Sha Tin New Town, also known as Sha Tin-Ma On Shan New Town or Sha Tin Town is one of the satellite towns and new towns of Hong Kong. It is within the Sha Tin District, the New Territories. The New Town covers the neighbourhoods of Sha Tin, Tai Wai, Fo Tan, Tai Shui Hang, and Ma On Shan. The Shing Mun River runs through the middle of the town.
Sha Tin New Town
沙田新市鎮 | |
|---|---|
Satellite Town | |
 | |
| Nickname: Sha Tin | |
  Sha Tin New Town | |
| Coordinates: 22°22′49″N 114°11′23″E / 22.380238°N 114.189835°E | |
| Country | China |
| SAR | Hong Kong |
| District | Sha Tin District |
| Population (2004) | |
• Total | 640,000[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (Hong Kong Time) |
| Sha Tin New Town | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The town centre of Shatin New Town | |||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 沙田新市鎮 | ||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 沙田新市镇 | ||||||||||||
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Development history
editDevelopment was started in the 1970s, and currently covers an area of 35.87 square kilometres[citation needed] with a total developed area of about 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres).[1] As of 2004, it has a population of around 640,000 people.[1] The town centre houses a mall, New Town Plaza, the Sha Tin Public Library, Sha Tin Town Hall, and other community facilities.
Urban planning
editDespite Sha Tin New Town including Ma On Shan,[2] and the town itself is sometimes known as Sha Tin-Ma On Shan, Ma On Shan town has its own urban planning plan or Outline Zoning Plan (OZP), the "Ma On Shan Outline Zoning Plan". The plan was amended most recently in 2020.[3] Neighbourhoods such as Sha Tin, Tai Wai, Fo Tan are included in the "Sha Tin Outline Zoning Plan".[4]
The Science Park-Pak Shek Kok development, also located in Sha Tin New Town, has its own OZP too, but part of the area of that development is located in Tai Po District.
Transport
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (February 2021) |
Highways, roads and tunnels
editThe road transport between Sha Tin New Town and Kowloon relies on the Lion Rock Tunnel (completed in 1967), Tate's Cairn Tunnel (completed in 1988), the Shing Mun Tunnels, and Tai Po Road. The Tolo Highway was opened in September 1985. It connects Sha Tin Road and Tai Po Road, forming a connection system between the New Town and Tai Po New Town. Tate's Cairn Highway also connects Ma On Shan with Tolo Highway. The opening of Sai Sha Road in October 1988 provided a connection between Sha Tin and Sai Kung. The T3 Highway (Tsing Sha Highway) and the Cheung Sha Wan to Sha Tin section of Route 8 between was completed in March 2008.
Public transport
editThe New Town has numerous bus routes connecting to the city centre and metro stations from various populated zones in the New Town. Beside bus services, minibus services are provided as well for residential areas with fewer people.
KCR (now East Rail line, MTR)
editKCR, which has since merged with the former MTR, was essential to the development of new town. There are five East Rail line stations within the new town, namely Tai Wai, Sha Tin, Fo Tan, Racecourse and University. Part of the Tuen Ma line also lies within the New Town, namely the section from Hin Keng station to the eastern terminus of Wu Kai Sha station. Passengers are able to transfer between the East Rail line and Tuen Ma line at Tai Wai station.
References
edit- ^ a b c "Sha Tin New Town". Civil Engineering and Development Department. 1 July 2004. Archived from the original on 12 November 2004. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
- ^ "New Towns, New Development Areas and Urban Developments". Hong Kong: Civil Engineering and Development Department. 29 December 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Approved Ma On Shan Outline Zoning Plan amended". Hong Kong Government. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "Statutory Planning Portal 2 (SPK)".
Further reading
edit- Jeffrey W. Cody and James R. Richardson (1997). "Urbanizing forest and Village Trees in Hong Kong's Sha Tin Valley, 1976-1997" (PDF). Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review. IX (1): 21–33. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 January 2016.