For discussion PWSC(96-97)39
on 10 July 1996

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 707 - NEW TOWNS AND URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT
Housing - Rural housing improvement
Transport - Roads
18HH - Village improvements and development schemes in the New Territories
446TH - Improvement, reconstruction and extension of village access roads in the New Territories

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee -

  1. the upgrading of part of 18HH, entitled "Village improvements and development schemes in the New Territories: 1996-97 Supplementary Programme", to Category A at an estimated cost of $155.45 million in money-of-the-day prices;
  2. the upgrading of part of 446TH, entitled "Improvement, reconstruction and extension of village access roads in the New Territories: 1996-97 Supplementary Programme", to Category A at an estimated cost of $47.48 million in money-of-the-day prices; and
  3. the retention of the remainders of 18HH and 446TH, in Category B.

PROBLEM

Some villages in the New Territories (NT) lack basic amenities and infrastructure and suffer problems arising from pollution and local flooding.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Home Affairs, with the support of the Secretary for Home Affairs, proposes to upgrade parts of 18HH and 446TH to Category A at a total estimated cost of $202.93 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices to implement the 1996-97 supplementary programme of the Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy (RPIS) in the rural New Territories.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The scope of RPIS works comprises -

  1. works related to infrastructural improvement or development within village layouts and provision of serviced land for village expansion;
  2. provision of sewerage networks and treatment plants to unsewered developments within the village confines (major sewers relating to the implementation of the Sewerage Masterplan Studies by the Environmental Protection Department are excluded from the RPIS);
  3. improvements and extensions to existing village roads and van tracks with footpath, passing places and associated drainage;
  4. incorporation of new amenities such as sitting-out areas, children’s playgrounds and gardens in existing village layouts;
  5. works related to land drainage, river training and flood protection schemes for villages;
  6. provision and improvement of communal irrigation and field drainage facilities as well as farm access in selected agricultural areas; and
  7. other related works endorsed by the RPIS Minor Works District Working Groups and approved by the RPIS Minor Works Steering Committee.

Details of the above proposed works are at Enclosure I.

JUSTIFICATION

4. Some rural villages in the New Territories have suffered a general deterioration of the environment due to pollution arising from human, animal and industrial wastes. In addition, local flooding during periods of heavy rainfall creates difficulties. To address these problems, we implement improvement projects every year under the RPIS which focuses on the infrastructural development and environmental improvement works in the rural New Territories, where the cost of each minor works project item does not exceed $15 million. The Finance Committee approved the 1996-97 implementation programme for RPIS on 8 March 1996. Subsequently we have received additional requests from local residents for other urgently required improvement projects. These additional requests have been grouped together to form the proposed 1996-97 supplementary programme.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

5. We estimate the total capital cost of the 1996-97 supplementary programme of works to be $202.93 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 6 below), made up as follows -

Item

District

$ million

(a) 18HH

(i) Island District

5.80

(ii) North

21.10

(iii) Sai Kung

12.70

(iv) Tai Po

44.50

(v) Tsuen Wan

13.80

(vi) Tuen Mun

9.20

(vii) Yuen Long

8.90

(viii) contingencies

11.60

Sub-total
(at December 1995 prices)

127.60

(ix) inflation allowance

27.85

Total
(in MOD prices)

155.45

(b) 446TH

(i) Island District

11.30

(ii) Kwai Tsing

0.98

(iii) North

3.15

(iv) Sai Kung

6.50

(v) Tai Po

6.80

(vi) Tsuen Wan

0.95

(vii) Tuen Mun

2.00

(viii) Yuen Long

8.00

(ix) contingencies

3.97

Sub-total
(at December 1995 prices)

43.65

(x) inflation allowance

3.83

Total
(in MOD prices)

47.48

6. Subject to approval, we will phase expenditure as follows:-

Year

$ million
Dec 1995)

Price
adjustment
factor

$ million
(MOD)

18HH

446TH

18HH

446TH

1996 - 97

38.80

38.48

1.07500

41.71

41.37

1997 - 98

30.28

5.17

1.18250

35.81

6.11

1998 - 99

44.60

-

1.30075

58.01

-

1999 - 2000

13.92

-

1.43083

19.92

-

127.60

43.65

155.45

47.48

7. We have derived the MOD estimates on the basis of the Government's forecast of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1996 to 2000. The proposed works consist of 74 small improvement projects. We will use fixed-price lump-sum contracts for items managed by the works teams of the NT District Offices. We will implement the remaining items under the existing remeasurement term contracts of the relevant works departments.

