The following section presents the assessment of DPs 7, 11 and 13 only; see Table 12.16.2 for details of how each package has been divided.
The components of DP Package C are summarised in Table
Table
DP Package C |
|||
7 |
Utilization of Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) from Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works (SWHSTW) |
F4 |
An activity for the reuse of treated sewage
effluent from a treatment plant. Three facilities are included: Site for utilisation
of TSE at SWH STW (FLN Site A2-3). KTN FLN |
11 |
Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works - Further Expansion (SWHSTW) |
F1 |
Sewage treatment works with an installed capacity
of more than |
13 |
New Sewage Pumping Stations (SPSs) in FLN NDA |
F3 |
A sewage pumping
station---(b) with an installed capacity of more than 4no. SPS are included: (1)
SPS south of Fu Tei Au (FLN Site A1-6). (2)
SPS off Man Kam To Road (FLN Site B2-3). (3)
SPS south of Wa Shan (FLN Site B1-4). (4)
SPS opposite Sacred Hill (FLN Site C2-3). |
This section provides an overview of the HKSAR Government’s development intentions, statutory land-use and planning within the Study Areas, specifically from landscape and visual standpoints. It considers relevant, published studies, such as the HK2030 Study, OZPs, and DPA Plans. This information has been considered in relation to the relevant revised RODP of the NDAs and their Layout Plans with the aim of assessing whether the Project can fit into the receiving planning framework.
12C.13.1
Design
measures adopted within the Schedule 2 Designated Projects
The
Schedule 2 DPs form the key infrastructure developments to support the future
development and population growth within KTN and FLN NDAs. KTN and FLN NDAs will provide a mix of
housing types as well as basic infrastructure and community facilities. The development opportunities and constraints
of the Schedule 2 DPs is
presented in Section
DP7 - Utilization of TSE at SWHSTW
The Treated Sewage
Effluent (TSE) from the SWHSTW will be reused for non-potable uses such as
toilet flushing, landscape irrigation and make-up water for district cooling
system (DCS).
To fulfil the stringent water safety standards, additional
treatment of the TSE via chlorination will be required. A Chlorine Contact Tank (CCT), approximately 35m x 15m x 2.3m (high)
will be constructed at the north-western side of the existing SWHSTW for
carrying chlorination and de-chlorination processes. After polishing treatment,
the reclaimed water produced from the TSE reuse system will be conveyed to the
distribution system by newly a proposed pumping station, approximately 15m x 10m
in plan and 8m high located within the site. The distribution system consists
of rising mains, new flushing water service reservoirs in KTN and FLN, and
distribution system up to individual development sites. Other storage facilities will include 2no
liquid chlorine tanks (3m x3m) and 2no sodium bisulphite tanks (2m x 2.5m). A large proportion of the site would be set
aside for car parking.
The DP has been sited next to the existing SWHSTW and its proposed extension site for practical operational reasons of being close to the incoming TSE. It is also logical to group these facilities together due to their potential conflicts with other land uses such as residential. In addition, the form, massing and scale of the proposed facilities would be in keeping with the existing sewage treatment plant and large scale slaughter house buildings which are adjacent.
A preliminary layout is provided on Figure 12.52.71.
Kwu Tung North and Fanling North
A key functional component of the TSE system is the construction of storage reservoirs to provide the necessary water pressure and header volume; these developments have been included within the DP7 category for this reason. To meet the required capacity, two Flushing Water Service Reservoirs are proposed, one to serve each of the NDAs.
The reservoirs are located within local highpoints in close proximity to the proposed NDA boundaries for operational reasons in terms of a practical distribution network and to achieve adequate water pressure. In KTN NDA, the facility has been situated close to the proposed freshwater service reservoir so that road access can be shared and where alterations to natural terrain will occur, that this would generally be localised within one area rather than spread across the local landscape.
The FLN Flushing Water Service Reservoir has been located based on similar principals as the KTN facility however; it will be located close to the existing Tong Hang Service Reservoir at the southeast of FLN NDA.
The detailed design of these facilities should adopt a
robust approach to minimising land take to reduce the potential for
construction of engineered slopes and disruption to natural terrain. With respect to the proposed top water levels
and founding levels, a cut slope formation of about 38m and
The majority of the covered reservoir structure sits below ground, not more than 6m deep, on a levelled site. Both reservoirs are approximately 76m x 30m in dimension. Minor operational buildings, access shafts and support facilities will also be included. Vehicular access is also required for service personnel. The pipe distribution network for Treated Sewage Effluent will be under planned or existing roads and hence the impact on landscape resources is considered negligible.
A preliminary layout for each reservoir is provided on Figure 12.52.62 and 12.52.75.
DP11 – Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works – Further
Expansion (SWHSTW)The existing SWHSTW is a secondary STW with design
capacity of
The exact design details and sequence of the SWHSTW upgrading scheme is subject to refinement under separate study being conducted by DSD under Agreement No CE40/2012(DS).
For operational reasons a site adjacent to the existing STW (i.e. Site A2-3) is selected. Construction works to upgrade the existing plant will take place within the existing footprint of the treatment works. As stated in relation to DP7 above, it is also logical to group these facilities together due to their potential conflicts with other land uses, such as residential. In addition, the form, massing and scale of the proposed facilities would be in keeping with the existing sewage treatment plant and large scale slaughter house buildings which are adjacent. The proposed facilities include:
·
Dewatering
house – single storey, 40m x 50m in dimension.
·
A
series of 10 storage tanks (6no sludge digester tanks and 4no sludge holding
tanks), all approximately15m diameter and 8m high.
·
2no gas
holding tanks, approximately 15m diameter and 8m high.
·
Combined
Heat and Power (CHP) facility, single storey approximately 15m x 10m in
dimension.
·
Internal
access roads.
A
preliminary layout is provided on Figure 12.52.71.
DP 13 - New Sewage pumping stations (SPS) in FLN NDA
There will be four new SPSs inside FLN NDA linking to the SWHSTW. These are SPSs south of Fu Tei Au, SPS off Man Kam To Road, SPS south of Wa Shan and SPS opposite Sacred Hill.
The layout and footprint of the SPS (except SPS off Man Kam To Road) have been set back from the river frontage to reduce their visibility and retain connectivity of riverside access paths. The internal layout and configuration of the structures has been rationalised to minimise land take. The structures are also located, where operationally feasible, close to or integrated within the proposed development to avoid visual clutter.
The SPS off Man Kam To Road is presently within an area of open storage, the location has been determined to coincide with future development so that it is well integrated. As with the other SPS, the internal layout and configuration of the structures has been rationalised to minimise land take.
