9.1 The aims of the Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment (CHIA) are the following:
· to identify and highlight all archaeological deposits, cultural heritage resources, built heritage structures and cultural/ historical landscapes in the Study Area;
· to assess direct and indirect impacts which may result from the proposed construction activities of this Project on these resources; and
· to recommend mitigation of impacts where required.
9.2 The CHIA will follow the Antiquities and Monuments Office Criteria for Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment and will fulfil the requirements as set out in Annex 10 and 19 of the Technical Memorandum on EIA Process (EIA Ordinance, Cap. 499, S.16).
9.3 The following two Ordinances are the main tools for the protection of Cultural Heritage in Hong Kong:
1. Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance.
Hong Kong's heritage, since 1976, is protected under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (Cap.53). The ordinance provides the framework for the Antiquity Authority to declare any place, building, site or structure to be of public interest by reason of its historical, archaeological or palaeontological site or structure. The Antiquities Authority will consult the Antiquities Advisory Board and seek approval of the Chief Executive to declare a monument. The Declared Monument will be protected under the Ordinance from acts such as demolishing or destruction.
2. Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance.
The Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) (Cap. 499) provides additional legislative protection to sites of cultural heritage which are threatened by development and the Environmental Protection Department is its authority. The Technical Memorandum contains the guidelines and criteria for the assessment of sites of cultural heritage interest.
9.4 Firstly, desk-based research is carried out in order to identify any known or potential sites of archaeological interest. The following resources are consulted: the Antiquities and Monuments Office published and unpublished papers and studies; publications on relevant historical, anthropological and other cultural studies; unpublished archival, papers, records; collections and libraries of tertiary institutions; historical documents which can be found in Public Records Office, Lands Registry, District Lands Office, District Office, Museum of History; cartographic and pictorial documentation; study of existing geotechnical information.
9.5 If the results of the desk-based study indicate that there are known archaeological sites or areas of archaeological potential within the Study Area, a field evaluation programme will be designed and submitted to the AMO for approval. The evaluation programme will include a field scan, auger testing programme and test pit excavations.
9.6 The first stage of investigation is to undertake a desk-based study to determine the presence of historical occupation of the Study Area and to thus assess the potential for built heritage resources to be present. This study includes information gathered from the following sources; the Antiquities and Monuments Office published and unpublished papers and studies; publications on relevant historical, anthropological and other cultural studies; unpublished archival, papers, records; collections and libraries of tertiary institutions; historical documents which can be found in Public Records Office, Lands Registry, District Lands Office, District Office, Museum of History; cartographic and pictorial documentation.
9.7 If the Study Area is determined to contain the potential for containing heritage resources, a field survey must be conducted in all areas where built heritage potential has been established and existing information is not conclusive for purposes of the assessment. The scope of the survey will cover the site limit as well as areas within close proximity to it, which shall be defined as being a distance of 50 metres on either side. The heritage features that will be included in the survey consist of the following;
· Built features (excluding graves) constructed prior to 1950
· Built features constructed post 1950, but deemed to possess cultural or historical significance
· Clan graves dating prior to the Second World War
· Cultural landscape features, such as fung shui woods or ponds
· Historical landscape features, such as agricultural field patterns, terraces, paths and trackways and ponds
9.8 The field survey will incorporate the following methodology:
9.9 The survey consisted of a field evaluation incorporating the collection of photographic, oral and written information, on the architecture and history of all structures that may be impacted by the proposed works. This information was hand recorded in the field. The information collected in the field survey was then entered onto type written forms for inclusion in the report. The design of the forms is based on AMO and ICOMOS (International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites) standards for the recording of historical resources with modifications to suit architectural styles and situations encountered in Hong Kong. The forms have also been designed to provide details of all identified resources, including written descriptions of each recorded feature, including; age, details of architectural features, condition, past and present uses, an architectural appraisal, notes on any modifications, direction faced and associations with historical/ cultural events or individuals. The location of each feature has also been highlighted on a 1:1000 scale map. A description of the surrounding environment has also been included as part of the survey.
9.10 Pre-war clan graves were also included as part of the survey. Graves falling within any works area and which may receive direct impacts are recorded on field recording forms, which include a written description, a photographic record, a copy of the inscription and the dimensions. Graves located outside of the works area and which will not receive direct impacts, but may be indirectly impacted aesthetically by the proposed Project are assessed as a group, rather than on an individual basis. An exception to this is if any grave within a group is found to fall within 10 metres of a works area and may receive contact or vibration damage, it will be assessed individually. The locations of any identified graves and/ or grave groupings have also been highlighted on a 1:1000 scale map.
