A number of site options were long-listed at the Site Selection for HKBCF in Mid 2007. Eventually, only one site option (Option NECLK) locating the HKBCF in the water adjacent to the north-eastern side of the Airport Island was confirmed as viable. This option locates HKBCF on a piece of reclamation/artificial-island of approx. 130 ha to the west of the Airport Island . The exact location of this option may vary between the HKSAR boundary and the Airport Island . This option is considered not feasible mainly because of the following: (a) Main tidal flow of PRD Region – Assessments were carried out during the HZMB feasibility study; the Ministry of Water Resources and other related experts unanimously considered that the water resistance ratio ( 阻水比 ) due to the HZMB marine substructures and reclamation/artificial-islands should be controlled within 10%, in order to alleviate the impacts on the flood discharging function of the Pearl River Estuary to an acceptable level. Should the HKBCF be located in the waters west of the Airport Island, the flow blockage area will be increased and the 10% target for 阻水比 cannot be met, thus affecting the tidal flow and flood discharge ability of the Pearl River Estuary. (b) Conservation of Marine Ecology – The waters in the western side of the Airport is an important dolphin movement corridor in-between Sha Chau/ Lung Kwu Chau and the west of Lantau Island . It is also an important nursing ground for the dolphins. An artificial island constructed in this location will seriously affect the marine ecology. (c) This option and other options except Option NECLK will preclude the opportunity of combining reclamation of the TMCLKL with the HKBCF. This option will require reclamation not only on the western side, but also on the eastern side to provide a landfall for the TMCLKL, which is not conducive to the sustainability development objective that reclamation should be minimized. (d) In comparison with Option NECLK, this option will cause a 2km detouring, resulting in an additional social cost (including time and fuel consumption) and traffic emission. (e) Should the HKBCF artificial island be located near the HKSAR boundary, the navigation channel thereat will have to be distorted so as to bypass the artificial island. That may have impact to the marine navigation safety. This option involves partial-reclamation (of approx. 90 ha) cum partial-cutting of slope at the headland at San Shek Wan (SSW). This option at SSW is considered not feasible either, mainly because of the following: (a) The HKBCF will be extremely close to the nearby villages, with the shortest distance being 20m. It is envisaged that it would result in non-compliance with air-quality and noise requirements as stipulated under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance. (b) Option SSW involves large-scale of hillside cutting (about 15Mm3), as well as substantial excavation to natural woodland (about 35 hectares) and damage to about 2km of natural shoreline, resulting in significant damage to the natural environment in San Shek Wan. (c) This option will involve reclamation not only at San Shek Wan for the HKBCF, but also on the eastern side of the Airport Island to serve as the landfall for the TMCLKL, which is not conducive to the sustainability development objective that reclamation should be minimized. This option involves locating HKBCF on the existing land on the Airport Island . This option is considered not feasible mainly because of the following: (a) The vast majority of the areas on Airport Island are already occupied by airport-related facilities. Locating HKBCF on the existing Airport Island will critically conflict with the operation of the Airport. (b) Other remaining areas have already been planned for further airport developments. Locating HKBCF on the existing Airport Island will detrimentally affect and hinder the development of the Airport. This option involves reclamation (approx. 50 ha) at the Tung Chung Bay for the HKBCF. This option is considered not feasible mainly because of the following: (a) Serious environmental impacts will be resulted to residents in Ma Wan Chung village and Yat Tung Estate in view of their close proximity. (b) It will conflict with the Future Tung Chung West Development. (c) The space here is not sufficient for the entire HKBCF, hence it would be necessary to split the HKBCF into parts, resulting in the need to identify other site(s) to locate the remaining part(s) of HKBCF. This option involves reclamation (approx. 130 ha) at Tai Ho for the HKBCF, at the west of the proposed LLP development site. This option is considered not feasible mainly because of the following: (a) This option will lead to significant detour for those HZMB travellers heading to the Chek Lap Kok Airport or to Northwest New Territories via Tuen Mun Chek Lap Kok Link. (b) High-potential risk will be posed to the valuable ecology within the Tai Ho Wan which is well-known as ecologically valuable, as the reclamation of Option TH is only about 100m away from the Tai Ho Bay sole outlet. This option involves reclamation (approx. 130 ha) at the northeast waters off the Airport Island , about 2km away from the Tung Chung New Town. Together with the HZMB Main Bridge and HKLR as well as the Tuen Mun Western Bypass (TMWB) and TMCLKL, this proposed HKBCF site enables the formation of a strategic road network linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai , Macao and Shenzhen, thereby further enhancing the transportation and aviation hub status of Hong Kong . The synergy effect will be considerable. With its proximity to the Hong Kong International Airport , the HKBCF will serve as a strategic multi-modal transportation hub. It is currently planned that the HZMB related projects, including the HKBCF and the HKLR, should be completed at the same time as that of TMWB and the TMCLKL. The preferred site would have comparatively less impacts on hydraulics and environment, in particular on marine ecology and water quality. For instance, the preferred site location will cause less overall water resistance to the main flow path and less impact on flood discharge capacity of the Pearl River; less disturbance to the movement corridor of Chinese White Dolphins between Sha Chau and west of Lantau Island; less effect on navigation safety; and less damage to the natural hillside or shoreline, etc. Preferred Option Taking account of the foregoing points, Option NECLK is recognised as the only feasible site option for HKBCF.
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