Public Works Subcommittee

Record of Meeting held on 8 November 1995 at 10:45 am
in the Legislative Council Chamber

Present:

Dr Hon Samuel WONG Ping-wai, MBE, FEng, JP (Chairman)
Hon Albert CHAN Wai-yip (Deputy Chairman)
Hon Edward HO Sing-tin, OBE, JP
Hon Ronald ARCULLI, OBE, JP
Hon Mrs Miriam LAU Kin-yee, OBE, JP
Hon Frederick FUNG Kin-kee
Hon Emily LAU Wai-hing
Hon LEE Wing-tat
Hon Eric LI Ka-cheung, JP
Hon Howard YOUNG, JP
Hon Zachary WONG Wai-yin
Hon CHAN Kam-lam
Hon Andrew CHENG Kar-foo
Hon CHEUNG Hon-chung
Hon IP Kwok-him
Hon MOK Ying-fan
Hon SIN Chung-kai
Hon TSANG Kin-shing
Dr Hon John TSE Wing-ling
Hon Lawrence YUM Sin-ling

Non-PWSC Member

Hon Mrs Selina CHOW LIANG Shuk-yee, OBE, JP

Absent:

Hon LAU Wong-fat, OBE, JP
Dr Hon Edward LEONG Che-hung, OBE, JP
Hon Henry TANG Ying-yen, JP
Hon Christine LOH Kung-wai
Hon CHAN Yuen-han
Hon NGAN Kam-chuen
Hon Mrs Elizabeth WONG CHIEN Chi-lien, CBE, ISO, JP

In attendance for specific items:

In attendance:

Mr B P W LEUNG, JP	Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands
Mr H S KWONG, JP	Secretary for Works
Dr S B REED, OBE, JP	Director of Environmental Protection
Mr Kevin HO, JP	Deputy Secretary for the Treasury
Mr Mike ARNOLD	Principal Assistant Secretary for the Treasury (Works)
Miss Pauline NG	Assistant Secretary General
Mrs Constance LI	Clerk to the Public Works Subcommittee
Mr Andy LAU	Senior Assistant Secretary (Finance Committee)

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Members noted Mr James TIEN Pei-chun’s resignation from the Public Works Subcommittee with effect from 7 November 1995.

NON-AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME
Revision in scope/approved estimate of project in Category A
HEAD 703 - BUILDINGS

PWSC(95-96)61

56RS

Reprovisioning of Yeung Uk Road sportsground in Shing Mun Valley, area 7, Tsuen Wan

2. Responding to a Member’s question about the possibility of excessive noise generated from amplified concerts, the Assistant Director of Regional Services confirmed that the Shing Mun Valley sportsground would not be used for amplified concerts and the like. As regards the holding of other large scale events, the Administration would examine each application on its merits to ensure that the noises so generated would comply with the standards of the Environmental Protection Department.

3. In response to a Member’s question, the Director of Architectural Services (D Arch S) advised that the validity period of the tender had been extended to 1 December 1995, and the prices would remain at the 1995 level.

4. This item was voted on and endorsed.

Upgrading of projects to Category A
HEAD 703 - BUILDINGS

PWSC(95-96)56	162EP	Two primary schools in area 59, Tseung Kwan O
	185EP	Primary school in Kwai Fong Estate, Kwai Chung

5. Some Members expressed concern about the shortfall of primary school classes in Tseung Kwan O, Kwai Fong and Kwai Hing areas even after the completion of the proposed schools. They asked if the school building programme could be speeded up to obviate the need for primary school children so affected to travel to other districts.

6. In reply, the Assistant Director of Education (AD/ED) advised that owing to resource implications and staff constraints, the school building programme had to be implemented by phases. The demand for school places in each district fluctuated, and factors such as the intake of immigrants from China and individual parents’ choice of schools would have an impact on the demand. The Education Department would keep the situation under review and, where possible, would absorb the shortfall by schools in adjacent zones with minimum travelling required.

7. As regards the possibility of constructing schools of smaller sizes to meet different needs in districts, AD/ED advised that the current design of a primary school catered for 30 classes. It would not be cost-effective to construct a school just for, say, 10 classes. Referring to the timing for the completion of the proposed schools, AD/ED advised that although it was normal practice to synchronise the opening of a new school with the commencement of a new school year, the current proposal was to tie in with the intake of the tenants into the new housing estates where most of the students would be coming from.

8. On the increase of project estimates for school buildings over those of last year, D Arch S advised that new design had taken into account of the recommendations in Education Commission Report No. 5. D Arch S agreed to provide in future papers the standard price for the construction of a school, together with reasons for any deviation from the standard.

xx

9. As regards the criteria for providing air-conditioning and good-quality windows to classrooms subject to traffic noise, D Arch S confirmed that both mitigation measures would be taken if the noise level, as assessed by the Environmental Protection Department, exceeded 65 decibel. Noise barriers would also be provided to schools to reduce the noise impact to an acceptable standard.

10. At Members’ request, the Administration also agreed to provide information on the provision of students’ lockers and drinking fountains in the proposed schools before the item was put to the Finance Committee (FC) for consideration.

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11. This item was voted on and endorsed. Miss Emily LAU abstained.