9.11 A written description of each recorded feature has been made, including information gathered from interviews with local informants. The location of each recorded feature has been highlighted on a 1:1000 scale map and a photographic record of each identified feature made.
9.12 The proposed works fall within the southern portion of the San Tin plain, a flat area with an elevation from 1 to 5m PD. Late Pleistocene alluvium is extensive in the plain beneath Holocene estuarine / marine deposits which are composed of a widespread deposit of clayey silt up to 15m thick. These estuarine deposits are of mixed alluvial and marine origin and occur along the old coastline from Lo Wu passing through San Tin to Fairview Park. They are regarded as Holocene in age (C-14 date of 5093-5475 BP (sample HK 5947 – 5948)).
9.13 Figure 9.1 (Geology of the Western New Territories, Fig. 24, p. 120 ) shows clearly that from early prehistory through to the early 20th c. the Study Area was inundated and estuarine and therefore has no archaeological potential.
Declared Monuments
1. Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall
2. Tai Fu Tai, Mansion.
Identified Historical Villages in Proximity to the Proposed Works Areas
1. Tung Chan Wai, San Tin
2. Yan Shau Wai, San Tin
3. On Lung Tsuen, San Tin
4. Wing Ping Tsuen, San Tin
5. Fan Tin Tsuen, San Tin
6. Chau Tau
Historical Villages
San Tin
9.14 The villages of San Tin were originally settled by members of the Man clan during the 14th and 15th centuries. The area was originally considered marginal because of its marshy nature, but later became a rich agricultural area. San Tin consists of a cluster of villages, centred around Fan Tin Tsuen. An aerial photograph of this area, dating from 2001 (GEO CN30028), shows that much of the land between the villages and the project area is occupied by light industrial operations, see Figure 9.2.
9.15 There are a number of important historical buildings in the villages, including the Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall and Tai Fu Tai, which are declared monuments. Other significant buildings in the villages include Ming Tak Tong, Ming Yuen Tong, San Yeh Man Ancestral Hall and the Tung Chan temple.
Chau Tau
9.16 This village was settled by members of the Man clan. The villagers traditionally grew vegetables and rice and raised pigs on a small scale up until about 30 years ago, when large scale pig farms began operating in the area.
9.17 The results of the desk-based study indicate that there are no known archaeological sites or areas of archaeological potential in the Study Area. Therefore, no further assessment or mitigation is required.
9.18 As can be seen from the above information, the baseline study confirmed that the Study Area is located in an area that retains built heritage potential. The available sources were not able to provide complete coverage of these resources, thus a field survey was carried out as part of the assessment.
9.19 A large number of resources were recorded in the field survey. The resources have all been mapped on 1:1000 scale maps, see Figures 9.3, 9.4, 9.5 and 9.6. The information for each structure recorded in the field survey has also been put into table form and can be found in Appendix 9.1. The recorded features included domestic structures, ancestral halls, schools and shrines. The Study Area was for the most part easily accessible and this allowed for relatively straightforward identification of the historical and cultural resources located within it. The resources were all located within the boundaries of the historical villages in San Tin and Chau Tau. A description of their settings is provided below.
San Tin
9.20 The villages are situated off Castle Peak Road. The majority of the village houses are modern three storey village structures, but as can be seen on the maps and in the descriptions in Appendix 9.1, there are a number of heritage structures left within the villages. The majority of the domestic buildings are green brick courtyard style terrace houses. Many of the houses had features that reflect affluence, such as cut granite courses on their lower walls, the use of red sandstone and finely crafted decorative elements, such as entranceway canopies.
Chau Tau
9.21 This village contains a small number of historical structures, for the most part green brick courtyard style units. The majority of these are in poor condition and not in use. Many of the buildings in the village were of recent construction and ongoing replacement of older structures was evident at the time of the survey. The Tse Tong of the village is a modern construction, a traditional gate situated in front of the Tse Tong was demolished approximately two years ago. An historical cannon, associated with village defence in the last century has been placed in a recently constructed gate near to the Tse Tong.
9.22 Two groups of graves were identified in the Study Area. The graves had all been renovated and a visual inspection during the survey confirmed that none of the graves contained any historical architectural elements. The graves were not recorded individually, but as a group, as none of the graves were located within the works areas and would not receive any direct impacts. The minimum distance of the grave group to the boundary of the works area has been used as the basis of assessment of impacts. The locations of the two identified grave groups can be found on Figures 9.7 and 9.8.
