]
Tung Chung New Town Expansion Project[]
Tung Chung West[]
The Tung Chung Extension covers the eastern and western areas of the existing Tung Chung New Town. The Tung Chung West site investigation works commenced in July 2017 and the detailed design of the infrastructure is underway.
The channelised section of Tung Chung River at the north-eastern part of Shek Kwu Po and the section of Tung Chung River upstream to Shek Mun Kap Road will be revitalised to become a riverside park for recreational purposes, with a view to enhancing the ecological value of Tung Chung River and promoting a water-friendly culture. About 6,300 housing units will be built in Tung Chung Areas 23, 42 and 43. To minimise potential ecological impacts arising from land formation, compensatory woodland with a total area of about 11 hectares will be planted in the vicinity.
To tie in with the development of Tung Chung West Valley, the road network will be extended from the existing Chung Yan Road and Tung Chung Road to the residential areas and existing villages under planning. In addition, the Government also proposes to widen Tung Chung Road North and construct a coastal pedestrian link between Ma Wan Chung and Tung Chung town centre to improve the infrastructure of Ma Wan Chung.
Tung Chung East[]
The Chief Executive in Council approved the relevant draft OZP for the Tung Chung Extension on 7 February 2017 and authorised the Tung Chung East reclamation works.
The Tung Chung East site investigation works to the east of Ying Tung Estate have been substantially completed and the reclamation works were approved by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on 13 October 2017 for funding approval. The "Reclamation and Advance Works for Tung Chung New Town Extension" officially commenced on 5 February 2018. The reclamation works will create 130 hectares of land and the first site is expected to be handed over to the Housing Department in 2020 for public housing development, with the target of intake of the first batch of residents in 2023 to 2024. [10]
The centre of the area will be reserved as a "Central Green Park". To enhance the connectivity of at-grade pedestrian facilities, a section of the main road across the Green Park will be constructed in the form of a vehicular subway, and the road design will also tie in with the planning of retail shops and eateries at the ground level to create vibrancy of the street. Externally, connectivity to the external transport network will be enhanced through the proposed Tai Ho Interchange linking Tung Chung East and North Lantau Highway.
The entire expansion project is expected to be completed by 2030, providing 49,000 residential units to accommodate a population of 144,000, as well as about 500,000 square metres of gross floor area for office use, 327,000 square metres for retail use and 50,000 square metres for hotel use. With the completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Tuen Mun - Chek Lap Kok Link and the Airport North Business District, Tung Chung East will become the business hub of North Lantau.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Ma Wan Chung (2).jpg (950 KB)")
.jpg "Ma Wan Chung (3).jpg (941 KB)")
Related Articles[]
Sub-regions[]
Notes and References[]
- ↑ Hong Kong Eco Tour, RTHK website
- ↑ Delay in completion of the public housing projects in Tung Chung, Minutes of the Special Meeting of the Panel on Housing of the Provisional Legislative Council, 15 September 1997
- ↑ Airport Core Programme: 10 projects that changed the shape and size of Hong Kong (Hong Kong: Government Printer, 1999), pp. 36-38.
- ↑ Information Services Department HKSARG, "東涌普通科門診周四啟用" (Tung Chung General Outpatient Clinic to open this Thursday) [Press Release], 12 August 1997.
- ↑ 東涌泳池2011年竣工 (Tung Chung Swimming Pool to be completed in 2011), Information Services Department, 5 July 2006
- ↑ 超豪泳池頻揭救生盲點 (Life saving blind spots in large swimming pool revealed), Oriental Daily News, 18 October 2011
- ↑ Information Services Department, "Service arrangements of General Out-Patient Clinics" [Press Release], 25 September 2013.
- ↑ Ming Pao, "可持續大嶼藍圖出爐 東大嶼都會涉填海約1000公頃 休閒康樂設施「縮水」" (Sustainable Lantau Blueprint rolled out, 1000 hectares of land to be reclaimed in East Lantau Metropolis; recreation facilities to be reduced) [HK News], 3 June 2017.
- ↑ Civil Engineering and Development Department HKSARG, Blueprint for Sustainable Lantau, June 2017.
- ↑ FS starts Tung Chung works, Information Services Department, 5 February 2018.
External Links[]
- Website of Civil Engineering and Development Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: Tung Chung New Town
- Tung Chung New Town Extension Website
- Hong Kong Airport Core Programme Website: Tung Chung New Town (Phase I)
Sai Chung, Tung Sai Chung, Tung Chung Hau, Tung Chung Town, Sai Chung Hau and Tung Chung New Town