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Figure 2: Tai Po in 1964 and present

Historical
Background

Early records about Tai Po can be
traced back to the Tong Dynasty. At that Figure 3: Existing developments in Tai Po New Town
time, Tai Po was famous for pearl fishing. In the
Sung Dynasty, due to invasion of the northern tribes,
residents of south China moved south and resided in
Tai Po. The Tai Po old market was gradually established for
trading of agricultural and fishing products. Commercial activities
continued to flourish and a new market was established in 1893 at the
northeastern bank (Tai Wo) of Lam Tsuen River by a federation (Tsat Yeuk)
of seven groups of villagers from some sixty-four villages. The organisation
brought an alliance between the Hakka and Punti people living in the area.

Since then, Tai Po became one of the famous market towns for retailing and wholesaling of
market products in the northern New Territories. The completion of the Kowloon Canton Railway
(KCR) in 1910 with a station serving Tai Po Market made it an important market centre for the New
Territories. The old District Office (North) at Wan Tau Kok Lane was constructed in 1907 and used by the
District Office to administer the whole New Territories. It is currently a declared monument occupied by
the Scout Association of Hong Kong.

It was not until the 1960s (Figure 2) that major expansion occurred. At that time, the land between Tai Po
Market and the former District Office was developed in accordance with a plan prepared by the then Town
Planning Office of the Public Works Department, the new development being known as the Tai Po Central
Area.

In October 1972, the then Governor-in-Council approved a major housing programme with an aim of
providing adequate housing for 1.8 million people by the mid-1980s. More than half of this housing
development was to be provided in the New Towns of Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun. Limited
development was envisaged for Tai Po and other traditional market towns and rural townships. At that
time, public housing to be provided in Tai Po was expected to accommodate about 33 000 persons.

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