Generally these buildings follow a standard format, that is, external perimeter fence or wall (approx. 3m high), internal access road with turning head and 5m high pumping station building enclosing the pumping plant. The buildings are rectangular single storey with a flat roof; the alignment of perimeter walling varies slightly according to each site depending on existing boundary constraints and site configuration.
Preliminary layout plans are provided on Figure 12.52.91 to 94.
12C.2.1
Existing Outline Zoning Plans (OZPs)
The review of the OZPs has included a review of the Plans as well as the accompanying Notes and Explanatory Statements. The DP sites and study areas have been superimposed onto existing OZPs and DPAs to determine the potential influence on the existing zoning. The study area and site boundaries for DPs 7, 11 and 13 have been combined on Figure 12.50.3.
12C.2.2 Fanling North (FLN) DPs
The FLN DPs 7, 11 and 13 study areas are covered by the following OZP/DPA Plan documents:
·
Approved
Kwu Tung North OZP No. S/NE-KTN/8
·
Approved
Ma Tso Lung and Hoo Hok Wai Development Permission Area Plan No. DPA/NE-MTL/2.
·
Approved
Hung Lung Hang OZP No. S/NE-HLH/7.
·
Draft Fanling/Sheung Shui OZP No. S/FSS/17.
·
Approved Fu Tei Au and Sha Ling OZP No. S/NE-FTA/12.
·
Approved Kau Lung Hang OZP No. S/NE-KLH/11.
·
Draft
Lung Yeuk Tau and Kwan Tei South OZP No. S/NE-LYT/15.
·
Approved Hok Tau OZP No. S/NE-HT/5.
Table 12C.2.1 summarizes the areas of existing zoning types which will be directly affected by the site boundary of each DP. In some cases, as the DPs are located within or traverse different OZP/DPA areas, this has been highlighted in the tables accordingly.
Table 12C2.1- Schedule 2 Designated Projects 7, 11 and 13
Zoning Type |
OZP/DPA number and extent of zoning
within the site boundary that will undergo change (ha) |
Comments on Major land use changes |
DP7 – Utilisation of
Treated Sewage Effluent (Including KTN Flushing Water Service Reservoir and
FLN Flushing Service Water Reservoir |
||
Green
Belt (GB) |
DPA/NE-MTL/2 1.21 S/FSS/17 1.27 S/NE-KLH/11 0.85 |
Approximately
1.21ha of this zoning will be modified for the
construction of the Kwu Tung North Flushing Water Service Reservoir. Approximately 1.27ha will be modified for utilisation of treated
sewage effluent adjacent to the proposed Shek Wu Hui STW site. Approximately 0.85ha would be modified for the construction on the
Fanling North Flushing Water Service Reservoir. |
DP11
– Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works – Further Expansion. |
||
Green
Belt |
S/FSS/17 3.33 |
Approximately
3.33ha of this zoning type will be modified to the north east of the existing
STW. |
Other
Specified Uses (OU) |
S/FSS/17 9.72 |
Approximately 9.72ha of this zoning type will be affected by the
upgrading and expansion works, the future land use matches the present
function. |
DP13 – New Sewage
Pumping Stations in FLN NDA |
||
Agriculture
(AGR) |
S/NE-FTA/12 0.46 |
The
following approximate areas would be affected by the proposed SPSs. SPS south of
Fu Tei Au: 0.16ha SPS south of
Wa Shan: 0.15ha SPS opposite
Sacred Hill: 0.15ha |
Green
Belt (GB) |
S/FSS/17 0.09ha |
Approximately
0.09ha of this zoning type will be modified on the SPS site located north of
Ha Pak Tsuen, off Man Kam To Road. |
In summary, the DPs would principally modify green belt and agricultural zones. In general this would mean these proposed land uses would not be overly compatible with the current planning and development control framework. The construction and operational footprint of the SPS sites under DP13 are relatively small and it is considered that this would help to minimise the potential land use conflict, whereas the reservoir sites and sites for TSE and STW expansion are of a larger scale which would generate a higher level of conflict.
According to the Study Brief (ESB-176/2008) baseline review comprises the identification of all existing LR and LCA within 500m of the DP boundaries.
The overall Study Area for all the DPs is very generally natural and rural. Complex LRs can be classified into different major categories, as follows:
· LR1 – Channelized Water Course
· LR2 – Water Course
· LR3 – Water Pond
· LR4 – Marsh/ Wetland
· LR5 – Plantation
· LR6 – Hillside Woodland
· LR7 – Lowland Woodland
· LR8 – Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic
· LR9 – Agricultural Land
· LR10 – Open Space / Recreational Area
· LR11 – Urban Development Area
· LR12 – Rural Development Area
· LR13 – Industrial / Open Storage
· LR14 – Major Transportation Corridor
The LCAs are classified as follows:
· LCA1 Natural Hillside Landscape
· LCA2 Rural and Urban Peripheral Village Landscape
· LCA3 Urban Development Landscape
· LCA4 Industrial Landscape
· LCA5 Lowland Agricultural Landscape
· LCA6 Major Transportation Corridor Landscape
· LCA7 Major Water Course Corridor Landscape
The landscape resources and landscape character areas of each NDA are described in further detail below, together with their sensitivity.
12C.3.1 Broad Brush Tree Survey
A Broad brush tree survey has been carried out within the study areas identifying around 100 trees which would be affected by these DPs. Major tree species in the vacinity include Acacia confusa, Acacia auriculiformis, Araucaria heterophylla, Bauhinia blakeana, Ficus virens, Ficus microcarpa and Leucaena leucocephala. These trees are mainly focused around the SWHSTW and proposed SPS locations.
12C.3.2 Schedule 2 DPs 7, 11 and 13 Baseline Landscape Resources and Landscape Character Areas
The baseline LRs and LCAs of FLN DPs 7, 11 and 13 are detailed along with their sensitivity, figures presenting this information are set out below:
Figure 12.51.3 presents LRs
Figures 12.51.13 to 18 presents LRs enlarged plan versions.
Figures 12.51.47 to 56 for representative images of LRs.
Figure 12.52.3 presents LCAs.
Figures 12.52.9 and 10 for representative images of LCAs.
Table 12C.3.1 - Landscape Resources and Their Sensitivity- FLN
NDA (DP 7, 11 and 13)
Id.
No. |
Landscape
Resource |
Quality
& Maturity |
Rarity |
Ability
to Accommodate Change |
Sensitivity |
FLR
1 - Channelized Water Course |
|||||
Refers
to modified water courses channelized with concrete or grasscrete, or with
gabion-fortified banks, water courses undergoing such channelization. This LR includes both large channelized
river water courses as well as some much smaller concrete lined water courses
associated with agricultural land.
