***************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Leung Yiu-chung and a reply by the Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Stephen Ip, in the Legislative Council today (May 18):
Question :
The Study on Hong Kong Port - Master Plan 2020 commissioned by the Government has tentatively identified two locations for the construction of Container Terminal 10, one of which involves the formation of an artificial island off Tai O in Northwest Lantau. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:
(a) the consultancy firm has, on its own initiative, consulted residents and resident groups on Lantau as well as the Islands District Council while conducting the study and before tentatively identifying the location off Tai O as the site for the Container Terminal; if so, of the details of the consultation; if not, the reasons for that;
(b) it will conduct public consultation before deciding on the site for Container Terminal 10; if so, of the details of the consultation; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) it has considered if the construction of a container terminal off Tai O goes against the principle of nature conservation it advocated in the Concept Plan for Lantau?
Reply :
Madam President,
(a) The main objective of the Study on Hong Kong Port - Master Plan 2020 (the Study) is to formulate a competitive and sustainable port development strategy and master plan for the next 20 years. To this end, the Study has considered the programme and scale of constructing new port facilities, and identified two possible sites for the development of Container Terminal 10 (CT10), namely Northwest Lantau and Southwest Tsing Yi. The Administration has not yet made any decision on the location of CT10. As recommended in the Study, we will conduct an ecology study on the Northwest Lantau site to assess its environmental suitability for constructing CT10. In parallel, we will update the Port Cargo Forecast to work out the optimal timing for constructing CT10. We will review the port expansion options when more data are available.
In the course of the Study, the consultants had widely consulted the industry, including trade representatives, operators and users of the port, shipping and logistics sectors. After consulting the Hong Kong Port Development Council, Logistics Development Council and Maritime Industry Council, we conducted a briefing for the Economic Services Panel of the Legislative Council in November 2004 and consulted the public. The study findings and recommendations were also presented to the Town Planning Board as well as the Advisory Council on the Environment. We also attended the Islands District Council Environmental Improvement and Food Hygiene Committee meeting to brief Committee members on the findings of the Study and to listen to their views. We have received 25 written submissions from various sectors. We will carefully analyse the views received. I should reiterate that we have not taken any decision on the preferred site for CT10. We need to conduct an ecology study on the Northwest Lantau site and update the Port Cargo Forecast before further assessing the merits of the two proposed sites.
(b) Before the implementation of any decision on the preferred site for CT10 in future, we will consult the public. Container terminal development is one of the designated projects listed under Schedule 2 of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO). The proposed container terminal development must, regardless of the location of the preferred site, be subject to feasibility study as well as detailed environmental impact assessment (EIA) to comply with the procedures and requirements stipulated under the EIAO to prove its environmental acceptability. The public can also offer their comments on the Project Profile and the EIA Report. Apart from the EIAO, development of CT10 would also need to comply with the Town Planning Ordinance (TPO) and the Foreshore and Seabed (Reclamation) Ordinance (FS(R)O). In terms of the TPO, a draft Outline Zoning Plan covering the CT10 development would need to be prepared and gazetted for the public to inspect, comment or raise any objections. When container terminal development involves reclamation, the project would also need to be gazetted for the public to comment and raise any objection in accordance with the FS(R)O. The Administration would consult the public on various aspects concerning the preferred site for CT10 development in accordance with established procedures, so that the public would have opportunities to offer their views on the environmental, planning and reclamation aspects.
(c) The Northwest Lantau site is one of the possible options recommended for CT10 development in the Study. Before any decision is taken on the site for CT10 in future, we would need to conduct an ecology study and an environmental impact assessment to ensure the proposal?s feasibility and acceptability from the viewpoints of the environment, reclamation and planning.
Ends/Wednesday, May 18, 2005
NNNN
