| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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| 1. INTRODUCTION |
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| 1.1 |
Territory Development
Department (TDD) commissioned a consultant to conduct a feasibility study
for housing development (the Study) in the Whitehead and Lee On area in
Ma On Shan. The Study Area is about 60 hectares covering the Whitehead peninsula,
the proposed Ma On Shan (MOS) Rail Wu Kai Sha Station and the private land
in between Whitehead and Lee On (Figure 1). The Study is to establish a
preferred development option for the Study Area. The proposed development
will provide private housing development to accommodate a total number of
about 6,800 flats for about 17,000 residents and about 11 ha of recreational
facilities such as water recreation centre, visitor/heritage/ecological
centres, themed dining and botanical garden (Figure 2). The proposed development
will involve site formation works and construction of infrastructure including
building substructures, roads, drains & utilities, and landscape areas
(the Project). |
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| 1.2 |
The proposed
development intensity is a result of optimizing the development potential
of the Study Area with respect to the major development parameters such
as size of the recreation use, overall population threshold and target housing
number, the public views solicited from the consultations with Sha Tin District
Council (STDC) and Town Planning Board (TPB) and the conclusion made by
the Study Steering Group. |
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| 1.3 |
Whilst it is fully appreciated from the
public consultations that there is a strong desire to limit the total population
and development intensity of the Study Area, it is equally important to
make use of the mass transportation system to achieve the best integration
of transport and land use planning for the Study Area. With the implementation
of the MOS Rail, higher intensity development should therefore be assumed
at the Wu Kai Sha Station development to optimize utilization of land in
close proximity to rail station. To strike a balance, the government considered
it more appropriate to limit the development intensity of Wu Kai Sha Station
development to a plot ratio of 5. For the Lok Wo Sha site, only a maximum
plot ratio of 3 is proposed in view of its prominent location at the headland
and hence the visual impact resulting from more intensive development. |
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| 1.4 |
The Project falls within Schedule 3 of
the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) and requires an Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) report to be approved under the EIAO. The Project
also includes a number of Schedule 2 Designated Projects. |
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| 1.5 |
This document is to summarise the findings
of the EIA Study undertaken in accordance with the Environmental Impact
Assessment Study Brief No. ESB-029/1999. The summary is intended to provide
an overall appreciation of the key issues associated with the proposed development.
The major environmental impacts of the proposed development with respect
to noise, air quality, water quality, ecology, cultural heritage and landscape
& visual, and possible measures to alleviate the impacts are summarised
below. |
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| 2. NOISE |
| Construction
Noise |
| 2.1 |
Noise from the use of powered
mechanical equipment during construction activities and the haulage of material
may potentially cause exceedance of construction noise standard at the nearby
existing noise sensitive receivers (NSRs) if the construction noise is not
appropriately mitigated. Adequate mitigation measures will be required for
the construction works to meet the noise standard. |
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| 2.2 |
The use of quiet plant and
working methods, reducing the number of equipment, restricting the extent
of works and the use of temporary noise barriers to protect the nearby residences
and schools have been recommended and would be sufficient to reduce noise
levels to compliance levels at the NSRs. A noise monitoring programme has
been proposed to ensure that construction noise is within the recommended
criteria throughout the construction stage. |
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| Operational
Noise |
| Traffic Noise |
| 2.3 |
Traffic noise assessment for the proposed development
has been conducted. Most of the sensitive receivers within the proposed
development will not be subject to traffic noise nuisance, except for some
of the façades at the Wu Kai Sha Station development due to the technical
inapplicability of direct noise mitigation measure such as noise barriers
at Sha On Street. Provision of window insulation and air-conditioning or
special layout design has been proposed to resolve the traffic noise nuisance. |
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| 2.4 |
Residual impacts may arise at some units of the Symphony
Bay and one village house at Wu Kai Sha. Eligibility test on these façades
has been conducted, but none of these façades qualify for the noise
insulation works under the ExCo directive. |
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| Rail Noise |
| 2.5 |
Rail noise assessment has been undertaken to investigate
the potential noise impact from operational trains of MOS Rail on the proposed
residential areas within the proposed development. With the implementation
of the recommended noise mitigation measures such as central plenum or equivalent
on the concerned viaduct section of MOS Rail, the nearby noise sensitive
uses will not be subject to train noise level above the NCO noise limit. |
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| Fixed Noise |
| 2.6 |
No existing industrial noise sources were identified
during site surveys. An existing sewage pumping station is found to be located
near Lee On Estate. With the enclosure and sufficient buffer distance, the
fixed noise generated from the sewage pumping station does not pose any
noise nuisance to the proposed development. |
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| 2.7 |
Potential fixed noise sources assessed include noise
from ventilation system of the proposed commercial centre within the proposed
development and that of the indoor recreational centre, proposed salt water
pumping station, public transport terminus and ventilation exhaust and plant
room from MOS Rail Wu Kai Sha Station. Noise impacts on the nearby NSRs
from these fixed noise sources will not be insurmountable provided that
the noise levels from the different fixed plants do not exceed the maximum
allowable sound pressure level (design noise limit) predicted in the assessment. |
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| 3. AIR QUALITY |
| Construction
Dust Impact |
| 3.1 |
Site formation and haul
road traffic would potentially be the main causes of construction dust impact.
