For discussion PWSC(96-97)50
on 10 July 1996

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 707 - NEW TOWNS AND URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT
New Territories North Development
(Civil Engineering - Land development)
227CL - Tin Shui Wai development, package 3, part II, village flood protection works - remainder

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee -

1. the upgrading of part of 227CL, entitled “Tin Shui Wai development - village flood protection works for Ha Mei San Tsuen”, to Category A at an estimated cost of $79.1 million in money-of-the-day prices; and
2. the retention of the remainder of 227CL in Category B, retitled “Tin Shui Wai development - village flood protection works for Sheung Cheung Wai”.

---

PROBLEM
PROPOSAL
PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE
JUSTIFICATION
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
LAND ACQUISITION
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
227CL - Tin Shui Wai development, package 3, part II, village flood protection works - remainder --Breakdown of the estimates for consultants' fees for construction stage

---

PROBLEM

Ha Mei San Tsuen is a low lying village on the periphery of Tin Shui Wai and is prone to frequent flooding during typhoons or heavy rainstorms.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Territory Development (DTD), with the support of the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, proposes to upgrade part of 227CL to Category A at an estimated cost of $79.1 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices for the construction of flood protection works at Ha Mei San Tsuen.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The project 227CL comprises the construction of flood protection works at Ha Mei San Tsuen and Sheung Cheung Wai.

4. The part of the project we now propose to upgrade to Category A covers the remaining flood protection works for Ha Mei San Tsuen which comprise the construction of -

1. flood protection embankments;
2. service roads, footpaths and a carparking area;
3. associated sewerage and drainage works; and
4. the enlargement and concrete lining of an existing flood pond.

JUSTIFICATION

5. In recent years, typhoons and heavy rainstorms have caused frequent flooding in Ha Mei San Tsuen, affecting some 280 villagers in 50 households. The depth of flood water ranged from about 0.5 metre (during heavy rainstorms) to one metre (during the passage of typhoons).

6. The proposed flood protection works for Ha Mei San Tsuen consists of a poldered village scheme similar to those we have carried out in other villages in the North West New Territories, such as Kiu Tau Wai in Ping Shan and Lo Uk Tsuen in Ha Tsuen, both in Yuen Long. The completed works have effectively protected these villages from being flooded during typhoons or heavy rainstorms.

7. The proposed works will protect Ha Mei San Tsuen from being flooded in the following ways -

1. during typhoons or heavy rainstorms, the proposed village drains will collect stormwater within the village boundary and divert it to a flood pond at the north of the village. Before the pond starts overflowing, the pumping station will operate automatically to pump water from the pond into an existing box culvert under Tin Tsz Road for discharge into Inner Deep Bay; and
2. the proposed embankments will prevent any external flood water from entering the village proper.

8. Due to villagers’ objection to the resumption of land for the works on “fung-shui” grounds, we decided to implement the poldered scheme for the Ha Mei San Tsuen in two stages. We completed the flood pond and pumping station (which required government land only) in February 1992 under 338CL “Tin Shui Wai development, village flood protection, phase III”. These works have provided interim protection to the village against a 10 year return period rainstorm.

9. In November 1995, we resolved the “fung-shui” problem. We now need to proceed with the remaining flood protection works. The completion of the whole scheme will protect Ha Mei San Tsuen, and its future expansion with a total population of 950, against a 200 year return period rainstorm. Upon the completion of the proposed works, we expect that Ha Mei San Tsuen would become less flood prone.

10. As part of the works, we will construct roads on top of the embankments to provide access to the poldered village. These will also provide emergency vehicular access. In addition, we will construct a carparking area to meet the needs of the local residents.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

11. We estimate the capital cost of the project to be $79.1 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 12 below), made up as follows -

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

13. We have derived the MOD estimate on the basis of the Government’s forecasts of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1996 to 2000. We will tender the civil engineering works under a standard re-measurement contract because the works involve extensive earthworks, the quantities of which are subject to variation during construction to suit the actual site conditions. We will not provide for inflation adjustment in the contract because the construction period is less than 21 months. We will tender the purchase, installation, testing and commissioning of the electrical and mechanical works under a fixed-price lump-sum contract because we can clearly define the scope of the works in advance.

