For discussion PWSC(97-98)31
on 21 May 1997

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 703 - BUILDINGS
Education - Primary
224EP - Primary school in area 17, Tung Chung
225EP - Primary school in West Kowloon Reclamation, Yau Ma Tei

    Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 224EP and 225EP to Category A at an estimated total cost of $167.7 million in money-of-the-day prices for the construction of two primary schools, one in Tung Chung and one in Yau Ma Tei.

PROBLEM

The Director of Education (D of E) forecasts that there will be shortfalls of ten primary school classes in school zone 340 (Tung Chung New Town) and 34 classes in school zone 202 (Yau Ma Tei) 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 the following projects to Category A at an estimated total cost of $167.7 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices -

Project Estimate
$ million
(MOD)

(a) 224EP - Primary school in area 17, Tung Chung

92.6

(b) 225EP - Primary school in West Kowloon Reclamation, Yau Ma Tei

75.1


_______

Total

167.7


_______

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The two primary schools are standard design school buildings. Each school will have -

  1. 30 classrooms;

  2. four 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. a library;

  9. an assembly hall; and

  10. ancillary facilities.

JUSTIFICATION

4. For school zone 340 (Tung Chung New Town), D of E forecasts that the demand for primary school places will reach 70, 135, and 171 classes in the years 1999, 2000 and 2001 respectively. Taking into account that two whole-day primary schools providing a total of 60 classes will be completed by the year 1997 under the Airport Core Programme, there will still be a shortfall of ten classes in the year 1999, 75 classes in the year 2000 and 111 classes in the year 2001. Given the remoteness of the Tung Chung New Town, we propose to provide a primary school by the year 1999 to meet the shortfall in that and subsequent years. We are planning more schools for this school zone to meet the remaining shortfall.

5. For school zone 202 (Yau Ma Tei), there are at present nine primary schools providing a total of 168 classes. An existing primary school with 12 classrooms will be closed in the summer of 1997, thus reducing the provision to 156 classes. Taking into account the additional school places required to implement the whole-day schooling policy for primary schools, D of E forecasts that the demand for primary school places in this school zone will reach 190 classes in the year 1999, resulting in a shortfall of 34 classes. We propose to provide a whole-day primary school in the school zone by the year 1999 to help reduce the shortfall.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

6. We estimate the capital costs of 224EP and 225EP to be $92.6 million and $75.1 million respectively in MOD prices, made up as follows -


    224EP

    225EP



    $ million


    (a) Piling

    17.5

    15.0


    (b) Building

    34.5

    27.5


    (c) Building services

    7.7

    6.2


    (d) Drainage and external works

    8.7

    7.0


    (e) Contingencies

    6.7

    5.5



    _____

    _____


    Sub-total

    75.1

    61.2

    (at December
    1996 prices)

    (f) Inflation allowance

    17.5

    13.9



    _____

    _____


    Total

    92.6

    75.1

    (in MOD prices)

    _____

    _____


A comparison of the standard cost of a primary school with the project estimates of these two projects is at the Enclosure.

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

    Year

    $ million
    (Dec 1996)

    Price
    adjustment
    factor

    $ million
    (MOD)


    224EP

    225EP


    224EP

    225EP

    1997-98

    1.5

    0.1

    1.06750

    1.6

    0.1

    1998-99

    30.0

    30.0

    1.16358

    34.9

    34.9

    1999-2000

    36.9

    25.6

    1.26830

    46.8

    32.5

    2000-01

    6.7

    5.5

    1.38244

    9.3

    7.6

    _____

    _____


    ____

    _____

    75.1

    61.2


    92.6

    75.1

    _____

    _____


    ____

    _____

8. We have derived the MOD estimates on the basis of the Government’s forecast of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1997 to 2001. We will tender the works under fixed-price lump-sum contracts because we can clearly define the scope of works in advance, leaving little room for uncertainty.

9. We estimate the annually recurrent expenditure for each school to be $16.3 million. As the new schools will be operated as aided schools, the individual sponsoring bodies will bear the costs of furniture and equipment, estimated at $2.4 million for each school.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

10. We consulted the Islands District Board on 224EP in April 1997 and the Community Building Committee of the Yau Tsim Mong District Board on 225EP in May 1997. They supported the school projects.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

11. For 224EP, D Arch S completed a Preliminary Environmental Review (PER) in February 1996 and the Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) vetted and agreed with the findings and recommendations of the PER. The PER concluded that the proposed school would not be subject to adverse air impacts from vehicle emissions. Also, with the provision of the following noise mitigation measures, the noise level of the proposed school would be kept within the established standards and guidelines -

  1. provision of Type I well-gasketted windows1 and air-conditioning to the classrooms on the top floor of the classroom block; and

  2. provision of acoustic spray treatment to the corridor soffits of the proposed school.

1 Type I windows provide additional noise insulation through the use of well-gasketted windows and 6 mm thick glass pane.

12. We have included an estimated cost of $0.7 million in the project estimate for providing the above measures.

13. For 225EP, D Arch S completed and DEP vetted the PER in February 1996. The PER concluded that the proposed school would not be subject to any long-term environmental impacts.

14. We will control noise, dust and site run-off nuisances during construction to comply with established guidelines and standards through the implementation of mitigation measures in the relevant contracts.

LAND ACQUISITION

15. The two projects do not require land acquisition.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

16. We upgraded 224EP and 225EP to Category B in September 1996.

17. We have completed site investigations for the two projects. We are finalizing the working drawings and tender documents using in-house staff resources. D Arch S plans to start the construction works for 224EP in December 1997 and 225EP in March 1998 for completion in August 1999.

Education and Manpower Branch
May 1997
(LL219)

Enclosure to PWSC(97-98)31

A comparison of the standard cost of a primary school project with the estimated costs of the proposed school projects

Standard
cost*

224EP

225EP



$ million
(at Dec 1996 prices)


(a) Piling

8.5

17.5

15.0

(see note A)

(b) Building

27.5

34.5

27.5

(see note B)

(c) Building services

6.2

7.7

6.2

(see note C)

(d) Drainage and external works

7.0

8.7

7.0

(see note D)

(e) Contingencies

4.8

6.7

5.5



______

_____

_____


Total

54.0

75.1

61.2



______

_____

_____


*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 110 nos. of steel H-piles at an average depth of 30 metres.

  3. Provision for site safety measures 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 6 200 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. For 224EP, the piling cost is higher because the low level of bedrock requires the use of 210 nos. of Pakt-In-Place piles averaging 35 metres in depth and a prebore process to drill through a 25-metre thick layer of hard boulder.

    For 225EP, the piling cost is higher because it is based on 166 nos. of steel H-piles at an average depth of 35 metres.

  2. As the proposed school is located in Tung Chung, the building cost for 224EP is higher because of the higher labour and transportation costs and the provision of insulated windows as a noise mitigation measure.

  3. As the proposed school is located in Tung Chung, the building services cost for 224EP is higher because of the higher labour and transportation costs and the provision of air-conditioning as a noise mitigation measure.

  4. As the proposed school is located in Tung Chung, the drainage and external works cost for 224EP is higher because of the higher labour and transportation costs.

(LL219)

Last Updated on 16 August 1999