8. We estimate the annually recurrent expenditure to be $6.62 million.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

9. We consulted the eight relevant NT District Boards in May 1996 and June 1996 and they all supported the proposed works. Details of the District Boards meetings are at Enclosure II.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

10. The RPIS Programme involves small scale improvement works in rural areas. Their implementation improves the rural environment and as they are minor projects, no Environmental Impact Assessments are carried out. Short-term dust, noise and site run-off impacts during construction of the projects will be controlled to within established standards and guidelines by incorporating appropriate environmental pollution control clauses in relevant works contracts.

LAND ACQUISITION

11. The proposed works do not require land acquisition or clearance.

Background INFORMATION

12. We included 109DS, 18HH and 446TH in the Public Works Programme in October 1990 for the implementation of a programme of infrastructural development and environmental improvement works in the rural New Territories as formulated in the RPIS under the co-ordination of the Director of Territory Development. The Director of Home Affairs took over responsibility for the administration and co-ordination of the three RPIS items since October 1994.

13. We revised the scopes of 109DS, 18HH and 446TH in December 1991 and January 1994 respectively to include improvement works falling within country park areas and rural areas that are within new towns. We upgrade works under these three items to Category A on an annual programme basis.

14. The Finance Committee approved the 1996-97 implementation programme on 8 March 1996. Due to additional requests from the local residents on other urgently required improvement projects, we now propose to upgrade part of 18HH and 446TH to form the 1996-97 supplementary programme.

15. We plan to start the proposed works under 18HH and 446TH in September 1996 for completion in March 2000.

Enclosure I to PWSC(96-97)39

18HH - Village improvements and development schemes in the New Territories

446TH - Improvement, reconstruction and extension of village access roads in the New Territories

Proposed project list for the Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy (1996/97 supplementary programme)

18HH - Village improvements and development schemes in the New Territories

Item

District

Project Title

1.

Islands

Reconstruction of footpath from Nam Wan to Tai Wo, Peng Chau

2.

Islands

Construction of country trail in Cheung Chau

3.

Islands

Improvement of footpath from Yung Shue Wan to Pak Kok, North Lamma

4.

Islands

Construction of footpath from Lo Tik Wan to Luk Chau, North Lamma

5.

Islands

Improvement of footpath from Yi O to Nam Chung, Tai O

6.

Islands

Reconstruction of bundwall at San Tsuen, Tai O

7.

Kwai Tsing

Construction of Country Trail at Area 28, Tsing Yi

8.

North

Water supply to Sam A Tsuen

9.

North

Construction of open channel at On Po Tsuen, Sheung Shui

10.

North

Construction of slipway at Sha Tau Kok

11.

North

Water supply to Siu Tan and Lai Chi Wo

12.

Sai Kung

Pak Wai- Village Improvement

13.

Sai Kung

Sai Wan-Construction of pier

14.

Sai Kung

Temporary drainage works at Tseng Lan Shue Lower Village

15.

Sai Kung

Footpath at Sha Kok Mei

16.

Sai Kung

Footpath and access road at Pan Long Wan

17.

Sai Kung

Footpath and drain at Mang Kung Uk

18.

Sai Kung

Footpath to all approved burial areas in Sai Kung

19.

Sai Kung

Associated drainage system at Tseng Lan Shue Upper Village

20.

Sai Kung

Footpath from Man Yee to Pak Ah

21.

Sai Kung

Drainage System at Sheung Sze Wan

22.

Tuen Mun

Construction of open channel at Tsing Chuen Wai (South)

23.

Tuen Mun

Construction of drainage channel at So Kwun Wat near the Public School

24.

Tuen Mun

Construction of drainage system at Ching Uk Tsuen, So Kwun Wat

25.

Tuen Mun

Construction of open channel at San Hing Tsuen

26.

Tuen Mun

Improvement works at Kar Wo Lei Village, Tuen Mun

27.

Tuen Mun

Improvement works at San Hui Village, Tuen Mun

28.

Tuen Mun

Improvement works at Leung Tin Village & Wong Ka Wai Village, Tuen Mun

29.

Tai Po

Water supply to Ko Lau Wan within Tai Po District

30.

Tai Po

Water supply to Tap Mun within Tai Po District

31.

Tai Po

Water course improvement works and river bank stabilisation works at Ma Po Mei, Lam Tsuen River

32.

Tai Po

Construction of paving and drainage channel at Tai Hang, Tai Po

33.

Tai Po

Erection of railing along Country Trail near Ma Wo, Tai Po

34.

Tai Po

Reconstruction of concrete paving near the village office, Tai Mei Tuk, Tai Po

35.

Tai Po

Erection of railing along footpath from Tsung Tsai Yuen to Tai Po Kau San Wai, Tai Po

36.