This LR also includes some walkways along the larger water course and
the vegetation associated with the water course, both within the channel and
along the banks as well as the ridge of the banks. The vegetation mainly consists of grasses
and shrubs, but also includes trees in some areas as detailed further in the
individual LR descriptions. Within the Study Area of the DPs this LR includes
sections of Ng Tung River, Shek Sheung River, Sheung Yue River and Ma Wat
River and is one of the prominent landscape features running across a large
part of the Study Area. |
|||||
1.1 |
Ng
Tung River (Fanling District) |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Ng
Tung River (Fanling District) runs in an east-west direction in the FLN NDA
Study Area. It collects water from Ma
Wat River in the east, then Shek Sheung River and Sheung Yue River further
west and finally empties into the Shenzhen River outside the study area. Ng
Tung River is modified with grasscrete banks and tree planting is found in
its immediate vicinity. Dominant
plantation tree species are Acacia auriculiformis and Acacia confusa. Other trees also recorded include Ficus
virens and Leucaena leucocephala. The
river also includes a nullah in the south of the Study Area and some small
channels linking through culverts under the banks of the main channel to
smaller channelized watercourses which connect to drainage systems and
sometimes to more natural watercourses. This resource is reasonably tolerant to change
and its sensitivity is medium. |
|||||
1.2 |
Shek
Sheung River |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Shek
Sheung River collects water from the south and flows north, joining the
Sheung Yue River west of the Sheung Shui Slaughter House. There is another branch of Shek Sheung
River that splits from Ng Tung River and flows round the south of the Shek Wu
Hui Sewage Treatment Works. Water
drained from Tin Ping San Tsuen low land area flows into this branch after
passing through a floodwater storage area.
This LR is mainly a grasscrete banked, trapezoidal channel, formed for
the purpose of flood protection of the Fanling and Kwu Tung areas. Water partially dries out during the dry
season and there is only a small amount of water at the base of the channel,
with grass on either side. There are
grasses and shrubs along the river’s embankment also, as well as trees
planted along both sides in many sections of the river. The dominant tree species are exotic,
including Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia confusa, Eucalyptus spp. and Leucaena
leucocephala. Native trees of lower
abundance can also be found, e.g. Celtis sinensis, Cinnamomum camphora,
Cleistocalyx operculatus, Ficus microcarpa, Ficus virens and Sapium sebiferum. Overall this river is relatively tolerant to
change and its sensitivity is considered to be medium. |
|||||
1.3 |
Sheung
Yue River |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. The
Study Area of FLN NDA covers a short section of Sheung Yue River on the west
where it drains water from Ho Sheung Heung and other areas in Kwu Tung. It joins Shek Sheung River before flowing
into Ng Tung River. Its banks are
fortified with a rigid lining of stone masonry among which grasses grow
sparsely between the stone blocks. At
ground level, planted trees are found along both sides of the river. Most of the dominant trees are exotic,
including species such as Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia confusa, Eucalyptus
spp. and Leucaena leucocephala. Other
trees include the native species Cinnamomum camphora, Ficus microcarpa, Ficus
virens and Macaranga tanarius. This river is reasonably capable of accommodating
change and its sensitivity is considered to be medium. |
|||||
1.4 |
Ma
Wat River |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. Ma
Wat River runs across the southeast part of the FLN NDA Study Area, passing
through industrial, rural and agricultural areas. It joins Ng Tung River near Kan Lung
Tsuen. Water in the channel decreases
significantly during the dry season when its concrete bottom is often partly
exposed and dry. There is grasscrete
along both its banks, where Imperata koenigii is one of the dominant grasses. Tree planting consisting of large and
mature trees is found in the immediate vicinity of this river. Dominant tree species are Acacia confusa,
Ficus microcarpa, Melia azedarach and Leucaena leucocephala. Trees with lower
abundance include native species (Bauhinia blakeana, Celtis sinensis,
Macaranga tanarius and Sapium sebiferum) and exotic (Casuarina equisetifolia
and Pterocarpus indicus) species. Overall
this river is relatively tolerant to change and its sensitivity is considered
to be medium. |
|||||
1.6
(KLR-1.4) |
Water
Course Network in Long Valley |
Medium |
Low |
High |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR describes a network of waterways in the Long Valley area which eventually
connect and flow into a box culvert near the Kwu Tung Road junction with
Castle Peak Road. The channels are
mainly vertically-sided concrete channels which are vital for irrigation
purposes but have little vegetation.
The riparian vegetation comprises common and widespread herb species. This
LR has a reasonable ability to accommodate change, being a man-made network
of water channels, but overall it is vital to the Long Valley agricultural
area and its sensitivity is considered to be medium. |
|||||
FLR 2 – Water Course |
|||||
Refers to natural or semi-natural
water courses, including short sections with concreted banks. This LR also includes vegetation associated
with the water course, both within the streams and along the banks as well as
in the immediate vicinity. The
vegetation mainly consists of grasses and shrubs, but also includes some
trees in certain areas such as the upland streams, as detailed further in the
individual LR descriptions. The
vegetation often provides a subtle transition between this LR and its
surrounding LR(s). Within
the Study Area of the DPs, this LR includes watercourses running down from
different hills into lowland areas. |
|||||
2.1 |
Natural Stream in Tin Ping Shan
Agricultural Land |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Refers
to a natural stream passing through Tin Ping Shan (Sacred Hill) agricultural
land and finally flowing into the channelized Shek Sheung River. This is a narrow stream with grasses and
climbers overgrowing along its banks.
The grasses mainly include Bidens alba, Polygonum chinense and Oxalis
corymbosa. Although parts of this stream are more natural, much of it passes
through development areas and is adjacent to open storage areas. It is degraded by pollution while some
sections of the stream are fortified by concrete banks. This LR has medium tolerance to change and its
sensitivity is considered to be medium. |
|||||
2.2 |
Natural
Stream at Cham Shan |
Medium |
Medium |
Low |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
natural stream comes from Cham Shan and flows down to the lowland rural area
in the northwest of the FLN NDA Study Area.
It is not perennial and water flow may cease during the dry
season. The banks of this stream is
overgrown with common grasses such as Alocasia odora, Bidens alba and Panicum
maximum, particularly in the upstream sections where it flows through
extensive grasslands. Within the
downstream sections in lowland rural areas, its banks are partially paved in
places and the water quality is low as rubbish is commonly found near and in
the stream. This
LR is not of high quality but it is relatively intolerant to change. The sensitivity is considered to be medium. |
|||||
2.3 |
Natural
Streams at Lung Shan |
Medium |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to natural streams located at the foothill of Lung Shan and running
through all heavily vegetated areas.
The streams are intermittent and cease flowing during the dry season.