PWSC(95-96)57

159ES

Second Secondary school in Tsui Wan Estate, Chai Wan

12. Regarding the high piling cost, a Member enquired if actions had been taken to minimise the need to incur extra costs for developing dumping sites filled with unsuitable materials. In reply, the Director of Territory Development (DTD) advised that all public dumpings were now under proper control. Normally, only areas not intended for buildings would be used for dumping areas. The D Arch S added that in view of the difficulty in identifying another suitable site within the same district for the proposed school, they had to make use of the proposed site which had all along been earmarked for the purpose. The piling method to be adopted was considered the most suitable solution after exploring various options.

13. Responding to a Member’s question, AD/ED advised that the floating class arrangement was only an interim measure to meet the shortfall of school places in some districts, and that the Government had plans to phase out floating classes in secondary one to secondary five by 2000. To achieve this, the Government would build 12 schools in 1996/97 and six schools in 1997/98, and the requirements after 1997-98 would be assessed in due course. As for secondary six and seven, the floating classes would continue for the time being, since the activities of these students were less confined to classrooms. 14. At Members’ request, the Administration agreed to provide information on the provision of student lockers and drinking fountains in the proposed secondary school, before putting the item to FC for consideration.

xx

15. This item was voted on and endorsed. Miss Emily LAU abstained.

PWSC(95-96)58

24LJ

Conversion of the French Mission Building into the Court of Final Appeal

16. Regarding the need for providing separate accommodation with a gross floor area of 3 430 sq.m. for the future Court of Final Appeal (CFA) given the small number of cases likely to be handled, the Judiciary Administrator (JA) explained that it had been considered necessary for CFA to be given a separate identify, with a separate address, in view of the special and important nature of its work. The utilization of the Building would be closely monitored and it might be possible for staff who provided common services to CFA and other courts of the Judiciary to move into the Building.

17. Members raised questions on the layout plans and made the following comments :

1. the proposed allocation of space for Judges appeared to be too generous;
2. it was difficult to assess if the space allocated to staff was appropriate as the staffing requirement was not yet known;
3. the consultation rooms for barristers were too small and inconveniently located;
4. facilities, such as toilets, waiting area, robing rooms to be used by barristers and/or their clients were grossly under-provided;
5. there were insufficient justifications for the Court Ante-Chambers, as the VIP Room and Judge Corridor could be put to better use;
6. there were more Judges’ Chambers than necessary; and
7. there were insufficient details about the recurrent expenditure of $20.4 million for the project.

18. In response, JA explained that in drawing up the proposal, the Administration had made reference to the accommodation requirements of the Privy Council in the United Kingdom and the High Court in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, in order to be consistent with the original design of the French Mission Building which was a gazetted historical building, only minimum alterations to the existing layout could be made, resulting in that some offices might have been over-provided. As for the detailed design and schedule of accommodation, JA and D Arch S agreed to review the layout of the building and to provide further information to Members before putting the item to the Finance Committee for consideration.

xx

19. At the conclusion of the discussion, Members of the Liberal Party indicated that while they supported in principle the provision of accommodation for the CFA, they would need further information on the proposal to ensure that public monies were properly spent. Members of the Democratic Party reserved their position on the proposal.

20. The Committee voted on the proposal: four Members voted for the proposal, none against and twelve abstained.

Ayes:

(4 Members)

Nos:

(None)

Abstentions:

(12 Members)

21. This item was endorsed.

PWSC(95-96)60

39KO

Public Records Office Building at Tsui Ping Road, Kwun Tong

22. In response to Members’ concern that the full plot ratio had not been utilized for the proposed building, D Arch S advised that it would not be cost-effective to build an extra floor at this stage; nevertheless, the present design had already taken into account the possibility of expansion. The constraint in the size of the site and the proposed usage had made it difficult for the building to be jointly used by other departments. In reply to a Member’s question, the Deputy Director of Administration said that based on the assumption of a 3 percent annual growth rate, the proposed building would be sufficient to cater for the growth of public records for 12 years.

23. Responding to a Member’s question, the Government Records Service Director confirmed that the government had made reference to the experience in other countries on ways to protect public records from fire hazards and deterioration in the longer term.

24. This item was voted on and endorsed.

HEAD 711 - HOUSING

PWSC(95-96)59

New Item

Tin Shui Wai further development - engineering investigation

25. In response to a Member’s question, the Principal Assistant Secretary for Housing advised that the Administration was aware of the urgency in completing the 45,000 housing units by the end of 2001. The Administration would shortly hand over the 23 hectares of land in Areas 3, 30 and 31 to the Housing Authority for the construction of 16,000 units. As regards the land on the Reserved Zone for the construction of the remaining 29,000 units, the present programme was to complete the consultancy study by mid-1997. The sites would be handed over to the Housing Authority in stages. A Member expressed concern that there would be possible slippage of the construction programme. In response, the Administration agreed to provide further information on the housing building programme.

xx

26. Referring to the inadequacy of transport facilities serving the Yuen Long District, DTD advised that the present proposal would only cater for the transport needs within the area. Transport links with areas outside the district would be improved upon the completion of Route 3 in mid 1998 and the Western Corridor Railway in early 2000’s.

27. Responding to a Member, DTD confirmed that the proposed engineering investigation study would also look at the effect of the development on Deep Bay. It was a common practice to carry out the environmental impact assessment study simultaneously to provide a complete picture on the overall feasibility of a project. He also agreed to provide a copy of the Area Outline Zoning Plan to Members.

xx

28. This item was voted on and endorsed.

29. The meeting ended at 12.45 p.m.

Legislative Council Secretariat
5 December 1995

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