Developments at Anderson Road and Choi Wan Road/Jordan Valley

I refer to the letter from Hon Chan Kam-lam to you on 26 April. Our response to his questions using the same numbering is as follows:

1. For the Anderson Road development project, the proposed ratio between public and private housing is 55:45 in terms of the number of flats. As the first population intake is 2009, the type of public housing to be adopted will be reviewed and determined later.

2. The interface with quarrying operations at Anderson Road quarry has been considered in the Environmental Impact Assessment. A buffer distance of more than 100m will be provided between the quarry plant and the housing blocks to reduce the quarry dust and noise impact to an acceptable limit. An environmental monitoring and audit programme will be in place to ensure compliance with the standard. With respect to the quarry traffic upon completion of the development, site access will be via two dedicated roads connecting to Po Lam Road and the new northern access road before connecting to the Clear Water Bay Road. Traffic impact assessment has shown that, with implementation of junction improvement works, the capacity of existing roads will be adequate to meet traffic flow generated from both the quarry and the development.

3. The preliminary land requirement plan showing the locations of affected private land lots is enclosed. These lots are agricultural lands.

4. Traffic impact assessment has been carried out to review the traffic impact on existing roads, including Clear Water Bay Road and Po Lam Road due to Anderson Road development and other planned developments including Choi Wan Road and Jordan Valley development. A strategic elevated link between the New Clear Water Bay Road and Lung Cheung Road is proposed subject to detailed assessment to determine the feasibility and implementation programme. The section of Po Lam Road connecting to the southern access road to the development will also be upgraded, together with local road junction improvement works.

5. Landfill gas hazard assessment has been carried out to study the potential impacts of landfill gas migration from the Jordan Valley Landfill. The flare from the neighbouring landfill is found unlikely to affect planned developments which are erected outside the 250m "Consultation Zone" of the landfill. Further review of the landfill gas hazard will be carried out during the detailed design stage to determine whether the landfill gas mitigation measures are required. We plan to commence the site formation and infrastructure work in 2001 to tie in with the target population intake by 2007.

6. The Choi Wan Road and Jordan Valley development project will produce 11,120 flats of which 6560 flats are public sector housing (HOS/PSPS) and the remainder is private sector housing. By the time when the population intake will commence in 2007, the Comprehensive Redevelopment Programme will have been completed and the on-going initiatives to shorten the waiting list for public housing should be taking full effect. In view of the large stock of public rental housing already in East Kowloon and the policy to promote home ownership, we have therefore assumed an HOS/PSPS scenario in the study. The actual type of public housing to be adopted will be reviewed and determined later.

7. Two primary schools and two secondary schools have been proposed within the Choi Wan Road and Jordon Valley development to meet the anticipated demand for school places arising from the proposed development. In addition, three secondary schools will be included in the proposed development to address the shortfall in school sites in the surrounding areas.