For discussion PWSC(97-98)15
on 9 May 1997

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 703 - BUILDINGS
Education - Secondary
213ES - Secondary school in area 20, Fanling

    Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 213ES to Category A at an estimated cost of $73.4 million in money-of-the-day prices for the construction of a secondary school in area 20, Fanling.

PROBLEM

The Director of Education (D of E) forecasts that there will be a shortfall of 271 secondary school classes in the territory by the year 1999.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Architectural Services (D Arch S), with the support of the Secretary for Education and Manpower, proposes to upgrade 213ES to Category A at an estimated cost of $73.4 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices.

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The proposed secondary school is a standard design school building. It will have -

  1. 26 classrooms;
  2. 14 special rooms;
  3. three remedial teaching rooms;
  4. a guidance activity/interview room;
  5. two interview rooms;
  6. a staff common room;
  7. a student activity centre;
  8. an assembly hall; and
  9. ancillary facilities.

JUSTIFICATION

4. D of E estimates that there will be a shortfall of 271 secondary school classes in the territory by the year 1999. Upon the completion of 211ES "Secondary school in area 31, Tin Shui Wai", 202ES "Third secondary school in area 56, Tseung Kwan O" and 209ES "Two secondary schools in area 56, Tseung Kwan O" 1 in the year 1999, the supply of secondary school places in the territory will be increased by 120 classes, resulting in a shortfall of 151 classes. As a temporary measure to meet the remaining shortfall, we are adopting floating classes in secondary schools. In accordance with the Government policy to reduce class size and phase out floating classes in Secondary One to Secondary Five, we propose to construct a secondary school in area 20, Fanling to reduce the shortfall. We are planning more schools in the territory to meet the remaining shortfall.

1 At its meeting on 23.4.97, PWSC recommended to upgrade 202ES to Category A. Finance Committee will consider this recommendation at its meetiong on 16.5.97.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

5. We estimate the capital cost of the project to be $73.4 million in MOD prices, made up as follows -


    $ million


    (a) Piling

    6.8


    (b) Building

    33.4


    (c) Building services

    7.8


    (d) Drainage and external works

    7.1


    (e) Contingencies

    5.4



    _____


    Sub-total

    60.5

    (at December
    1996 prices)

    (f) Inflation allowance

    12.9



    _____


    Total

    73.4

    (in MOD prices)

    _____


A comparison of the standard cost of a secondary school with the project estimate of this school is at the Enclosure.

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

Year

$ million
(Dec 1996)

Price
adjustment
factor

$ million
(MOD)

1997 - 98

2.9

1.06750

3.1

1998 - 99

32.0

1.16358

37.2

1999 - 2000

20.2

1.26830

25.6

2000 - 01

5.4

1.38244

7.5

_____


_____

60.5


73.4

_____


_____

7. We have derived the MOD estimate on the basis of the Government's forecast of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1997 to 2001. 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.

8. We estimate the annually recurrent expenditure for the school to be $33.4 million. As the new school will be operated as an aided school, the sponsoring body will bear the costs of furniture and equipment, estimated at $6.1 million.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

9. We consulted the Recreation, Culture and Social Services Committee of the North District Board in March 1997. The Committee supported the project.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

10. The consultants of D Arch S completed and the Director of Environmental Protection vetted the Preliminary Environmental Review (PER) in February 1996. The PER concluded that the proposed school would be subject to traffic noise impact in excess of the maximum allowable level stipulated in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines.

11. We will implement the following environmental mitigation measures and have included $1.8 million in the project estimate for the purpose -

  1. construction of a 3-metre high noise barrier wall facing Sha Tau Kok Road and Lok Yip Road;

  2. provision of Type I well-gasketted windows 2 and air-conditioning to 18 teaching rooms in the classroom block, and the design and technical workshop in the special room block; and

  3. provision of Type II well-gasketted windows 3 and air-conditioning to 13 teaching rooms in the classroom block, and 10 teaching rooms in the special room block.

2 Type I windows offer extra noise attenuation compared to conventional window types by means of the thicker and heavier glass pane and the well-gasketted frame minimises leakage of noise around the window edges.

3 Type II well-gasketted windows provide additional noise insulation through the use of 8mm thick window pane.

12. We will control noise, dust and site run-off nuisances during construction to comply with established guidelines/standards 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 213ES to Category B in September 1996.

15. We have completed site investigations for the project. We are finalising the working drawings and tender documents using in-house staff resources. We plan to start construction work in December 1997 for completion in August 1999.

Education and Manpower Branch
April 1997
(HH503)

Enclosure to PWSC(97-98)15

A comparison of the standard cost of a secondary school project with the estimated cost of 213ES

    Standard cost*

    213ES



    $ million
    (at Dec 1996 prices)


    (a) Piling

    10.0

    6.8

    (See note A)

    (b) Building

    32.5

    33.4

    (See note B)

    (c) Building services

    7.2

    7.8

    (See note C)

    (d) Drainage and external works

    7.3

    7.1

    (See note D)

    (e) Contingencies

    5.6

    5.4



    _____

    ____


    Total

    62.6

    60.5



    _____

    ____


*Assumptions for standard cost

  1. No site formation work/geotechnical work is required as it is normally carried out under a separate engineering vote.

  2. Piling cost is based on 130 nos. of steel H-piles at an average depth of 30 metres.

  3. Site safety provisions of 2% of the estimated contract sum (excluding contingencies) is included in the building cost.

  4. Costs for drainage and external works are for a standard school site area of 6 950 square metres built on a flat site. No diversion of existing utilities or noise mitigation measures are required.

  5. No consultancy services are required.

  6. Furniture and equipment cost is excluded as it is usually borne by the sponsoring body.

Notes

  1. The piling cost is lower because the project requires 120 nos. of steel H-piles driven to an average depth of 22 metres only.

  2. The building cost is higher because of the provision of insulated windows as a noise mitigation measure.

  3. The building services cost is higher because of the provision of air-conditioning as a noise mitigation measure.

  4. The cost for drainage and external works is lower due to a smaller than standard site area of only 6 200 square metres.

(HH503)

Last Updated on 16 August 1999