With adequate dust suppression measures, dust levels from the Project will
not exceed the Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) at nearby air sensitive receivers. |
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| 3.2 |
Mitigation measures such
as watering of exposed areas or pavement of haulage route have been proposed
to suppress dust generation. With the implementation of the recommended
mitigation backed up by an air quality monitoring programme, the Project
should comply with the AQOs. |
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| Operational
Air Quality Impact |
| 3.3 |
Assessment of the vehicular emission due to the major
roads shows that the proposed buffer areas adjacent to the major traffic
corridors such as Road T7, Sai Sha Road and proposed local roads are adequate.
The predicted air pollutant concentrations at all the air sensitive receivers
due to vehicular emission will comply with the AQOs. No mitigation measure
will be required. |
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| 3.4 |
The air quality due to the chimney emissions within
the vicinity of the Study Area will comply with the AQOs. Assessment of
cumulative effect from traffic emission and industrial emission shows that
the air quality within Study Area is acceptable and below the AQOs. The
air quality associated with the proposed carparks is expected to be acceptable
provided the design considerations stipulated in ProPECC PN2/96 - Control
of Air Pollution in Car Parks are adhered to. |
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| 4. WATER QUALITY |
| 4.1 |
The proposed development provides an opportunity for
improving the water quality of the area by installation of sewerage and
drainage networks. Starfish Bay, a sensitive receiver, will benefit as no
additional stormwater will be discharged into it in future. The waterfront
at Whitehead will be preserved and better managed for visitors. All stormwater
runoff from the proposed development to the north of Sai Sha Road will be
discharged to the north and west of Whitehead at Tolo Harbour where stronger
current could dilute and assimilate pollutants more effectively. |
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| 4.2 |
Full implementation of recommended mitigation measures
during construction and operational phases will ensure that the proposed
development will not have adverse impacts on the water quality. |
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5. ECOLOGY
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| Construction
Stage |
| 5.1 |
The potential sources of impacts from project construction
on ecology include: site formation, noise and disturbance, surface runoff,
and suspended solid. |
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| 5.2 |
Site formation within the development boundary will
cause direct and permanent loss of all habitats and their associated flora,
with the exception of the preserved woodland and preserved plantation within
the boundary. The estimated loss of habitat includes 0.48 ha woodland, 8.19
ha plantation, 2.66 ha grassland, 2.08 agriculture and 36.65 ha disturbed/urbanized
area. Potential ecological impact on the woodlands and plantations are considered
to be minor to moderate. Mitigation measures including compensatory planting
for loss of woodlands and plantations will be required. Potential impacts
to flora in grassland and agriculture habitats are considered minor, while
loss of disturbed/urbanized area will cause minimal potential impacts. Mitigation
for loss of these habitats are therefore not required. |
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| 5.3 |
Since most woodlands in the Study Area will be preserved,
species of conservation importance (e.g., Crested Goshawk) are therefore
not going to experience habitat loss. Potential impacts to fauna from habitat
loss of other habitat types are considered minor. Considerable noise and
visual disturbance may be generated during site formation and construction,
potentially affecting the distribution and behaviour of fauna of the adjacent/remaining
habitats. Most fauna recorded in the Study Area are disturbance tolerant,
and alternative habitats are available in and near the Study Area, and the
disturbance is going to be short term. Therefore, the impact from disturbance
during the construction stage on terrestrial fauna is ranked as minor. |
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| 5.4 |
Impacts from excavation and surface runoff on benthos
and other sessile or mobile organisms would be localised and would be self-correcting
after project completion without active restoration efforts. Species of
conservation value in aquatic ecology such as black corals outside the peninsula
would not be impacted. Impacts are thus ranked as largely minor in nature. |
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| Operational
Stage |
| 5.5 |
Potential impacts of project operation on terrestrial
ecology include long term noise and light generated by road lighting and
traffic. Based on the limited fauna community observed in the field and
the urbanised nature of the surrounding habitat, most terrestrial fauna
in the Study Area are disturbance tolerant, and some are even dwellers of
urbanized areas. Potential impacts to fauna are ranked as minimal. In addition,
a botanical garden has been included in the development plan. This will
provide habitats for wildlife in the Study Area. The design of the walking
trails within the Study Area is aimed to keep visitors away from entering
the intertidal sandflat. This can prevent excessive human disturbance on
