For discussion PWSC(97-98)23
on 21 May 1997
ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
HEAD 705 - CIVIL ENGINEERING
Civil Engineering - Land development
405CL - Pak Shek Kok reclamation for dumping, remaining stages
- the upgrading of part of 405CL, retitled "Pak Shek Kok reclamation for dumping, stage II", to Category A at an estimated cost of $246.8 million in money-of-the-day prices; and
- the retention of the remainder of 405CL in Category B, retitled "Pak Shek Kok reclamation for dumping, stage III".
PROBLEM
No site in the Northeast New Territories (NENT) will be available as a public dump for the disposal of construction waste after early 1998.
PROPOSAL
2. The Director of Civil Engineering, with the support of the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, proposes to upgrade part of 405CL to Category A at an estimated cost of $246.8 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices to carry out the stage II works of the public dump at Pak Shek Kok. A site plan is at Enclosure 1.
PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE
3. Pak Shek Kok reclamation for dumping consists of three stages. The part of the project we now propose to upgrade to Category A is the stage II works comprising -
- construction of an 800 metre long sloping seawall;
- reclamation of about 37 hectares of seabed;
- construction of roads, drains and drainage channels; and
- environmental monitoring and implementation of necessary mitigation measures.
4. The remainder of 405CL is the stage III works comprising -
- construction of a 700 metre long sloping seawall;
- reclamation of about 17 hectares of seabed;
- construction of drainage channels; and
- environmental monitoring and implementation of necessary mitigation measures.
JUSTIFICATION
5. As part of an overall strategy on public dumping, we conducted a site search in 1992 to identify a site in NENT for the disposal of inert construction waste1 . We finally selected Pak Shek Kok because it was relatively remote from the surrounding residential development and therefore would have less environmental impact. Besides, the unit cost of public dumping in Pak Shek Kok is lower than that in other feasible sites because of its larger capacity.
1 Inert construction waste is waste generated from the construction industry and comprises earth, borken rock, concrete and building debris (e.g. bricks and plaster). We need public dumps for inert construction waste in order to reserve valuable sanitary landfill space for other types of waste.
6. We will carry out the Pak Shek Kok reclamation in three stages. We will complete stage I works in early 1998 and we plan to commence the proposed stage II on completion of stage I to allow for continuation of public dumping facilities in NENT.
7. The proposed stage II reclamation will be operational until about mid 2001 by which time it will have received about 3 million cubic metres of public dumping materials. If the project does not proceed, we will have to transport these materials to the public dumps at Tuen Mun or Tseung Kwan O. This will create traffic problems and the inconvenience will encourage illegal dumping.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
8. We estimate the capital cost of the project to be $246.8 million in MOD prices (see paragraph 9 below), made up as follows -
|
$ million
|
|
|---|
|
(a) Construction of a seawall
|
28.2
|
|
|
(b) Reclamation works
|
58.0
|
|
|
(c) Construction of roads, drains and drainage channels
|
26.2
|
|
|
(d) Environmental monitoring
|
14.1
|
|
|
(e) Environmental mitigation measures
|
9.4
|
|
|
(f) Consultants fees to supervise and audit the environmental monitoring programme
|
6.1
|
|
|
(g) Site staff cost
|
29.8
|
|
|
(h) Contingencies
|
15.7
|
|
|
_____
|
|
|
Sub-total
|
187.5
|
(at December
1996 prices) |
|
(i) Inflation allowance
|
59.3
|
|
|
_____
|
|
|
Total
|
246.8
|
(in MOD prices) |
|
_____
|
|
A breakdown by man months of the estimates for consultants fees to supervise and audit the environmental monitoring programme is at Enclosure 2.
9. Subject to approval, we will phase expenditure as follows -
|
Year
|
$ million
(Dec 1996)
|
Price
adjustment
factor
|
$ million
(MOD) |
|---|
|
1997 - 98
|
0.5
|
1.06750
|
0.5 |
|
1998 - 99
|
44.5
|
1.16358
|
51.8 |
|
1999 - 2000
|
54.8
|
1.26830
|
69.5 |
|
2000 - 2001
|
57.7
|
1.38244
|
79.8 |
|
2001 - 2002
|
30.0
______
|
1.50686
|
45.2
______
|
|
187.5
______
|
|
246.8
______
|
10. We have derived the MOD estimates on the basis of the Governments forecasts of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1997 to 2002. We will tender the works as a combined remeasurement and lump-sum contract. The seawall, drainage channels and reclamation works are subject to remeasurement as there is uncertainty over the exact amount of marine deposits that we need to remove. The lump-sum part will cover environmental monitoring and mitigation measures. The contract will provide for adjustments to the tender price due to inflation as the contract period will be more than 21 months.
