For discussion PWSC(97-98)12
on 9 May 1997

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 703 - BUILDINGS
Social Welfare and Community Building - Community centres and halls

123SC -Reprovisioning of Begonia Road Boys’ Home to area 64, Sha Tin

    Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 123SC to Category A at an estimated cost of $108.1 million in money-of-the-day prices for the reprovisioning of the Begonia Road Boys’ Home to area 64, Sha Tin.



PROBLEM

The facilities of the existing Begonia Road Boys’ Home (BRBH) are inadequate and substandard.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Architectural Services (D Arch S), with the support of the Secretary for Health and Welfare, proposes to upgrade 123SC to Category A at an estimated cost of $108.1 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices for reprovisioning the BRBH from Yau Yat Chuen to area 64, Sha Tin.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The scope of the project comprises the construction of a new boys’ home consisting of six dormitories, four classrooms, five workshops, a music room, a science room, staff offices, staff quarters, interview rooms, a conference room, a dining hall, a multi-purpose hall, one football field, one basketball court and other ancillary facilities.

JUSTIFICATION

4. The existing BRBH was built in 1962 as a probation home for boys aged 7 to 16 to receive residential training for a maximum period of one year. It cannot meet the present day requirements for residential training of boy probationers because its facilities are outdated and there are insufficient space and facilities for prevocational training, outdoor activities and small group living environment in the dormitories. Furthermore, owing to inadequate structural loading capacity, it is technically not feasible to have any in-situ renovation or add floors to the existing home. Therefore, we propose to reprovision the BRBH to a site at A Kung Kok Shan Road, Sha Tin.

5. The reprovisioned BRBH would have a capacity of 120 places for boy probationers. It will meet the latest requirements for prevocational training by providing 4 extra workshops (metalwork, printing, air-conditioning and electrical/electronics) in addition to the woodwork workshop. It will also have more space for outdoor activities including the provision of a football field. The dormitories will be designed to provide a small group living environment for the residents.

6. We plan to convert the existing premises of the BRBH into a remand home for boy and girl offenders aged 7 to 16. The existing facilities will be able to meet their training requirements because of the short term nature of remand cases, ranging from a few days to a few weeks only.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

7. We estimate the capital cost of the project to be $108.1 million in MOD prices, made up as follows -


$ million


(a) Site formation and geotechnical works

3.3


(b) Building

44.2


(c) Building services

16.8


(d) Drainage and external works

12.8


(e) Furniture and equipment

6.9


(f) Consultants' fees (a breakdown by man month of the estimate is at the Enclosure)

1.2


(g) Contingencies

5.4



_____


Sub-total

90.6

(at December
1996 prices)

(h) Inflation allowance

17.5



_____


Total

108.1

(in MOD prices)


_____


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

Year

$ million
(Dec 1996)

Price
adjustment
factor

$ million
(MOD)

1997 - 98

11.8

1.06750

12.6

1998 - 99

41.8

1.16358

48.6

1999 - 2000

37.0

1.26830

46.9


_____


_____


90.6


108.1


_____


_____

9. We derived the MOD estimate on the basis of the Government’s forecast of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1997 to 2000. We will tender the project under a fixed-price lump-sum contract because we can clearly define the scope of works in advance, leaving little room for uncertainty.

10. We estimate the additional annually recurrent expenditure of the project to be $1.04 million.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

11. We consulted the Sha Tin District Board on the project in December 1995. Members raised no objection.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

12. The Director of Environmental Protection conducted an Environmental Review for the project in June 1994 and concluded that no Environmental Impact Assessment was required. The boys’ home would not be subject to adverse environmental impacts because the proposed site is far away from major roads. During construction, we will control noise, dust and site run-off nuisances to comply with established criteria through the implementation of mitigation measures in the relevant contracts.

LAND ACQUISITION

13. The project does not require land acquisition.

Background INFORMATION

14. We upgraded 123SC to Category B in May 1995.

15. We have completed site investigations. We have engaged consultants to carry out the detailed design and contract documentation for the project at an estimated cost of $3 million, which we charged to the block allocation Subhead 3100GX "Project feasibility studies, minor investigations and consultants’ fees from items in Category D of the Public Works Programme". We plan to start construction works in June 1997 for completion in November 1998.

16. The proposed relocation site has a maximum plot ratio of 1.4 with neighbouring sites having maximum plot ratios ranging from 0.87 to 1.4. The proposed development will achieve a plot ratio of about 1.2 and the site will, in principle, be slightly underutilised. However, we need to take into account (a) the general height restriction to three storeys to be compatible with developments in the neighbourhood; and (b) the need to provide adequate open space, including a football field, for the healthy development and growth of 120 teenage boys during a critical stage in their lives. Moreover, as the boys’ home is a correctional facility for young offenders, it is not suitable for joint user development for security reasons. We are therefore satisfied that the site is developed to its full potential for all practical purposes.

Health & Welfare Branch
April 1997
(HH504)


Enclosure to PWSC(97-98)12

123SC - Reprovisioning of Begonia Road Boys’ Home to area 64, Sha Tin

Breakdown of estimates for consultants’ fees

Consultants’ staff cost


Estimated
man
month

Average
MPS
salary
point

Multiplier
factor

Estimated
fees
($ million)

Architectural post-contract
services

Professional

Technical

6.02

3.59

40

16

3.0

3.0

1.0

0.2






_________





Total

1.2






_________

Notes

  1. The multiplier factor of 3 is applied to the average MPS point to arrive at the full staff costs including the consultants' overheads and profit, as the staff will be employed in the consultants' offices. (At 1.4.1996, MPS Pt. 40 = $55,390 p.m. and MPS pt. 16 = $18,595 p.m.).

  2. The figures given above are based on estimates prepared by the Director of Architectural Services. We will only know the actual man months and actual fees when we have selected the consultants through the usual competitive lump sum fee bid system.

(HH504)


Last Updated on 16 August 1999