Grasses and climbers grow along their banks. These include Alocasia odora and
Cuscuta chinensis as well as some invasive species such as Mikania micrantha. This
LR is relatively intolerant to change and its sensitivity is considered to be
high. |
|||||
2.5
(KLR-2.2) |
Natural
Streams at Tai Shek Mo |
Medium |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. These
natural streams run off Tai Shek Mo, where rainwater flows down from the hill
and reaches lowland areas such as Ngam Pin.
Some of these streams are intermittent and cease flowing during the
dry season. Grasses and shrubs
overgrow the banks of these streams including common grasses such as Alocasia
odora, Wedelia trilobata and Panicum maximum. This
LR is relatively intolerant to change and its sensitivity is considered to be
high. |
|||||
2.6
(KLR-2.4) |
Natural
Streams at Ma Tso Lung |
High |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR describes natural streams running off Ma Tso Lung to the lowland area in
Ma Tso Lung San Tsuen in the northwest of KTN NDA Study Area. Plants include
fruit trees (i.e. Dimocarpus longan and Litchi chinensis) and native
understory species (e.g. Lophatherm gracile and Alocasia odora) and the other
vegetation is affected by the exotic climber species Mikania micrantha and
herb species Bidens alba and Alocasia macrorhizos. The section at Ma Tso Lung
is regarded as ecologically important due to its naturalness and well
developed bank area. This
LR is relatively intolerant to change and its sensitivity is considered to be
high. |
|||||
FLR
3 – Water Pond |
|||||
Refers
to freshwater ponds. The ponds are
often associated with agricultural land and used for irrigation, and
punctuate the traditional field pattern.
Some ponds are also found near residential or developed areas, and
have aesthetic; landscape value and some are fish ponds. This LR also includes vegetation associated
with the ponds, both within and around the banks as well as in the immediate
vicinity. The vegetation mainly
consists of grasses and shrubs, with scarce trees. These water ponds are mainly in Fu Tei Au and Wai
Loi Tsuen in FLN NDA, but also in the area overlapping with KTN, including Ho
Sheung Heung and Long Valley. |
|||||
3.1 |
Ho
Sheung Heung and Long Valley Water Ponds |
Medium |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to part of the area of ponds in Ho Sheung Heung and Long Valley that
are covered by the Study Area of FLN NDA.
Ponds in Ho Sheung Heung retain water most of the time including
during both the dry and wet seasons, while those in Long Valley are
periodically emptied by local farmers during the dry season for management purposes
and irrigation. The bunds of these
ponds are vegetated by grasses and low shrubs, as well as some fruit trees
such as Musa x paradisiaca, Litchi chinensis, Mangifera indica, Dimocarpus
longan and Citrus maxima. The ponds within this LR are of medium quality
with common fruit trees present and are relatively intolerant to change. The sensitivity of this LR is considered to
be high. |
|||||
3.2 |
Water
Ponds within the Closed Area |
Medium |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. Part
of the north FLN NDA study area lies within the Closed Area and the water
ponds of this LR are mainly located north of Sheung Shui Water Treatment
Works and beside the Sha Ling Livestock Waste Control Centre but also at the
northern base of Cheung Po Tau. In the
west, they are generally large ponds covering a reasonably large area while
those in the east are large but more isolated. Some of them are active fish ponds, some
inactive fish ponds and some connect with wet agricultural land in their
vicinity. This LR is relatively intolerant to change and
its sensitivity is considered to be high. |
|||||
3.3 |
Fu
Tei Au Water Ponds |
Low |
Medium |
Low |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
is a group of water ponds located between Fu Tei Au Road and Ng Tung
River. The ponds were most likely used
for commercial fish farming and for irrigation purposes in the past and have
now mainly been abandoned. Common
grasses (e.g. Bidens alba and Pennisetum spp.) and small trees (e.g. Bombax
ceiba and Leucaena leucocephala) grow densely along the banks. Trees are planted or naturally have
established themselves on the pond bunds; these include Macaranga tanarius,
Litchi chinensis, Dimocarpus longan and Ficus hispida. The quality and significance of this LR is
relatively low, but it is intolerant to change. Its sensitivity is therefore
considered as medium. |
|||||
3.5 |
Wai
Loi Tsuen Water Pond |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR is on the periphery of Wai Loi Tsuen serving as the moat of this
traditional village. It has concrete
banks and is connected with Shek Sheung River to its west. Since this is a LR having significant artificial
characteristics, it is relatively tolerant to change, however the moat has
cultural landscape significance and therefore its sensitivity is considered
to be medium. |
|||||
FLR
4 – Marsh / Wetland |
|||||
Refers
to freshwater marsh/ wetland landscape resources. Some of them are found at
old river meanders which have been truncated during river channelization and
retraining, overgrown with herbaceous vegetation and often with some areas of
seasonal or permanent open water. Within the Study Area of the DPs, this LR is
found along certain sections of Ng Tung River and Sheung Yue River as well as
in Long Valley agricultural land. |
|||||
4.1 |
Marshes
in Long Valley and near Tsung Yeun |
Medium |
High |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to part of the Long Valley marshes and marshes near Tsung Yeun that
are covered by the Study Area of FLN NDA to its west. They are located within Long Valley
agricultural land and in the agricultural land near Tsung Yeun and include
both permanent wet marshes and well vegetated marshes. For the permanent wet marshes, they used to
be fish ponds or used for irrigation purpose and have now been abandoned and
are not actively managed. These
marshes contain water all year round; dense emergent vegetation is present in
the marshes and shows relatively high diversity including Phragmites karka,
sedges Cyperus iria and Kyllinga aromatica, and herbs and climbers Ipomoea
aquatica, Polygonum barbatum and Polygonum lapathifolium. For the well vegetated marshes, a large
portion of the wetland area is covered with rich and moist topsoil, colonised
by common and widespread species such as Brachiaria mutica, Panicum maximum,
Bidens alba, Ludwigia perennis and the common wetland fern Cyclosorus
interruptus. This LR is fairly rare and is relatively
intolerant to change and its sensitivity is considered to be high. |
|||||
4.2 |
Mitigation Wetland |
Medium |
High |
Low |
High |
This LR sits outside the works area
and will not be affected. Several plots of marsh are located
along Ng Tung River and Sheung Yue River.
