LegCo Paper No. PWSC 88/96-97
(These minutes have been
seen by the Administration)
Ref : CB1/F/2/2

Public Works Subcommittee

Minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held on Friday, 9 May 1997, at 4:10 pm in the Legislative Council Chamber

Members present :

Members attending :

Members absent :

Public officers attending :

Mr James HERD: Deputy Secretary for the Treasury (3) (Acting)
Mr Bowen LEUNG, JP: Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands
Mr K K KWOK, JP: Deputy Secretary for Works
Mr Rob LAW, JP: Director of Environmental Protection
Mr S H PAU, JP: Director of Architectural Services
Mrs Sarah KWOK: Principal Assistant Secretary for Security (B)
Mr J K KWOK, CPM: Chief Fire Officer (Headquarters), Fire Services Department
Mr A K PATON: Chief Property Manager (Estate Management), Government Property Agency
Miss Annette LEE: Principal Assistant Secretary for Education and Manpower (2)
Mr M Y CHENG: Assistant Director of Education (Allocation and Support)
Ms Miranda CHIU: Principal Assistant Secretary for Health and Welfare (W1)
Mr Carlos LEUNG: Assistant Director of Social Welfare (Youth/Training)
Mr John COLLIER, JP: Director of Drainage Services
Mr K S LEUNG, JP: Director of Highways
Mr S S LEE, JP: Director of Territory Development
Mr P W CHAN: Deputy Director of Water Supplies

Clerk in attendance:

Mrs Constance LI: Chief Assistant Secretary (Finance Committee)

Staff in attendance:

Mrs Vivian KAM: Assistant Secretary General 1
Ms Anita SIT: Senior Assistant Secretary (Finance Committee)1

As Dr Samuel WONG, Chairman, was engaged in other commitments, the meeting was convened by Mr Albert CHAN, Deputy Chairman.

NON-AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME

Upgrading of projects to Category A

HEAD 703 - BUILDINGS

PWSC(97-98)18

122BF

Sub-divisional fire station in area 52, Tuen Mun

2. The item was voted on and endorsed.

PWSC(97-98)14	230EP	Primary school in area 49A, Fanling
	231EP	Primary school at Belvedere Garden, area 2, Tsuen Wan

3. A member expressed concern that there might not be sufficient provision of primary school places to cope with the inflow of children from mainland China. She enquired if the forecast shortfall of primary school classes stated in the paper had been updated to take into account the expected influx of children from mainland China. The Assistant Director of Education (Allocation and Support) (AD/E(A&S)) responded that the forecast demand of school places was based on current policies on the division of school zones, the size of classes and the conversion of half-day schools to whole-day schools, having regard to the latest information on school-age population. The Education Department would review its forecast demand on school places annually and as and when necessary. As the Security Branch and Immigration Department were currently liaising with the Chinese authorities for information on new arrival children, the Education Department would review its planned provision of school places when more up-to-date information was available.

4. To address the shortfall of school classes in Sham Tseng, AD/E(A&S) confirmed that another primary school had been planned on a site adjacent to the San Miguel Brewery Comprehensive Redevelopment Area. As regards the timeframe for construction, he advised that normally it took about 18 months to complete the superstructure of a standard primary school.

5. On the provision of basketball courts in primary schools, the Director of Architectural Services (D Arch S) clarified that only one basketball court would be provided for each primary school of standard design, but an additional court could be provided subject to availability of space. As to whether the school rooftop could be used to provide additional basketball courts, AD/E(A&S) advised that this could be arranged on request but some schools might prefer to use the rooftop for other purposes. He added that according to feedback from school management, generally one basketball court would be sufficient for a primary school.

6.Responding to the Chairman on the possibility of advancing the construction of the Regional Council (RC) sports and recreational facilities adjacent to the proposed primary school in Tsuen Wan, D Arch S advised that the project was a five-year project, and construction could not commence shortly because part of the works would require land resumption. At the Chairmans request, the Administration agreed to co-ordinate with concerned departments to expedite the construction programme of the RC project with a view to minimising any environmental impact on the school.

Admin

7.The item was voted on and endorsed.

PWSC(97-98)15

213ES

Secondary school in area 20, Fanling

8.Ms Emily LAU expressed disappointment about the prolonged existence of floating classes in schools as this was initially introduced as an expedient measure to alleviate the problem of school class shortage. She urged the Administration to take more concrete steps, such as building more schools, to solve the shortage problem. In response, the Principal Assistant Secretary for Education and Manpower (2) advised that the Administration had plans to phase out all floating classes at Secondary One to Secondary Five by 2000.

9. The item was voted on and endorsed.

PWSC(97-98)19

146GK

Disciplined services sports and recreation club at So Kon Po

10. Some members asked about the justifications for providing a disciplined services sports and recreation club (DSSRC) at So Kon Po. The Principal Assistant Secretary for Secretary (PAS/S) advised that the proposal was only to reprovision the previous DSSRC at Kai Tak which was closed in 1990 to make way for the expansion of Kai Tak Airport. Due to difficulties in identifying a suitable site, the reprovisioning project had been delayed. PAS/S also confirmed that the proposal was in line with the existing policy for providing recreational and sports facilities to staff of disciplined service in order to help maintain their physical fitness, morale and alertness. The proposed facilities in DSSRC were similar to those of the former DSSRC, but more indoor facilities such as karaoke equipment would be provided to compensate for the lesser open space at So Kon Po.

