For discussion PWSC(95-96)102
on 15 March 1996

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 702 - PORT AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT
Territory Development
(Civil Engineering - Land development)
321CL - Reclamation and servicing of Tuen Mun Area 38 for special industries

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee -

1. the upgrading of part of 321CL, entitled “Improvement to Lung Mun Road fronting Tuen Mun Area 38 and associated sewerage and drainage works”, to Category A at an estimated cost of $221.7 million in money-of-the-day prices; and
2. the retention of the remainder of 321CL in Category B.

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PROBLEM
PROPOSAL
PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE
JUSTIFICATION
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
LAND ACQUISITION
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Checklist for PWSC Submission

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PROBLEM

The existing Lung Mun Road will not be able to cope with the additional traffic anticipated to be generated by the proposed developments of the special industries area (SIA) and the river trade terminal (RTT) in Tuen Mun Area 38.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Territory Development (DTD), with the support of the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, proposes to upgrade part of 321CL to Category A at an estimated cost of $221.7 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices for carrying out improvement works to Lung Mun Road fronting Tuen Mun Area 38 and associated sewerage and drainage works.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The scope of 321CL comprises -

1. reclamation of 33 hectares of land for special industries;
2. improvement to Lung Mun Road;
3. improvement to Tuen Mun Road and Wong Chu Road interchange;
4. construction of a new road from Tuen Mun Area 45 to Wong Chu Road;
5. re-construction of the sewage outfalls and construction of stormwater culverts; and
6. construction of a common user pier.

4. The part of the project we now propose to upgrade to Category A comprises -

1. construction of 2.3 kilometres of a dual 2-lane carriageway and local access roads;
2. extension of the existing stormwater culverts;
3. construction of a sewage pumping station;
4. implementation of the associated drainage, sewerage, and landscape works; and
5. environmental monitoring and audit of the works mentioned in (a) to (d) above.

JUSTIFICATION

5. Lung Mun Road is the primary road that connects Area 38 with the rest of Tuen Mun New Town and other parts of the New Territories. The section of the road fronting Area 38 is at present a two-lane single carriageway with a daily traffic flow design capacity of 8 000 vehicles and peak hour design capacity of 800 vehicles for both directions. The present daily traffic volume and the peak hour traffic volume are about 9 000 vehicles and 900 vehicles respectively for both directions. Traffic congestion occurs on this section of Lung Mun Road during peak hours.

6. We started the reclamation of the SIA in September 1995 for overall completion in early 2000. The Director of Lands invited tenders in December 1995 to start works on the RTT development in April 1996 for completion by the end of 2000. We estimate that upon completion of the SIA and RTT developments, the daily traffic volume and the peak hour volume of Lung Mun Road will reach 18 800 vehicles and 2 140 vehicles respectively for both directions.

7. Having regard to the future traffic growth of Lung Mun Road and the need to realign the section of Lung Mun Road fronting Area 38 to serve the reclamation area of the SIA and RTT, we intend to construct a new two-lane dual carriageway to replace the existing two-lane single carriageway. Upon completion of the proposed road works, we will retain the existing carriageway as a local access road serving the hinterland of Tuen Mun Area 38.

8. We also need to extend the existing stormwater culverts across the new road and to construct a pumping station and sewers to convey the sewage collected from Area 38 to the Pillar Point sewage treatment plant.

9. In order to ensure that the construction works will not bring about unacceptable environmental impacts on nearby residents, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study (mentioned in paragraph 16 below) recommended that we carry out environmental monitoring and audit during the implementation of the proposed works.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

10. We estimate the capital cost of the project to be $221.7 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 11 below), made up as follows -

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

12. We derive the MOD prices on the basis of the Government’s forecasts of trend labour and construction prices over the period between 1996 and 2000. We will tender the proposed works under a standard re-measurement contract because of the uncertain ground conditions under the proposed works area. The contract provides for adjustment to the tender price due to inflation because the contract period will be longer than 21 months.

13. We estimate the annually recurrent expenditure to be $3.92 million, of which $886,000 (in respect of the sewerage works) under the project will be a charge to the Sewage Services Trading Fund. In accordance with a resolution passed by the Legislative Council on 26 July 1995 on appropriation of assets to the Trading Fund, the sewerage works under the project will, upon completion, become assets in the Fund valued at cost.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

14. We presented the Expanded Development Study of Tuen Mun Area 38 to the Tuen Mun District Board (TMDB) on 21 August 1990. We also presented the draft layout plan of Tuen Mun Area 38 to the TMDB on 10 December 1991 and 20 January 1992. The TMDB raised no objection to the proposed Lung Mun Road improvement works and the sewage and drainage works.

