For discussion PWSC(96-97)57
on 6 November 1996

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 703 - BUILDINGS
Public Safety - Ambulance Services
29BA - `Chai Wan ambulance depot

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 29BA to Category A at an estimated cost of $35.3 million in money-of-the-day prices for the construction of an ambulance depot at an unnamed road adjacent to Shing Tai Road, Chai Wan.

PROBLEM

The existing ambulance station at Hing Wah Estate is unable to cope with the future demand for emergency ambulance services in the Chai Wan and Shaukeiwan areas.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Architectural Services, with the support of the Secretary for Security, proposes to upgrade 29BA to Category A at an estimated cost of $35.3 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices for the construction of a four-bay ambulance depot at an unnamed road 20/5 adjacent to Shing Tai Road, Chai Wan.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The project comprises the construction of a standard ambulance depot with a four-bay appliance room, offices, an exercise room, barracks, a canteen, stores, a lecture room and toilets with shower facilities.

JUSTIFICATION

4. The existing two-bay ambulance station at Hing Wah Estate provides emergency ambulance cover to the Chai Wan and Shaukeiwan areas. With an increasing number of emergency ambulance calls in these areas, up to 12 337 in 1995-96 (an increase of 11% over 1994-95), the facilities at the existing station have already been stretched to the maximum. We were only able to meet 87.36% of emergency calls within our target travelling time of ten minutes in 1995-96. To improve the service and cope with the anticipated increase in emergency ambulance calls, we propose to construct a new standard four-bay ambulance depot at an unnamed road 20/5 adjacent to Shing Tai Road to serve the areas concerned.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

5. We estimate the capital cost of the project to be $35.3 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 6 below), made up as follows -


$ million


(a) Piling

3.0


(b) Building

10.2


(c) Building services

5.7


(d) Drainage and external works

5.5


(e) Furniture and equipment

0.7


(f) Contingencies

2.4


Sub-total

27.5

(at December

1995 prices)

(g) Inflation allowance

7.8


Total

35.3

(in MOD prices)

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

Year

$ million
(Dec 1995)

Price
adjustment
factor

$ million
(MOD)

1997 - 98

10.5

1.18250

12.4

1998 - 99

11.6

1.30075

15.1

1999 - 2000

4.8

1.43083

6.9

2000 - 01

0.6

1.54708

0.9


27.5


35.3

7. We have derived the MOD estimate on the basis of the Government’s forecasts of trend labour and construction prices over the period between 1997 and 2001. We will tender the works under a fixed-price lump-sum contract because we can define clearly the scope of works in advance.

8. We estimate the additional annually recurrent expenditure of the project to be $256,000 for the operation and maintenance of the new ambulance depot.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

9. We consulted the Community Building Committee of the Eastern District Board in March 1996. The Committee supported the project.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

10. The Director of Environmental Protection completed an Environmental Review of the proposed facilities in June 1995 and concluded that the project would have no long term environmental impacts. No Environmental Impact Assessment is therefore necessary. The Director of Fire Services will implement administrative measures to minimise noise nuisance, such as sirens from ambulances, during the operation of the ambulance depot. We will control noise, dust and site run-off nuisances during construction to comply with the established guidelines/standards through the implementation of mitigation measures in the relevant contract.

LAND ACQUISITION

11. This project does not require land acquisition.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

12. We have sought possible joint users of the site, but we have been unable to find any user whose requirements can be incorporated into this project. Although the potential of the site cannot be fully utilised, the proposal already represents the best use of the site under the circumstances. The size of the proposed site (about 1 700 square metres) is the smallest area acceptable to meet the standard requirements.

13. We upgraded this project to Category B in January 1996. We are finalising the working drawings and tender documents using in-house staff. We plan to start works in March 1997 for completion in August 1998.

Last Updated on 16 August 1999