11. In reply to the Chairman on the reasons for selecting an urban site for DSSRC, PAS/S advised that the So Kon Po site had been zoned for sports and recreational uses, and that the project would be more cost-effective by retaining the existing facilities such as the grass pitches and the floodlight system for use by the DSSRC. The proposed DSSRC was also compatible with the Urban Council facilities planned for the other part of the So Kon Po site.

12.Two members expressed doubts as to whether it was a fair policy to provide sports and recreational facilities for staff of the disciplined services only, in view of the general shortage of sports and recreational facilities for the public, and the fact that individual disciplined services had already been provided with their own recreational facilities. At the request of the members, the Administration undertook to provide further information on the overall policy and the provision of sports and recreational facilities to staff in the disciplined services, before the item was forwarded to the Finance Committee for consideration.

Admin

13. The item was put to vote and endorsed. Mr LEE Wing-tat expressed reservations about the proposal pending further information from the Administration.

PWSC(97-98)12

123SC

Reprovisioning of Begonia Road Boys�Home to area 64, Shatin

14. Noting that the proposed plot ratio of 1.2 for the boys home was lower than the maximum permissible plot ratio of 1.4, a member asked whether it would be possible to optimize the site utilization by providing more residential places to cater for future demand. In response, the Assistant Director of Social Welfare and the Principal Assistant Secretary for Health and Welfare (PAS/H&W) advised that although attendance at the boys home might vary depending on the decision of the courts, the proposed facilities and the provision of 120 residential places should be adequate to meet the demand in the foreseeable future, since experience indicated that only 90 places on average had been taken up in the two existing boys homes at Begonia Road and O Pui Shan in the last five years. PAS/H&W added that she did not therefore see the need or the justification for putting more resources into this project at present.

15.As regards the feasibility and cost implications of providing additional places in the proposed home, D Arch S advised that an extra storey could be added to the present design for some more places if necessary, and that the additional cost was about $3 million. In view of the possibility of an increased demand for places in boys homes arising from a growing population, a member suggested the Administration to review if additional facilities should be provided at the planning stage to allow for future expansion. The Administration agreed to report to the Subcommittee its deliberations of the members proposal, before the item was forwarded to the Finance Committee for consideration.

Admin

16. The item was voted on and endorsed.

HEAD 704 - DRAINAGE

PWSC(97-98)13

55CD

Territorial land drainage and flood control strategy study phase III

17. The item was voted on and endorsed.

PWSC(97-98)11

59CD

West Kowloon drainage improvement - stages 1, 2 and 3

18. The item was voted on and endorsed.

HEAD 706 - HIGHWAYS

PWSC(97-98)16	365TH	Castle Peak Road improvement between area 2 and Sham Tseng, Tsuen Wan
	553TH	Castle Peak Road improvement between Sham Tseng and Ka Loon Tsuen, Tsuen Wan

19. Members generally agreed to the proposed improvements to Castle Peak Road (CPR) between area 2 and Ka Loon Tsuen in Tsuen Wan to cope with increasing traffic in the area. On the timeframe for completion of the project, the Director of Highways (DHy) advised that construction would start in early 2000 for completion by end 2002. In addition, the road widening works for the remaining section of CPR between Ka Loon Tsuen and Siu Lam would start by end 2001. The latter project was considered less urgent as eastbound traffic towards Kowloon could turn onto Tuen Mun Road at the Siu Lam Interchange. DHy assured members that measures would be taken to minimize traffic disruption, and the present single two-lane standard would be maintained during the construction period. In response to a member, DHy advised that the proposed timeframe for the project was reasonable having regard to the necessary land resumption and slope-cutting works involved.

20.Some members expressed concern that the proposed road widening and re-alignment might have adverse environmental effects on the beaches and trees along the road. DHy responded that a preliminary Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study had been conducted, and only minor impacts on beaches were identified. RC and District Board (DB) concerned were aware of the EIA findings and they had no objection to the proposed works. At the request of the Chairman, the Administration undertook to provide further information on the EIA findings and discussion with RC/DB in this respect.

Admin

21. To mitigate the traffic noise impact of the proposed works, DHy advised that noise barriers would be constructed for sections of the road with residential developments nearby and where acceptable noise levels were exceeded. Indirect noise mitigation measures would also be implemented in the form of insulated windows and air-conditioning for an estimated number of 2 320 eligible dwellings along the CPR. The eligible dwellings would be identified and notified of the arrangements for implementation of the mitigation measures upon upgrading of the construction works to Category A in late 1999 or early 2000.

22. On the eligibility for indirect noise mitigation measures, a member asked whether residential units not included in the initial EIA study could be provided with these measures if they were subsequently found to be subject to traffic noise exceeding the acceptable limit of 70 dB(A). The Director of Environmental Protection clarified that the EIA recommendations were based on the projected traffic growth several years later, and there had not been a case so far seeking subsequent remedial works. Nevertheless, he saw no objection in principle that remedies should be provided to dwellings affected by traffic noise exceeding 70 dB(A).