9.23 No cultural or historical landscape features were identified during the field survey.
i) Construction Phase
Any heritage resource located within close proximity to the works area may be adversely impacted through vibration and/ or receive direct damage from construction works. The access to temples, shrines and ancestral halls must also be maintained throughout the construction phase.
ii) Operational Phase
The impacts associated with this phase of the Project are firstly, of an aesthetic nature. In the sense that the surrounding environment of the historical villages may be altered through the construction works.
Built Heritage Features
9.24 All of the recorded resources, apart from the Tung Shan Temple and Grave Groups 1 and 2 were located within the boundaries of historical villages. These resources will be grouped by village for the assessment of impacts. The Grave groupings and the Tung Shan temple will be assessed individually. A layout plan showing the location of the historical villages, Tung Shan Temple and grave groups in relation to the site boundary is provided in Figure 9.9.
The impacts will be assessed for both the construction and operational phases. The details of the assessment are presented below:
i) Construction Phase
The assessment of potential adverse impacts for the construction phase was based upon proximity of the recorded resources to the works for both structural damage impacts as well as access issues. As to the former, all of the recorded resources are located at a sufficient distance from the proposed works areas that there will be no structural damage impacts. The Ancestral Halls, temples and shrines that were recorded in the field survey are all located at a sufficient distance from the works, so that access to not be affected.
ii) Operational Phase
The assessment of impacts for this phase takes into account distance as in the assessment for the construction phase. It also, however, takes into account the intervening landscape and orientation of the village structures, for purposes of assessing the aesthetic impacts and changes to the environments. The intervening landscape, as can be seen clearly in Figure 9.1, (aerial photograph from 2001) has been altered greatly from its historical form, which was formerly that of a landscape of wetland agriculture, see Figure 9.10, (aerial photograph from 1963), which was replaced by ponds, see Figure 9.11, (aerial photograph from 1990). The villages are separated from the proposed improvement works by light industrial works yards and container storage areas.
9.25 The following table presents the assessment for the recorded resources for the construction and operational phases:
Table 9.1 Assessment of Impacts to Built Features and Graves
|
Resource |
Minimum Distance (Site Boundary) |
Orientation |
Intervening Landscape |
Adverse Impacts (Construction and Operational Phases)
|
|
Tung Shan Temple (AAHB-505)
|
75 metres |
Away from |
· Village structures
· Castle Peak road
· Wooded area
|
None
|
|
Fan Tin Tsuen
(AAHB 394 to 436)
|
400 metres |
Away from/ Parallel |
· Village structures
· Light industrial area |
None |
|
On Lung Tsuen
(AAHB 437 to 460) |
380 metres |
Away from/ Parallel |
· Village structures
· Light industrial area |
None |
|
Wing Ping Tsuen
(AAHB 461 to 480)
|
300 metres |
Parallel |
· Village structures
· Light industrial area |
None |
|
San Lung Tsuen
(AAHB 481 to 505) |
410 metres |
Away from/ Parallel |
· Village structures
· Light industrial area |
None |
|
Tung Chan Wai
(AAHB 506 to 532)
|
300 metres |
Away from/ Parallel |
· Village structures
· Light industrial area |
None |
|
Yan Shau Wai
(AAHB 533 to 563)
|
340 metres |
Away from/ Parallel |
· Village structures
· Light industrial area |
None |
|
Chau Tau
(AAHB 571 to 596)
|
600 metres |
Towards |
· Drainage channel
· Light industrial area
· San Sham Road
|
None |
|
Grave Group #1
Near Kwu Tung Road
|
25 metres
|
Towards |
· Fence and a
· Row of mature trees |
None |
|
Grave Group #2
Near Ki Lun Shan |
15 metres |
Towards |
· Wooded area |
None |
9.26 No features were identified during the field survey.
9.27 As the Study Area was determined to not contain any archaeological sites or areas of archaeological potential, no mitigation measures will be required.
Built Heritage Features
9.28 The impact assessment showed that there will be no adverse impacts to any of the recorded built heritage features, therefore, no mitigation measures will be required.
9.29 The impact assessment showed that there will be no adverse impacts to any of the recorded graves, therefore, no mitigation measures will be required.
Cultural and Historical landscape Features
9.30 As no features were identified in the Study Area, no mitigation measures are necessary.
References
AMO Files
GEO aerial photograph library
GEO 1988 Geotechnical Area Studies Programme: North West New Territories, GASP Report IV. Geotechnical Control Office, Civil Engineering Department, Hong Kong