They were formerly meanders of the river and were isolated during the
river channelization. To mitigate the
ecological impact resulting from channelization, these areas are now managed
by a government department to provide marsh habitat, mainly for wetland
dependent wildlife and are hence a wetland landscape resource. Wetland plants and riparian vegetation have
been planted and include Commelina diffusa, Hedychium coronarium, Ludwigia
perennis and Nelumbo nucifera. Bamboos
and trees are also planted along the bunds, e.g. Acacia auriculiformis,
Cinnamomum camphora, Hibiscus tiliaceus and Ilex rotunda. This LR
had medium quality and maturity and in general marsh habitats are reasonably
rare in Hong Kong. Additionally this
LR is relatively intolerant to change so its sensitivity is considered to be
high. |
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FLR
5 – Plantation |
|||||
Refers
to medium sized and larger clusters of trees that have been planted and are
distinct from natural woodland in terms of species composition since they
have been planted by man. Common tree
species in this LR include Ficus virens, Ficus microcarpa, Acacia confusa,
Bombax ceiba, Macaranga tanarius and Melaleuca quinquenervia. Further details
are given in the individual LR descriptions. Within the Study Area of the DPs, this LR is
found in the vicinity of Wai Loi Tsuen, Ha Pak Tsuen, On Kwok Villa and Noble
Hill. |
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5.1 |
Plantation
in the Vicinity of Wai Loi Tsuen |
Medium |
Medium |
High |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. A
mixture of native and exotic trees is planted around the moat of Wai Loi
Tsuen and its vicinity, serving as a good screen for the road and industrial
area to the west of the village.
Compared to those trees planted immediately along the Shek Sheung
River in its vicinity, trees in this plantation have a relatively higher
diversity, including native species (Bauhinia blakeana, Celtis sinensis and
Ficus microcarpa) and exotic species (Acacia confusa, Aleurites moluccana,
Bombax ceiba, Cassia siamea, Casuarina equisetifolia, Eucalyptus citriodora,
Grevillea robusta, Lagerstroemia speciosa and Melaleuca quinquenervia). This LR has medium amenity value and relatively
high capacity to accommodate change and its sensitivity is considered to be
medium. |
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5.2 |
Ha
Pak Tsuen Plantation |
High |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. A
patch of plantation is located to the east of Ha Pak Tsuen and a number of
large mature trees within the village park area near Mun Hau Tsuen. Trees are densely planted within the
village as well as along the nearby roads leading to the village to enhance
the landscape value of this area.
Among these planted trees, Chinese Banyan Ficus microcarpa is one of
the most prominent trees as most of them are mature and large. Other tree species include native (Macaranga
tanarius) and exotic (Acacia confusa and Bombax ceiba) species. Although this resource was originally man made,
it now has many large, mature trees in a traditional village setting and this
is harder to recreate, so it has a relatively low capacity to accommodate
change. Its sensitivity is considered
to be high. |
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5.3 |
Plantation
in the Vicinity of On Kwok Villa and Noble Hill |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. There
is significant plantation on the periphery of On Kwok Villa and Noble Hill
mainly along Tin Ping Road, Lung Sum Road, Ma Sik Road and a branch of Ng
Tung River. Trees planted in this area
are reasonably mature and dense. They
include native (Ficus virens, Ficus microcarpa, Bauhinia blakeana and
Macaranga tanarius) and exotic (Bombax ceiba, Cassia siamea, Delonix regia,
Eucalyptus spp., Ficus religiosa and Melaleuca quinquenervia) species. Although trees in this LR provide a certain high
landscape value, the trees are set amongst modern residential areas. The LR was originally a man-made resource
and is able to be recreated fairly easily meaning it has a reasonable
capacity to accommodate change. Its
sensitivity is therefore considered to be medium. |
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5.5 |
Plantation
in the Vicinity of Hak Ka Wai |
Medium |
Medium |
High |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
area of plantation is largely associated with the narrow Sheung Yue River
channel and the villages of Hak Ka Wai and Tsung Pak Long, including in their
playground areas and public facilities.
This plantation generally comprises exotic tree species dominated by
Acacia confusa. Other species in lower abundance include exotic species
(Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia mangium, Araucaria heterophylla, Casuarina
equisetifolia, Livistona chinensis and Leucaena leucocephala) and native
species (Cinnamomum camphora, Ficus microcarpa, and Macaranga tanarius). This
LR has a relatively high capacity to accommodate change and its sensitivity
is considered to be medium. |
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FLR 6 - Hillside Woodland |
|||||
Refers to woodland areas largely
scattered over hillsides, including at the base of hills and associated
patches of woodland. This LR is
predominantly composed of native tree species and is generally located some
distance from intense human activities (except at the base of hills where it
often borders rural development areas), growing naturally with some
understory vegetation. Common tree
species in this LR include Acacia confusa, Macaranga tanarius, Ficus
microcarpa, Dimocarpus longan, Celtis sinensis, Cinnamomum camphora and Ficus
hispida. Further details are given in
the individual LR descriptions. Within
the Study Area of the DPs, this LR is largely scattered at the foothill of
Cham Shan, Wa Shan and Lung Shan, Tai Shek Mo. |
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6.1 |
Sheung
Shui Water Treatment Works Hillside Woodland |
High |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. Several
small patches of woodland lie at the eastern base of the hillside surrounding
Sheung Shui Water Treatment Works.
Trees grow naturally and densely in this area and dominant species
include Macaranga tanarius, Celtis sinensis, Cinnamomum camphora, Melia
azedarach and Leucaena leucocephala. This LR is relatively mature and intolerant to
change. The sensitivity of this LR is
considered to be high. |
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6.2 |
Cham
Shan and Wa Shan Hillside Woodland |
High |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to the relatively large and continuous woodlands along the foothills
of Cham Shan and Wa Shan to their western and southern sides, bordering
shrubland/grassland on the higher ground above and rural villages and
agricultural lands in the lowland area below.
Due to limited human disturbance, these trees are mature in medium to
large sizes. Dominant tree species
include both native and exotic ones.
Dominant native trees are Celtis sinensis, Cinnamomum camphora, Ficus
hispida, Ficus variegata var. chlorocarpa, Rhus succedanea, Sapium discolor,
Ficus microcarpa and Macaranga tanarius.
Dominant exotic species include Melia azedarach, Dimocarpus longan,
Syzygium jambos, Leucaena leucocephala, Acacia confusa and Casuarina
equisetifolia. This LR is considered to be relatively mature and
of high quality and it has little capacity to tolerate change. The sensitivity of this LR is considered to
be high. |
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6.4 |
Hillside
Woodland at Lung Shan and Wa Mei Shan |
High |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR covers part of the woodlands on the foothill of Lung Shan to the northeast
of Fanling Highway and the foothill of Wa Mei Shan to the southwest in the
vicinity of Wo Hop Shek. This resource
includes mature woodland trees growing on hillside slopes, including native
species (Celtis sinensis, Macaranga tanarius, Ficus hispida, Ficus microcarpa
and Litsea glutinosa) and exotic species (Acacia confusa, Eucalyptus spp.,
Dimocarpus longan, Melia azedarach and Syzygium jambos). The
quality and landscape value of this LR is relatively high, with little
tolerance to change and its sensitivity is considered to be high. |
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6.5
(KLR-6.3) |
Hillside
Woodland in Ma Tso Lung, Tit Hang and Fung Kong |
High |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to the narrow, winding and largely continuous patches of woodland
in the hillside areas of Ma Tso Lung, Tit Hang and Fung Kong. Woodlands in these areas predominantly
border uphill shrubland/grassland areas and lowland woodlands, and sometimes
adjoin rural and industrial areas. Due
to limited human disturbance, these trees are mature in medium to large
sizes. Dominant tree species include
both native and exotic ones. Dominant
native trees are Ficus hispida, Cinnamomum camphora, Rhus succedanea, Celtis
sinensis, Ficus microcarpa and Macaranga tanarius. Dominant exotic species include Melaleuca
quinquenervia, Leucaena leucocephala, Melia azedarach, Acacia confusa and
Casuarina equisetifolia. This
LR is considered to be relatively mature and of high quality and it has
little capacity to tolerate change.
