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Following is a question by the Hon Kam Nai-wai and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the Legislative Council meeting today (November 19):
Question:
It is learnt that the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong plans to build a footbridge to connect its office building at Kennedy Road with its staff quarters at Borrett Road. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) when the relevant government departments received the application in respect of the above-mentioned project, and whether it knows when the project will commence;
(b) whether the relevant government departments have assessed the impact of the project on neighbouring areas (including the environmental impact and the impact on the traffic on nearby roads during the construction period); if they have made the assessment, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) whether it has consulted the Central and Western District Council and the public on the project; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
(a) The Lands Department (LandsD) received the land grant application for Inland Lot No. 8893 on November 1, 1994. It was granted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on June 26, 1997. According to the land grant conditions of Inland Lot No 8893, the grantee is permitted to build a footbridge at the specified location at MacDonnell Road to connect the two separated lots. The grantee's initiation of works is in accordance with the conditions of the land lease granted in 1997.
The Authorised Person (AP) appointed by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) submitted the building plans of the footbridge to the Buildings Department (BD) on August 29, 2007 for approval. BD processed the plans in accordance with the provisions of the Buildings Ordinance and the established procedures. As the footbridge is in compliance with the requirements of the Buildings Ordinance, BD approved the plans on October 30,2007. The foundation works of the footbridge were commenced on May 26, 2008. On November 7, 2008, the AP applied to BD for commencement of the construction works of the main body of the footbridge. BD is currently processing the application.
(b) Regarding the environmental impacts of the project on the neighbouring areas, the grantee of the land lease applied to LandsD in January this year to fell 4 trees and transplant 1 tree in the grantee's private lot area. The grantee also applied for clearance of 15 deceased trees located in the private lot area, the slope area maintained by the grantee and the adjoining Government land. Compensation planting of 10 new trees was also proposed. The application was approved by LandsD on February 29,2008.
Besides, BD has approved the AP's proposal to carry out hydroseeding at part of the slope under the footbridge within the private lot area to enhance greening of the neighbouring environment.
Regarding the traffic impact during construction of the footbridge, as requested by the Transport Department (TD), the contractor hired by the AP has carried out an assessment and formulated a temporary traffic management scheme during construction based on the actual traffic condition. TD has also requested the contractor to minimise the possible traffic impact on MacDonnell Road during construction.
According to the information provided by the contractor, only the footpath on one side of the road and a section of the carriageway near the construction site will be closed temporarily during construction. A minimum width of 4.5 metres of the existing carriageway will be maintained for vehicular passage. Besides, traffic on sections of MacDonnell Road which will remain open will need to be shortly suspended during hoisting of construction materials across the road at non-peak hours. TD is of the view that this arrangement does not have severe impact on the traffic condition in the area and accepts the proposed arrangements in principle.
(c) As the proposed footbridge is considered as minor works under the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance (Cap 370), gazetting is not required.
TD submitted an information paper (Central and Western District Traffic and Transport Committee Paper No 35/2008) in September this year through the Central and Western District Office (DO(C&W)) to the Central and Western District Council to explain the temporary traffic arrangement (TTA) during construction of the footbridge. DO(C&W) has also informed nearby residents of the TTA.
Ends/Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:52
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