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Following is a question by the Hon Frederick Fung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the Legislative Council meeting today (June 8):
Question:
The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) has launched a public consultation on the Hong Kong International Airport Master Plan 2030, which covers the feasibility of constructing the third runway. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the authorities' preliminary analysis and conclusion of the construction of the third runway proposed by AA; the expected timetable from conducting overall consultation to deciding on the construction, obtaining the funding, carrying out Environmental Impact Assessment studies and finally commencing the works and commissioning of the runway; as well as the authorities' initial proposed financial arrangements for the construction of the third runway;
(b) given that there are divergent views in the community on the construction of the third runway (which include the views that there is an urgent need to construct the third runway to address the situation of the existing airport reaching saturation before 2020 and to enhance its competitiveness to meet the challenges posed by the expanding airports in the neighbourhood; in terms of technology and routing, etc., there are however doubts about the actual value of the third runway; or there are views that the construction of the new runway will not only bring serious aircraft noise nuisance but will also necessitate reclamation of more than 100 hectares of land, which will seriously upset the marine ecosystem; as well as the view that the completion of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL) and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen airports rail link will lessen the demand for flights, etc.), how the authorities ensure that AA will adequately expound the various views during public consultation so that the public would understand the views; how AA encompasses the diverse views raised during the consultation process and proposes mitigation measures to reduce the adverse effects of the projects, thereby making a final decision in a fair and just manner after taking into consideration the different views; and
(c) given the earlier controversy over the construction of XRL and the challenge of the recent judicial review in relation to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, how the authorities step up its communication and consultation on the construction of the third runway with the stakeholders who are directly affected; and avoid possible legal challenges which may arise from errors, slippages and faults in the statutory procedures?
Reply:
President,
(a) On June 2, 2011, the Airport Authority Hong Kong (the AA) released the Hong Kong International Airport Master Plan 2030 (the Master Plan 2030) which puts forward two development options for public consultation. The three-month consultation will last from June 3, 2011 to September 2, 2011.
The Master Plan 2030 puts forward two different options for airport development. The first option is to maintain the existing two-runway system. The practical maximum capacity of the airport can reach 420 000 flight movements per year, accommodating 74 million passengers and six million tonnes of cargo a year. The estimated total cost is about HK$23.4 billion (in 2010 dollars) or HK$42.5 billion (at money-of-the-day prices). This option can increase the direct employment on the airport island to 101 000 jobs (62 000 jobs in 2008). The economic net present value over a 50-year life span of the infrastructure (up to 2061) is estimated to be HK$432 billion. This option can only meet our short to medium term air traffic demand.
The second option is to expand into a three-runway system. The practical maximum capacity of the airport can reach 620 000 flight movements per year, accommodating about 97 million passengers and 8.9 million tonnes of cargo a year. The estimated total cost is about HK$86.2 billion (in 2010 dollars) or HK$136.2 billion (at money-of-the-day prices). This option will increase the direct employment on the airport island to 141 000 jobs. The economic net present value over a 50-year life span of the infrastructure (up to 2061) is estimated to be HK$912 billion. This option can meet our long-term needs and fully leverage the airport's connectivity to take Hong Kong's economic development to the next level.
The Government supports the AA's initiative to consult the public on the future development of the airport, and hope that the public consultation will bring about an informed consensus in the community on the broad direction of the future development of the airport. At present, the Government and AA have yet to commit to either option.
We expect to receive a recommendation on the way forward from the AA by the end of the year after the completion of the public consultation. The Government will carefully consider the recommendation, with a view to deciding on the next stage of work. This includes making an in-principle decision on the strategic direction of future airport developments, exploring the funding arrangements and pursuing detailed engineering design and statutory environmental impact assessment.
(b) The AA will engage the public and relevant stakeholders through various means during the consultation. This includes briefing the Legislative Council and District Councils, holding roving exhibitions and public forums, and organising seminars and meetings with different organisations and professional bodies. The public can visit the AA's dedicated website www.hkairport2030.com for details of the Master Plan 2030 and related information and express their views on the future development of the airport by attending the public forums, returning questionnaires and calling the hotline. Moreover, the AA has appointed the Social Sciences Research Centre of the University of Hong Kong to collect and compile the views from the public independently.
(c) In taking forward the next stage of work, the Government and AA will liaise with the stakeholders and carry out appropriate consultation.
Ends/Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:33
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