The sensitivity of this LR is considered to be high. |
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6.6
(KLR-6.2) |
Tai
Shek Mo Hillside Woodland |
High |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. Several
small patches of woodland are scattered among the southern flank of Tai Shek
Mo. Dominant species include exotic
trees Acacia confusa and Casuarina equisetifolia as well as native trees
Celtis sinensis, Cinnamomum camphora, Ficus microcarpa and Macaranga
tanarius. This LR is considered to be relatively mature and
of high quality and it has little capacity to tolerate change. The sensitivity of this LR is considered to
be high. |
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FLR 7 – Lowland Woodland |
|||||
Refers
to woodland growing on low ground (generally <40 mPD), often found near
rural village areas of human activities in small, fragmented patches, with
differing tree species according to location.
Common tree species found in this LR include Dimocarpus longan,
Cinnamomum camphora, Macaranga tanarius, and Leucaena leucocephala. Further
details are given in the individual LR descriptions. Within the Study Area of the DPs, this LR is
found in Vernon Pass, Fu Tei Au, Hung Kiu San Tsuen, Sacred Hill, Ling Hill
and Ling Shan Tsuen. |
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7.2 |
Lowland
Woodland at Fu Tei Au and Sheung Shui Water Treatment Works |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR refers to several patches of woodland in Fu Tei Au area and in the close
vicinity of Sheng Shui Water Treatment Works.
They are generally surrounded by or bordering rural areas and
abandoned agricultural lands and so receive moderate human disturbance
leading to the vegetation within the LR being of lower quality. Trees in this resource are not diverse and
dominated by Dimocarpus longan, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Celtis sinensis,
Macaranga tanarius and Cinnamomum camphora. This is a landscape resource of medium quality
and has a medium tolerance to change, making its sensitivity medium. |
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7.3 |
Hung
Kiu San Tsuen Lowland Woodland |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to the lowland woodlands in the vicinity of Hung Kiu San Tsuen,
east of Man Kam To Road. These
woodlands are largely surrounded by adjacent industrial/open storage areas
and therefore potentially suffer from disturbance by human activities making
this resource of lower quality than it would otherwise be. These trees are of medium to large sizes, and are
dominated by both native and exotic species.
The most abundant native species include Celtis sinensis, Ficus
microcarpa, Ficus hispida, Bischofia javanica, Cinnamomum camphora, and
Macaranga tanarius, while exotic species include Averrhoa carambola,
Casuarina equisetifolia, Leucaena leucocephala, Dimocarpus longan and Melia
azedarach. This LR has a medium amenity value, relatively
low quality, a medium tolerance to change and its sensitivity is considered
to be medium. |
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7.4 |
Sacred
Hill Lowland Woodland |
Medium |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR is located to the east of Tin Ping Shan Tsuen, adjacent to the large Tin
Ping Shan Tsuen agricultural lands. Common tree species include Celtis
sinensis, Ficus microcarpa and Macaranga tanarius. This LR is relatively intolerant to change and
its sensitivity is considered to be high. |
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7.5 |
Ling
Hill and Ling Shan Tsuen Lowland Woodland |
High |
Medium |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to the woody areas near the intersection of Ma Sik Road and Jockey
Club Road. These woodland patches are
on the periphery of and associated with Ling Shan Tsuen. There is an old temple (Sam Sheung Temple)
located in this village and it is also surrounded by this woodland. Trees in this resource are fairly large and
mature including both native and exotic species. They are native (Celtis sinensis, Ficus
microcarpa and Macaranga tanarius) and exotic (Acacia confusa, Delonix regia
and Dimocarpus longan). This is a natural resource of high quality and is
not able to accommodate change. Its
sensitivity is considered to be high. |
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7.7 |
Lowland
Woodland near Tai Tau Leng |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to a small patch of woodland located near Tai Tau Leng. This
woodland patch is largely surrounded by adjacent industrial/open storage
areas and therefore potentially suffered from disturbance by human activities
making this resource of lower quality than it would otherwise be. Common tree
species include Leucaena
leucocephala, Acacia confuse and Cinnamomum camphora. This
LR has a medium amenity value and medium tolerance to change. Its sensitivity
is considered to be medium. |
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FLR
8 - Shrubland / Grassland Mosaic |
|||||
Refers
to a mosaic of shrubland and grassland which is usually large in size and
uniform in appearance. This LR is
typical of the fire-maintained hill-slopes in Hong Kong and common grass
species include Miscanthus sinensis, Neyraudia spp. and Panicum spp. Further details are given in the individual
LR descriptions. Within the Study Area of the DPs, this LR is
found largely on hillsides, particularly on Tai Shek Mo, Wa Shan, Cham Shan
and Lung Shan, as well as some relatively lowland areas to the west of the
Study Area. |
|||||
8.1 |
Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic along
Sheung Yue River and Ng Tung River |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. These
shrublands /grasslands are all located in lowland areas and in the vicinity
of man-made resources such as channelized watercourses, rural and urban
development areas. They are waste
grounds through lack of maintenance and have been gradually colonized by
weeds and climbers. This LR is of low landscape value and amenity and
is relatively tolerant to change. Its
sensitivity is low. |
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8.2 |
Fu
Tei Au Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
resource is located north of Fu Tei Au Road surrounding the Sheung Shui Water
Treatment Works. It is dominated by
grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus floridulus and some
small trees including Rhus succedanea and Macaranga tanarius are also present
in this area. This LR is of low landscape value and amenity and
is relatively tolerant to change. Its
sensitivity is low. |
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8.3 |
Shrubland/Grassland
Mosaic at Cham Shan and Wa Shan |
Medium |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This LR can re-establish itself fairly easily and
is therefore considered to be relatively tolerant to change but is of medium
quality and maturity. Its sensitivity
is considered to be medium. |
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8.4 |
Shrubland/Grassland
Mosaic at Lung Shan |
Medium |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR is part of the extensive shrubby grassland on the uplands of Lung
Shan. It merges into hillside woodland
at the foothills and is sometimes adjacent to the urban development
area. Similar to the other hilly
shrubland/grassland in Hong Kong, this LR is maintained by periodical hill
fires. This
LR can re-establish itself fairly easily and is therefore considered to be
relatively tolerant to change. It is
of medium quality and maturity and its sensitivity is considered to be
medium. |
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8.5 (KLR-
8.3) |
Shrubland/Grassland
Mosaic in Tai Shek Mo and the Western Range Foothills |
Medium |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR is an extensive area of shrubby grassland on the uplands of Tai Shek Mo
and the foothills of the Western Ranges covering Ma Tso Lung. It largely merges into hillside woodland in
at the foothills and is sometimes adjacent to some rural and urban
development areas. Similar to the
other hilly shrubland/grassland in Hong Kong, this LR is also maintained by
periodical hill fires. This
LR can re-establish itself fairly easily and is therefore considered to be
relatively tolerant to change. Its
sensitivity is medium. |
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FLR
9 - Agricultural Land |
|||||
Refers
to land used for agriculture including crops and orchards as well as
ornamental plant nurseries. This LR
contains a small number of structures such as small irrigation ponds, green
houses, equipment sheds and small/ narrow hard paved areas. It not only contains agricultural
vegetation but also some scattered non-agricultural vegetation including some
shrubs and trees. It is often an
intermediary between areas of development and natural areas. Within the Study Area of the DPs, this LR is
mainly found in Tin Ping Shan, Ma Shi Po and Sheung Shui Wa Shan. |
|||||
9.1 |
Agricultural Lands in Ho Sheung
Heung and Long Valley |
High |
High |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. The
Study Area of FLN NDA covers small parts of the agricultural lands in Ho
Sheung Heung and Long Valley in the west. They are mainly wet agricultural lands,
including both active and inactive fields.