11. We estimate the total annually recurrent expenditure to be $113,400.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
12. We presented the project to the Sha Tin District Board and the Tai Po District Board on 12 and 26 April 1994 respectively. Both District Boards endorsed the project in principle and requested us to form working groups to monitor the development of the project. We have already set up the working groups comprising members of both District Boards and representatives from Government departments.
13. We gazetted the reclamation under the Foreshore and Seabed (Reclamations) Ordinance in August 1994. During the statutory objection period, we received an objection from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (the University). The University objected to the access arrangement through the University campus and expressed concern about the environmental implications of the project.
14. To address the Universitys concern, we have implemented environmental mitigation measures and provided a buffer zone on the reclamation site in order to preserve the University environment. Furthermore, as the project has some impact on the Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology Limited Building of the University, we will reimburse the University the cost for additional heating, ventilation and air conditioning filters and window cleaning work for the building. We estimate the total cost to be $1 million. The estimated reimbursement cost for the proposed stage II works is $0.4 million. We have included this latter cost in the estimated cost of the stage II project. The University withdrew its objection in early March 1996 after we had agreed not to use an access road in the University campus. We shall transport the public dumping materials to the site by barging from Shatin Area 47B or by trucks from the construction access of the Tolo Highway widening project. The Governor in Council authorized the project under the Ordinance on 8 March 1996.
15. We also consulted the Sha Tin District Board and the Tai Po District Board on our proposals to set up a barging point at Sha Tin and to use a joint construction access with the Tolo Highway widening project on 4 February 1997 and 25 February 1997 respectively. Both District Boards endorsed the proposals.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
16. Consultants carried out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study between September 1993 and June 1994 and concluded that dust and water quality impact during operation of the reclamation would be the major concerns. We presented the project to the EIA Subcommittee of the Advisory Council on Environment (ACE) on 5 July 1994. This Subcommittee recommended to ACE that the latter approved the project subject to the condition, inter alia, that there should be an independent consultant to monitor the on-site environmental performance of the contractor. The ACE endorsed the recommendation on 15 August 1994.
17. The findings of the EIA study showed that, with the implementation of the recommended mitigation measures, we should be able to control the noise, air and water quality impact during the construction and operation of the public dump within the established environmental guidelines and standards. We will implement the recommended mitigation measures including the provision of wheel washing facilities and water spraying vehicles to suppress dust generation on site, silt curtain around the seawater intake of the Marine Science Laboratory and landscaping works at an estimated cost of $9.4 million. During the reclamation, the contractor will carry out environmental monitoring at an estimated cost of $14.1 million which will cover air, noise and water quality in accordance with an environmental management plan. This is to monitor the environmental performance and to ensure that the mitigation measures are effective. We will also employ an independent consultant to supervise and audit the contractors environment monitoring programme in accordance with the EIA recommendations endorsed by ACE.
18. We have included the costs for implementing the EIA recommendations and environmental monitoring in the project estimate.
LAND ACQUISITION
19. This project does not require land acquisition.
Background INFORMATION
20. We included 405CL in Category B in November 1993. In June 1996, we upgraded part of 405CL to Category A, as 466CL "Pak Shek Kok reclamation for dumping, stage I", for the stage I works with an approved project estimate of $206.7 million.
21. We have completed the detailed design and working drawings for the stage II works using in-house staff.
22. We plan to start the proposed stage II works of the Pak Shek Kok reclamation in January 1998 for completion in May 2001. We plan to implement the remainder of 405CL in May 2001 for completion in 2004.
23. We have commissioned consultants under 477CL "Feasibility study for Pak Shek Kok development area" to carry out a detailed feasibility study including planning study, environmental impact assessment and engineering study on the supporting infrastructure for the development of Pak Shek Kok area. The study commenced in April 1997 for completion in June 1998.
Planning, Environment and Lands Branch
May 1997
(DD1110)
Enclosure 2 to PWSC(97-98)23
405CL - Pak Shek Kok reclamation for dumping, remaining stages
Breakdown of estimates for consultants fees
|
Consultants staff costs
|
|
Estimated
man
months
|
Average
MPS
salary
point
|
Multiplier
factor
|
Estimated
fee
($ million)
|
|---|
|
(a) Supervise and audit
the environmental monitoring programme
|
Professional
Technical
|
22
44
|
40
16
|
3.0
3.0
|
3.66
2.45 |
|
(b) Site staff cost
|
Technical
|
763
|
16
|
2.1
|
29.79
_____
|
|
Total consultants staff costs
|
|
|
|
35.90
_____ |
Notes :
- 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 1.4.96, MPS pt. 40 = $55,390 p.m. and MPS pt. 16 = $18,595 p.m.). A multiplier factor of 2.1 is applied in the case of site staff supplied by the consultants.
- The figures given above are based on estimates prepared by the Director of Civil Engineering. We will only know the actual man months and actual fees when we have selected the consultants through the usual competitive lump-sum fee bid system.
(DD1110)
Last Updated on 16 August 1999