14. We estimate the annually recurrent expenditure to be $897,000, of which $43,000 is for sewerage works under the project and will be a charge to the Sewage Services Trading Fund. Subject to the Legislative Council passing a resolution on appropriation of assets to the Trading Fund, the sewerage works under the project will, upon completion, become assets in the Trading Fund valued at cost.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

15. We consulted the Ping Shan Rural Committee and the Traffic and Transport Committee of the Yuen Long District Board on this project in January 1993 and June 1993 respectively. Members of both Committees supported the proposal.

16. We gazetted the proposed works under the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance in January 1995 and received one objection to the proposed emergency vehicular access on “fung-shui” grounds. After lengthy deliberations, we redesigned the emergency vehicular access to the satisfaction of both the villagers and its future users. The villagers subsequently withdrew the objection and the Secretary for Transport authorized the works in November 1995.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

17. The Director of Environmental Protection completed an environmental review of the proposed works in April 1994 and concluded that there would be no long term environmental impacts and that an environmental impact assessment for the project would not be necessary.

18. For short term impacts, we will control noise, dust and site run-off nuisances during construction to conform with established standards and guidelines through the implementation of mitigation measures in the works contract. These mitigation measures include the use of appropriate dredgers or excavators, proper disposal of dredged materials and no stockpiling of contaminated mud. The estimated cost of the mitigation measures is $1 million. This is part of the overall project cost stated under items (a) to (e) of paragraph 11 above.

19. We have fully incorporated the mitigation measures and environmental monitoring programmes into the detailed design and works contracts. We will ensure proper implementation of these measures during the construction and operation phases.

LAND ACQUISITION

20. We will resume about 2.31 hectares of agricultural land. The clearance will affect 28 structures (including 7 domestic structures with 13 residents and 12 agricultural structures). The Director of Housing will offer the affected families alternative accommodation in line with existing policy. We will charge the cost of land acquisition and clearance estimated at $45.4 million to Head 701 - Land Acquisition.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

21. We included 227CL in Category B in June 1984 for flood protection work in Tin Shui Wai. We have since then part upgraded 227CL to complete phase IIA and phase III of the project under 270CL “Tin Shui Wai development, package 3, part IIA - village flood protection” and 338CL “Tin Shui Wai development, village flood protection, phase III”.

22. We started the village flood protection works under 270CL in April 1987 and completed the works in March 1990. We also started the construction of the pumping stations and flood ponds under 338CL in November 1990 and completed the works in March 1991.

23. As regards the flood protection works at Ha Mei San Tsuen we now propose to upgrade to Category A, we have engaged consultants to undertake the investigation and design work. We have charged the cost of $1.27 million to the block allocation Subhead 7008CX¹ "Consultants' fees and charges and major in-house investigations for new towns and urban area development projects". The consultants have substantially completed the detailed design and drawings. We plan to start the proposed works in February 1997 for completion in July 1998.

24. The remainder of 227CL makes provision for flood protection works at Sheung Cheung Wai. The local villagers objected to the proposed works during a meeting between the Ping Shan Rural Committe and the government departments concerned in December 1995 on grounds that these works might affect future expansion of the village. We shall address this concern as and when the Rural Committee files a written objection incorporating details of their counter-proposal.

1 -- The former block allocation Subhead 7008CX has been replaced by a new block allocation Subhead 7100CX "New towns and urban area works, studies and investigations for items selected in Category D of the Public Works Programme" since 1 April 1996. The new block allocation was approved by Finance Committee on 8 March 1996.

---

(HH392)

Enclosure to PWSC(96-97)50

227CL - Tin Shui Wai development, package 3, part II, village flood protection works - remainder --Breakdown of the estimates for consultants' fees for construction stage

*MPS = Master Pay Scale

Notes

1. A 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 1.4.95, MPS pt. 40 = $51,440 p.m. and MPS pt. 16 = $17,270 p.m.)
2. The figures given above are based on estimates prepared by the Director of Territory Development. The consultancy works for this project has been included as part of the overall consultancy agreement for New Town Development at Tin Shui Wai.

---