Common wetland crops in Long Valley and Ho Sheung Heung share a high
similarity in their species composition, including Ipomoea aquatic,
Nasturtium officinale, Eleocharis dulcis, Oryza sativa and Trapa
bispinosa. Fruit trees are present
along field bunds including Dimocarpus longan, Litchi chinensis and Magnifera
indica. This LR is of good quality and a significant
local resource due to its large size, long history and crop production. Although agricultural land is normally
relatively easy to re-establish in the right environment, this particular LR
would be relatively hard to recreate in Hong Kong given its size and it being
largely not fragmented. Its
sensitivity is high. |
|||||
9.2 |
Fu
Tei Au Agricultural Land |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Agricultural
land in Fu Tei Au area is partially abandoned. Common vegetables such as Brassica
parachinensis and Lactuca sativa are grown in the active fields. In those inactive fields, grasses dominated
by Miscanthus spp. have colonized the land, with some isolated shrubs and
trees growing along the previous field bunds without management. Those trees include Dimocarpus longan,
Litchi chinensis and Magnifera indica.
The active portion of this LR is of high quality. This LR provides some green space between the
hard surfaces of industrial/open storage areas or rural development areas
making it locally reasonably important.
Agricultural land is fairly easy to re-establish in the right environment
and especially given some of this land is abandoned, it has medium tolerance
to change. The LR is considered to
have medium sensitivity. |
|||||
9.3 |
Agricultural
Land between Ng Tung River and Shek Sheung River |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. A
patch of active agricultural land is located in the flood area between Ng
Tung River and Shek Sheung River, north of Po Wan Road. This agricultural land probably connected
with the agricultural land in Tin Ping Shan Tsuen (FLR-9.4) in the past but
has now been separated by an open storage area between them (FLR-13.1). The area of this LR is relatively small,
but of reasonable quality. This LR has medium value and being agricultural
land has medium ability to tolerate change in the right environment. It is considered to have medium
sensitivity. |
|||||
9.4 |
Tin
Ping Shan Tsuen Agricultural Land |
Medium |
Medium |
High |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. Tin
Ping Shan Tsuen agricultural land is located on the north of Tin Ping Shan
Tsuen. This is a reasonably sized,
un-fragmented area of agricultural land and more than half the fields remain
active. In addition to open farmlands,
there are also some orchards in which small fruit trees including Musa x
paradisiaca, Litchi chinensis and Dimocarpus longan are cultivated. The
LR is mature and established and of high quality, yet since it is
agricultural land, in the right environment it could be recreated, meaning it
has reasonable capacity to accommodate change. It is considered to have medium
sensitivity. |
|||||
9.5 |
Agricultural
Land at Sheung Shui Wa Shan |
Medium |
Medium |
High |
Medium |
This
LR is located in the lowland area at the foot of Wa Shan, along the eastern
bank of Ng Tung River. Much of the
agricultural land within this area is abandoned with weeds, climbers,
isolated shrubs and banana trees and some other invasive trees (e.g. Leucaena
leucocephala) colonizing the land.
However some areas are still active and this land is a green resource
neighboring village developments. This LR has medium landscape quality and
maturity. Being agricultural land it
is relatively tolerant to change in the right environment. It is considered to have medium sensitivity. |
|||||
9.6 |
Agricultural
Land in Wu Nga Lok Yueng, Siu Hang San Tsuen, Siu Hang Tsuen and Shek Wu San
Tsuen |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
resource is mainly situated in the east of the Study Area of FLN NDA and includes
both active and inactive agricultural lands.
A variety of crops are grown in the active fields, including Benincasa
hispida, Pisum sativum, Solanum melongena and Lactuca sativa. As a result of human activity of
cultivation, vegetation on the bunds of these fields is poorly developed and
is dominated by common herbs such as Ageratum conyzoides, Hedyotis diffusa
and Kyllinga brevifolia and Lobelia chinensis and few shrubs and trees are
present. Some of the inactive fields,
due to the lack of management and disturbance for a long time, are beginning
to develop naturally into grassland or shrubby grassland with colonisation by
herbs, isolated shrubs and small trees. This LR is mature and established yet the land is
highly fragmented and overall the LR is not of high quality. Since it is agricultural land, in the right
environment it could be re-established, meaning it has reasonable capacity to
accommodate change. It is considered
to have medium sensitivity. |
|||||
9.8
(KLR-9.4) |
Other
Agricultural Lands in KTN |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to several small and fragmented agricultural lands in different
locations within the study area of KTN, including Chau Tau Tsuen, Pak Shek
Au, Yin Kong, Kam Tsin and Tai Tau Leng.
Most of these agricultural lands have been wholly or partly abandoned
and grass and shrubs now grow in the fields.