the intertidal fauna. As a large percentage of land surface will still be
covered by vegetation, and with the construction of the new drainage outlet
at the northern and western shore of the peninsula, surface runoff into
the sandflat is not expected to significantly increase. Potential impacts
from surface runoff are thus ranked as minimal. |
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| 6. CULTURAL
HERITAGE |
| 6.1 |
The raised beach south of To Tau Tsuen has been shown
to contain prehistoric archaeological deposits dated to the Late Neolithic
(2500-1500 BC) period which is potentially a site of cultural heritage with
archaeological significance. The prehistoric site south of To Tau Tsuen
should be avoided fully or integrated intact into the project design as
open spaces. Full archaeological field evaluation was not possible at this
stage for part of the central and eastern portion of the Study Area due
to restricted assess, a further archaeological field evaluation will be
required within the project limit of the proposed new roads of D1(E), D1(W)
and D1(N), the archaeological field evaluation shall be conducted before
the commencement of construction of the D1 roads project or any works associated
with the Projects, so as to ensure that no cultural relic will be affected
by the roads project during the construction stage. Requirements in Annexes
10 and 19 of EIA TM should be strictly followed which includes the requirements
for mitigation measures for cultural relics identified by the survey. |
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| 6.2 |
There is a likelihood that prehistoric material may
lie under To Tau Tsuen, located on the same sand body. If concrete at To
Tau Tsuen is to be broken or any structures razed it is recommended that
the opportunity be taken to test any exposed areas of the sand bar below,
the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) should be notified prior to any
such scheduled works. |
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| 6.3 |
The presence of the historical Song (AD 960-1279)
and Qing (AD 1644-1911) period site in part of the central portion of the
Study Area was confirmed by the field evaluation. Full evaluation was not
possible at this stage due to restricted access. The portion of the historical
archaeological site of Wu Kai Sha now under restricted access, will be fully
tested before implementation of development. This should be laid down as
a condition in the Outline Zoning Plan, planning brief, land exchange documents
or Environmental Permit to alert the future developer or project proponent
to include such a survey in the development process. The AMO should be consulted
about the mitigation measures for the preservation of cultural relics identified
during any future surveys, prior to their commencement. The archaeologist
responsible for the survey should obtain a license from the authority before
undertaking any fieldwork. |
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| 6.4 |
A total of 28 heritage features were recorded in the
Built Heritage Survey. A total of two heritage grave features were recorded
in the historical grave survey. The majority of the heritage and grave features
will be indirectly impacted by the proposed development. All of the features
will be preserved in-situ. The permanent grave feature and the historical
well associated with the village of Wu Kai Sha will require protective screening
during the construction phases. The alignment of Road D1 (W) has been altered
to avoid the other permanent grave feature and the historical well of Wu
Kai Sha village. |
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| 7. LANDSCAPE
AND VISUAL |
| Landscape
Impacts |
| 7.1 |
The proposed development will result in various impacts
on existing landscape resources on site, principally areas of plantation,
secondary woodland, existing natural soils. These will need to be cleared
to make way for the proposed development, although around the headland the
proposed land uses will be able to incorporate existing woodland and soils
into the design, thereby reducing actual losses. Landscape mitigation measures
include extensive woodland and landscape planting and the re-use of soil
materials from site, and these will effectively reduce long term impacts
on woodland/plantation and soils to slight levels. |
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| 7.2 |
Impacts on agricultural land (moderate impact) will
be permanent as it will not be practical to reprovision such elements within
the nature of the proposed development. |
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| 7.3 |
Impacts on the landscape character of the landscape
will vary dramatically. The indirect impacts on the natural and tranquil
qualities of the Whitehead Peninsula Coast and on Starfish Bay will be substantial
during the construction and early years of the development reducing to moderate
at Year 10. |
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| 7.4 |
In contrast to this, the impacts on the currently
degraded landscape of the former Whitehead Detention Centre and on the existing
Wu Kai Sha Station site will be negligible due to the incoherent and degraded
character of these landscapes. With successful and diligent implementation
of landscape mitigation measures, it is possible that impacts could be negligible
when they mature at Year 10. |
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| 7.5 |
Direct and indirect impacts on the landscape of surrounding
villages will be moderate during the construction period and early years
of operation, reducing to slight at Year 10. |
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| Visual Impacts |
