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Following is a question by the Hon Mrs Regina Ip and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the Legislative Council meeting today (November 18):
Question:
I have learnt that the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) has planned to build a large-scale temporary concrete plant, a stockpiling depot, a rubble crushing facility and a barging point next to Hoi Sum Park and in the Kai Tak Development Area during the implementation of the Shatin to Central Link (SCL) project. The barging point therein will be located only about 300 metres away from the residential area in the vicinity. Moreover, the Government is going to carry out a number of projects under the Kai Tak Development plan (including Kai Tak City Centre, the cruise terminal and Metro Park, etc), as well as the project for the Kowloon Bay section of the Central Kowloon Route which will be constructed within the Kai Tak Development Area. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether the various government departments concerned will communicate and coordinate with MTRCL to arrange for the projects in the Kai Tak Development Area to make use of the temporary supporting facilities of the SCL project so as to minimise the impact on the residents and the environment in the district?
Reply:
President,
We have suggested setting up temporary stockpiling areas, concrete batching plant and barging points adjacent to Hoi Sum Park and in the Kai Tak Development Area to handle the huge amount of excavation materials which will be produced during the construction of the Shatin to Central Link (SCL) and the Kwun Tong Line Extension (KTE) railway tunnels and stations, with a will to treat these excavated materials in the most efficient and environmental friendly way. With these facilities, the excavated materials can be stored temporarily and sorted properly. Good quality rocks which are sorted out as suitable for concrete production will be transported to the batching plant. Soil can be used for backfilling near the tunnels and stations. Those unsuitable materials or surplus rocks and soils will be delivered to the barging points via the shortest route and be transported by barges to the designated handling area. Such an arrangement will not only reduce the amount of construction wastes, but also minimise the possible environmental and traffic impact caused by the transportation of the excavated materials.
Originally, we also proposed to set up a temporary barging point near Hoi Sham Park. During the public consultation of the SCL and KTE railway projects, we received a lot of concerns expressed by the local bodies and residents about the aforesaid temporary facilities. Taking into account these concerns, we decide not to set up a barging point adjacent to Hoi Sum Park.
In future, the excavated materials from the KTE project will be transported to the temporary barging point near the International Mail Centre at Hung Hom and it will not affect the surrounding environment. The excavated materials from the SCL project will be handled by the temporary barging point at the ex-Kai Tak Airport Runway. The selected site at the ex-Kai Tak Airport Runway has sufficient distance from the nearest residential buildings so that the impact due to the operation of the barging point on the residents nearby can be minimised.
The Government and the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) understand that both citizens and Council members have serious concern about the adverse environmental effects due to the setting up and the operation of the temporary facilities in Kai Tak Development Area. As such, consultants have been engaged to carry out a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment for the project and to propose the associated mitigation measures. The report of the Environmental Impact Assessment will be released for public inspection and comments. The report will also be examined by the Environmental Protection Department before the Environmental Permit for Construction is issued. The temporary facilities will be properly controlled under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance, such that there will not be any adverse impact on the residents nearby and the surrounding environment.
Relevant government departments and the MTRCL have been closely communicating and coordinating with each other for the implementation of all the projects in the Kai Tak Development Area with a will that the implementation programmes, the arrangements on the associated works sites and the use of supporting facilities, etc can be properly coordinated.
Relevant government departments will also continue to study the possibility of using the SCL project temporary supporting facilities for the other projects in the Kai Tak Development Area, if the time and land constraints can be accommodated. However, we have to point out that the SCL project temporary supporting facilities will be used mainly on the project itself at its initial stage because of the huge demand. When the construction peak of the railway project is over, the facilities may accommodate the need from other engineering projects. The Railway Development Office of Highways Department will take up the coordination role proactively so that the MTRCL can co-operate with other works departments with a will to reduce the impacts of the construction activities on the residents and the environment in the district.
Ends/Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Issued at HKT 14:59
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