15. We gazetted the proposed road works under the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance on 17 February 1995 and we received no objection.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

16. We completed in December 1994 an EIA study for the reclamation and servicing of Tuen Mun Area 38 at a cost of $1.58 million, charged to Subhead 2003AX “Consultants’ fees for feasibility investigations and design and major in-house investigations for PADS related territorial development projects” under Head 702. The EIA study also covered the Lung Mun Road improvement works and the associated stormwater culvert extensions. The study concluded that the widening of Lung Mun Road adjacent to Tuen Mun Area 38 will not give rise to long term environmental impacts exceeding the established criteria. The Director of Environmental Protection further considers that the proposed sewage pumping station and associated sewers will not give rise to long term environmental impacts. For short term impacts due to the works, we will incorporate into the contract pollution control measures as recommended in the EIA study to control dust, noise and site runoff nuisance during construction.

17. We presented the EIA report to the Environmental Improvement and District Development Committee of TMDB on 12 January 1995. The Committee raised no objection to the EIA report. The Advisory Council on the Environment endorsed the EIA report on 20 February 1995.

LAND ACQUISITION

18. The proposed works do not require land acquisition.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

19. We included 321CL in Category C in September 1988 and upgraded the project to Category B in November 1990.

20. On 9 June 1995, the Finance Committee approved the upgrading of part of 321CL to Category A as 500CL entitled “Reclamation and servicing of Tuen Mun Area 38 for special industries - stage I reclamation and associated infrastructure” at an estimated cost of $486.94 million in MOD prices. On 29 July 1995, the Finance Committee approved the upgrading of another part of 321CL to Category A as 502CL entitled “Reclamation and servicing of Tuen Mun Area 38 for special industries - sewerage and drainage works” at an estimated cost of $299.5 million in MOD prices.

21. We started the stage I reclamation under 500CL in September 1995 for completion in late 1998. We will start the sewerage and drainage works under 502CL in late 1996 for completion in late 1999.

22. The Director of Civil Engineering has completed the detailed design and drawings of the proposed Lung Mun Road improvement works using in-house staff resources. We schedule to start the improvement works in July 1996 for completion in December 1998 to tie in with the completion of the stage I reclamation.

23. In addition to the proposed Lung Mun Road improvement works, we are carrying out improvement works for Tuen Mun Road under 520TH and will improve the roads in Tuen Mun as stated in paragraphs 3(c) and 3(d) above in phases between early 1998 and mid 2001 in order to cope with the additional traffic generated by the proposed SIA and RTT developments. The completion of the Route 3 (Country Park Section) scheduled for mid 1998 will further relieve the traffic congestion in the north western New Territories.

24. We schedule to carry out the remaining works of 321CL in stages starting from late 1996 for full completion in 2001.

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Checklist for PWSC Submission

321CL -Reclamation and servicing of Tuen Mun Area 38 for special industries

(a) Necessity to go to the PWSC

We need to seek the PWSC/FC approval for upgrading part of 321CL to Category A at an estimated cost of $221.7 million in money-of-the-day prices for improving Lung Mun Road.

(b) Authority

321CL forms part of the Port and Airport Development Strategy (PADS) announced by the Governor in 1989 Policy Address. The development proposal for Tuen Mun Area 38 was endorsed by LDPC in February 1992.

(c) Funding

The 1995 final RAE has earmarked $1,939.5 million for the entire 321CL at December 1994 prices. The estimated cost of the proposed works is $162 million at the same price level. There is sufficient fund to cover the cost of the works.

(d) Political assessment

Members might express concern about the traffic impact due to the proposed development. This problem has been examined and appropriate road improvement works will be implemented. These include improvement to Tuen Mun Road by Highways Department and completion of the Country Park Section of the Route 3 highway by mid 1998.

(e) Lobbying requirement

We do not consider lobbying as necessary.

(f) Fallback option

If we encounter difficulties at the PWSC meeting, we would prefer, in order of priority, -

(i) to ask for a vote on the project as it stands.

(ii) to withdraw the paper for a re-submission at a subsequent meeting.

(g) Attendance at the PWSC meeting

Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands (Mr Bowen Leung) and Director of Territory Development (Mr S S Lee) will attend the meeting.

(h) Special consideration

The project has been classified as high impact project by Works Branch. We need to present the proposal to the PWSC meeting on 15 March 1996 in order not to delay the commencement of the works.

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