| 7.6 |
There would be substantial impacts on views to north
and east of the villages of To Tau and Wu Kai Sha, resulting in considerable
permanent change to the views. Visual impacts would be reduced by architectural
treatment of the buildings and proposed mass planting to moderate levels
in the long term operational phase. |
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| 7.7 |
There would also be a considerable permanent change
in views of residents of high-rise developments in eastern Ma On Shan, resulting
in a moderate visual impact after construction, reducing to slight in the
long term. Recreational users of Ma On Shan Country Park would be similarly
affected. |
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| 7.8 |
There will be substantial visual impact on visual
receivers at Monte Vista. Residents in Lee On Estate/Kam Lung Court, Villa
Athena, Saddle Ridge Garden and Bayshore Towers will experience moderate
to slight impacts after Year 10 of operation. |
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| 7.9 |
Views of residents of medium and low rise blocks at
Cheung Muk Tau, Sai O, Tseung Kwan Lei, Kwun Hang, Nai Chung to the east
of the site, and users of medium rise educational blocks at Li Po Chun United
World College, will similarly be affected with moderate level impacts after
construction, being reduced in the long term by planting along the site
boundary to slight impacts in the long term. The new high-rise buildings
will be seen from Sham Chung across Three Fathoms Cove, in silhouette and
against the sky and a backdrop of distant hills, resulting in a slight permanent
change in their extensive views. Recreational users of Chinese YMCA of HK
Wu Kai Sha Youth Village and Ma On Shan Town Park / Swimming Pool to the
west will also be affected. |
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| 7.10 |
The development will be visible in long range views
of the development across Tolo Harbour from the low and medium rise residential
settlements at the hills above Tolo Harbour, at Ma Liu Shui / Kon Hang /
Tsiu Hang / Tai Po Kau San Wai / Tai Po Kau Lo Wai / Lai Chi Hang / Ha Wong
Yi Au, buildings at the Chinese University, and recreational users of the
Plover Cove / Plover Cove Reservoir. As it is seen in the context of the
surrounding urban development, the change in view is likely to be negligible. |
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| 7.11 |
Given its scale, the proposed development and the
associated site formation and infrastructure will have relatively modest
landscape and visual impacts, which can be considered as acceptable with
mitigation measures. Most of the impacts could be effectively reduced by
the proposed landscape mitigation measures, however it is recognised that
there will be permanent changes in the extent and quality of existing landscape
resources, landscape character and visually sensitive receivers. |
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8. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
AND AUDIT (EM&A) REQUIREMENTS
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| 8.1 |
The EIA Report has identified the likely environmental
impacts associated with the Project. It has demonstrated that these impacts
can be minimised to acceptable levels with the implementation of the recommended
mitigation measures. An EM&A programme has been recommended to ensure
compliance with relevant environmental standards, to check the effectiveness
of the recommended mitigation measures and to identify any further need
for additional mitigation measures or remedial action. Details of the EM&A
programme is provided in a stand alone EM&A Manual. |
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| 9. CONCLUSION |
| 9.1 |
The findings of the EIA Study has provided information
on the nature and extent of environmental impacts arising from the construction
and operation of the proposed development in the Study Area. Appropriate
mitigation measures have been recommended, where environmental impacts are
identified, in accordance with the Technical Memorandum on EIA Process. |
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| 9.2 |
In summary, the proposed development have achieved
the following environmental benefits: |
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- to minimize visual impacts of future development by applying visual
corridor and gradation concepts with development intensities decreasing
from the south at the Wu Kai Sha Station site to the north at the headland;
- to give full respect to the high ecological values of Starfish Bay
and the existing woodlands and plantations in the Study Area. They have
been preserved as much as possible in the layout;
- to improve the water quality impacts of the Tolo Harbour and Channel
Water Control Zone by installation of sewerage and drainage networks;
- to incorporate environmentally-friendly concept in the layout e.g.
a comprehensive pedestrian system to the railway station, so as to encourage
the use of non-polluting transportation mode;
- to preserve the archaeological/cultural/heritage resources (including
the pre-historic and historic site, fung shui woodland, shrines and
well) identified within the Study Area in the layout design; and
- to minimize any potential environmental impacts arising from the surrounding
road networks and drainage networks
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| 9.3 |
The findings of the EIA Study indicate that the proposed
development will unlikely cause any insurmountable environmental impacts.
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| END OF TEXT |