23. In reply to a member, DHy advised that noise-reducing surfacing material would not be suitable for the CPR because the material would easily peel off if applied on roads where vehicles moved in a stop-and-go pattern.

24. On re-alignment of roads, DHy advised that the roadside landscaping would be restored after the works. He also confirmed that the proposed consultancy study would look into the feasibility of providing recreational cycle tracks along the CPR.

25. The item was voted on and endorsed. Ms Emily LAU indicated reservation about the environmental and traffic impact arising from the proposal.

PWSC(97-98)20

700TH

Landscape works along North Lantau Expressway

26. In reply to a member, DHy clarified that the re-measurement contract arrangement was proposed because of uncertainties in the quantity of plantation works required on site. However, no price adjustments due to inflation would be allowed as the construction would only take 13 months to complete. With regard to the purpose of the additional recurrent expenditure of $542,000, DHy advised that this was for maintenance of the planted landscaping along the North Lantau Expressway (NLE).

27. On the reason for not including the proposed works in the Airport Core Programme (ACP) estimates, the Deputy Secretary for the Treasury (3) explained that due to pressures on time and cost when ACP estimates were drawn up in the early 1990s, it had been decided that only those essential and core elements of the new airport should be included in the ACP. The Administration was of the view that ancillary projects such as landscaping works of this kind should more appropriately be funded as separate Public Works Programme projects in the normal way.

28. Addressing a members concern about visual austerity at Ting Kau where construction works on Ting Kau Bridge and Tai Lam Tunnel were underway, DHy advised that the landscape would be restored upon completion of the works, and that there would be landscaping along the road linking the new airport from NLE to the West Kowloon Expressway.

29. The item was voted on and endorsed.

HEAD 707 - NEW TOWNS AND URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT

PWSC(97-98)17

324CL

Tseung Kwan O development, phase 3 - remaining engineering works

30. In reply to a member, the Director of Territory Development advised that, with the recent proposal to intensify the development of the Tseung Kwan O (TKO) New Town, the TKO Bay to the north of the proposed bridge would be reclaimed. As a result, it was no longer necessary to construct a bridge, and a coastal road would be provided instead.

31. The item was voted on and endorsed.

HEAD 709 - WATERWORKS

PWSC(97-98)10

205WF

Integration of the North Point and Central cross harbour mains supply zones - remaining works

32. Addressing a members concern about the impact of the project works on marine and road traffic, the Deputy Director of Water Supplies advised that as no works would take place at sea, marine traffic would not be affected. To minimize traffic disruption in the area, traffic mitigation measures would be taken in consultation with the Police and the Transport Department. In this connection, some road works might be re-scheduled to take place during night time and the trenchless construction method would be adopted where appropriate.

33. The item was voted on and endorsed.

New commitments/Changes in commitments for subvented projects

HEAD 708 - CAPITAL SUBVENTIONS AND MAJOR SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT

PWSC(97-98)21	8017EC	Improvement works to existing secondary schools based on the recommendations of the Education Commission Report No. 5 - phase 3
	8018EC	Improvement works to existing primary schools based on the recommendations of the Education Commission Report No. 5 - phase 3

34. In reply to a member, AD/E(A&S) clarified that the project estimate previously approved by the Finance Committee in May 1996 under Subheads 8017EC and 8018EC covered only the cost for conducting feasibility studies under Phase 3 of the School Improvement Programme (SIP). Now that part of the feasibility studies in respect of 17 standard secondary schools and 51 standard primary schools had been completed, additional funds had to be sought to carry out the improvement works identified for these schools.

35. Members expressed concern about the extent of noise nuisance and disturbances that the improvement works might cause to schools. In response, AD/E(A&S) advised that the Administration would liaise with school managements concerned on measures to minimise impact on school operation, for example, by scheduling major works during school holidays and after school hours. In fact, the Administration planned to commence the works in the coming summer holidays and aimed at completing all necessary works before September 1998. In reply to a member, D Arch S advised that the consultants would also be responsible for the supervision of the improvement works.

36. Members noted that the current proposal covered those schools of standard architectural design built under the supervision of the Architectural Services Department. As regards the timetable for improvement works for the remaining schools under Phase 3 of SIP, AD/E(A&S) advised that as the remaining schools were non-standard design buildings, the consultants would have to locate and examine the architectural drawings of each school before they can make recommendations on the detailed design for the improvement works. It was expected that the feasibility studies on these remaining non-standard schools under Phase 3 of SIP would be completed by September this year.

37. On the provision of access facilities for the disabled, the Administration advised that these were to meet the statutory requirements under the Disability Discrimination Ordinance. These would include widening of doors, provision of ramps at all entrances, and installation of lifts where feasible.

38. The item was put to vote and endorsed.

39. The Committee was adjourned at 5:50 pm.

Legislative Council Secretariat

30 May 1997

Last Updated on 16 August 1999