Tai Po

Improvement to slope at Hoi Ha (near Pier) Sai Kung North, Tai Po

37.

Tai Po

Improvement to water pipelines at Nai Chung and Cheung Muk Tau Village, Sai Kung North, Tai Po

38.

Tai Po

Construction of drainage channel at Tin Liu Tsuen, Sap Sze Heung, Sai Kung North, Tai Po

39.

Tai Po

Water course improvement works and river bank stabilisation works at Tai Wo, Tai Po

40.

Tai Po

Water supply to Tan Ka Wan within Tai Po District

41.

Tsuen Wan

Extension of storm water channel at Tsing Lung Tau, Tsuen Wan

42.

Tsuen Wan

Water Supply to Wo Yi Hop Village, Tsuen Wan

43.

Yuen Long

Improvement to drainage channel and paving at Kat Hing Wai, Kam Tin

44.

Yuen Long

Drainage improvement at Lau Fau Shan Phase III

45.

Yuen Long

Drainage improvement at Shan Ha Tsuen, Ping Shan

46.

Yuen Long

Drainage improvement at Wang Toi Shan San Tsuen, Pat Heung

47.

Yuen Long

Improvement to drainage system and paving at Mong Tseng Wai, Ping Shan

446TH - Improvement, reconstruction and extension of village access roads in the New Territories

1.

Islands

Reconstruction of footbridge at Tai Ho, Mui Wo

2.

North

Construction of footbridge at Shek Wu San Tsuen (North), Sheung Shui

3.

North

Improvement of footpath and drainage at Shui Lau Hang, Ta Kwu Ling

4.

North

Construction of temporary footbridge at Sha Tong Pei, Sheung Shui

5.

North

Reconstruction of footbridge and improvement of footpath at Tung Shan Ha, Hok Tau, Fanling

6.

North

Construction of van track at Sheung Wo Hang, Sha Tau Kok

7.

Sai Kung

Muk Min Shan-Upgrading of access road

8.

Sai Kung

Wo Mei - access road improvement

9.

Tuen Mun

Construction of paving and pavilion at Tsz Tin Tsuen

10.

Tuen Mun

Construction of paving at Nai Wai

11.

Tuen Mun

Reconstruction of footpath and drainage at Tseng Tau Chung Tsuen

12.

Tai Po

Reconstruction of van track and paving at Tong Min Village, Lam Tsuen, Tai Po

13.

Tai Po

Reconstruction of van track at Yue Kok, Tai Po

14.

Tai Po

Improvement to footpath at Ha Tei Ha Village, Tai Po

15.

Tai Po

Reconstruction of footbridge and footpath at Tai Wo, Tai Po

16.

Tai Po

Construction of paving and passing places at Wai Tau, Tai Po

17.

Tai Po

Reprovision of footbridge at Shek Kwu Lung, Tai Po

18.

Tai Po

Reconstruction of footpath at Lai Chi Hang, Tai Po Kau, Tai Po

19.

Tai Po

Reconstruction of paving at Sam Mun Tsai, Tai Po

20.

Tai Po

Reconstruction of footbridge at Pun Shan Chau, Tai Po

21.

Tai Po

Reconstruction of footpath from Pak Sha O to Lai Chi Chong, Sai Kung North, Tai Po

22.

Tai Po

Reconstruction of Country Trail from Pak Tam Road to Chek Keng, Sai Kung North, Tai Po

23.

Tsuen Wan

Construction of footpath and associated improvement works at Heung Shek, Tsuen Wan

24.

Yuen Long

Construction of van track at Kong Tau Tsuen, Shap Pat Heung

25.

Yuen Long

Improvement to van track at Pak Hok Chow, San Tin

26.

Yuen Long

Improvement to van track at Tai Sang Wai, San Tin

27.

Yuen Long

Improvement to van track at Sheung Tsuen, Pat Heung

Enclosure II to PWSC(96-97)39

Public Consultation for the Implementation of RPIS Implementation Programme 1996-97

District

Date

Mode of Consultation

Remarks

Islands

10 June 96

Circulation of papers among DB members

All projects were supported.

Kwai Tsing

7 June 96

Circulation of paper among DB members

All projects were supported.

North

20 May 96

District Board Meeting

All projects were supported.

Sai Kung

1 May 96

District Board Meeting

All projects were supported.

Tai Po

10 May 96

District Board Meeting

All projects were supported.

Tsuen Wan

7 June 96

Circulation of papers among DB members

All projects were supported.

Tuen Mun

24 May 96

District Board Meeting

All projects were supported.

Yuen Long

23 May 96

District Board Meeting

All projects were supported.

Last Updated on 8 December 1998