For those fields remaining active, common crops cultivated by farmers
include Brassica parachinensis and Lactuca sativa. This LR has low to medium value in terms of
crop production and is relatively tolerant to change. It is considered to have medium
sensitivity. |
|||||
FLR 10 - Open Space / Recreation Area Refers to
areas that provide recreational use either in the form of playground areas or
sports pitches. There is vegetation associated with this LR, as well as
landscaped planting. Within
the Study Area of the DPs, this LR is found at North District Sports Ground
and Lo Wu Saddle Club. |
|||||
10.1 |
North
District Sports Ground |
Medium |
Medium |
High |
Low |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. North
District Sports Ground is a multi-purpose sports ground located between
Jockey Club Road and Tin Ping Road.
Facilities provided in this sports ground include natural grass
football field, running track, covered grandstand, public leisure pool,
basketball/volleyball courts and outdoor and indoor tennis courts. Dominant amenity trees planted in this LR
include Ficus microcarpa, Bauhinia blakeana and Bauhinia variegata. This LR has medium landscape value and due to its
man-made nature and high percentage of hard landscape, has a high capacity to
accommodate change. Apart from the
open grass pitch, it has little planting and therefore soft landscape is relatively
low value. Overall its sensitivity is
considered to be low. |
|||||
10.3 |
Lo
Wu Saddle Club |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. Situated
along Ho Sheung Heung Road, Lo Wu Saddle Club has more than 50 years of
history and has a stable complex including grass riding arenas as well as
clubhouse facilities and a schooling arena.
Trees found within this LR include Melia azedarach, Celtis sinensis
and Delonix regia. This LR is of relatively high quality and amenity
value. The artificial elements can
accommodate change relatively easily but the fields where horses graze are
less able to accommodate change.
Overall this LR’s sensitivity is considered to be medium. |
|||||
FLR
11 – Urban Development Area Refers to urbanized areas which are heavily
developed with considerable hard paved surfaces and limited landscaped
areas. These LRs consist mainly of
large clusters of medium to high density buildings with a high degree of
related infrastructure and often with some high rise developments, with some
associated facilities such as post office, police station, hospital,
restaurants, supermarkets etc. The LR
also includes work sites where construction is ongoing, or sites being
cleared/ formed prior to development of a structure that would form part of
an urban area. Vegetation in this LR
is mainly landscape planting with scattered amenity shrubs and trees, some
small public green spaces and private gardens. Within the Study Area of the FLN NDA, this LR
broadly covers Lo Wu Correctional Institution and the large urban development
areas in Sheung Shui and Fanling. |
|||||
11.1 |
Lo
Wu Correctional Institution |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. Lo
Wu Correctional Institution is located in between Ho Sheung Heung Road and
the foothills of Tai Shek Mo.
Buildings in this LR are medium-rise and roads are all
hard-paved. Tree planting is limited
within the institution although it does have some green roofs. This LR has a high ability to accommodate change
due to its man-made nature and is considered to have low sensitivity. |
|||||
11.2 |
Sheung
Shui Urban Development Area |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to the northeastern part of the Sheung Shui town centre. There are high-rise public (e.g. Tin Ping
Estate) and private (e.g. Tsui Lai Garden, On Kwok Villa and Noble Hill)
estates, training centres, multi-storey car park and home for the aged
located in this area. Gardens and small
scale playgrounds can also be found associated with those residential
blocks. Amenity trees and shrubs are
planted and well maintained to enhance the environment, and the dominant tree
species are Melaleuca quinquenervia, Acacia confusa, Bauhinia blakeana, Ficus
microcarpa, Bombax ceiba, Cassia siamea, Eucalyptus citriodora and Phoenix
roebelenii. This LR has low landscape value and due to its
man-made nature, has a high capacity to accommodate change. Its sensitivity is considered to be low. |
|||||
FLR
12 - Rural Development Area Refers to traditional villages, modern villages
and small scale residential areas dominated by domestic structures (mainly of
2-3 stories) interwoven with roads and paths,
There are some Ancestral Halls, shrines and temples, and this LR may
also contain some facilities such as small police stations, post offices, and
covered water reservoirs and pumping stations and some small, managed,
recreational areas (such as football and basketball pitches) and small
wasteland areas either wholly or partly covered by weedy or sparse
vegetation. This LR has a few small
orchard areas associated with it and private gardens, as well as amenity
planting among the built structures.
This LR usually occurs in fragmented patches with agricultural or natural
landscape resources adjacent to it. Within the Study Area of the DPs, this LR
includes Ngam Pin, Fu Tei Au, Sheung Shui lowland area, Lung Yeuk Tau, Wo Hap
Shek, as well as some areas at the base of Wa Shan and Lung Shan. |
|||||
12.1 |
Rural
Development Area in Ngam Pin |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
Low |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR is just located within the Closed Area.
Residential buildings within the village are old and simple, mainly
constructed in metal. Tall grasses grow
along the roads winding between houses without management and much of the
area is abandoned. This LR is considered to have low sensitivity. |
|||||
12.2 |
Rural
Development Area in the Vicinity of Fu Tei Au |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR mainly covers the rural area between Fu Tei Au Road and Ng Tung
River. Settlements in this area
consist predominantly of simple and traditional houses of a single storey,
some of which are fenced off. Trees are
present both along the roads winding between houses and in private gardens,
including Dimocarpus longan, Macaranga tanarius and Aleurites moluccana. Man Ming Temple, constructed before 1924, is
located within to the south of this LR.
It is a Grade 3 Historic Building which is a three-hall building, with
two open corridors on the two sides of the central hall, used to access the
end hall. This resource has limited landscape value, but
some of its structures have heritage significance and therefore have little
ability to accommodate change. Its
sensitivity is overall considered to be medium. |
|||||
12.4 |
Rural
Development Area in Sheung Shui Lowland Area |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
is a lowland resource where a number of villages are concentrated,
particularly in the western part which encompasses Wai Loi Tsuen, Man Kok
Village, Mun Hau Tsuen, Po Sheung Tsuen, Ha Pak Tsuen, Chung Sum Tsuen, Tai
Yuen Tsuen (collective named as Sheung Shui Heung/Sheung Shui Wai). The eastern part of this LR includes Tin
Ping Shan Tsuen. Fung Kai School with
its associated football pitch and several basketball pitches and some mature
trees are also located at the centre of this LR. Those villages are well established, consisting
of some modern housing of 2-3 storeys and some traditional housing and
include one declared monument and two graded historical buildings. Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall, a
declared monument, was built by Liu Man Shek Tong in 1751 at Mun Hau Tsuen.
This typical three-hall two-courtyard building is decorated by plaster
mouldings, wood carvings and murals of auspicious motifs and pictures. One of the graded historic buildings is Liu
Ying Lung Study Hall, situated at Po Sheung Tsuen which is a confirmed Grade
1 Historic Building. It was renovated
in 1923 and was once the place where Spring Equinox, births and weddings were
celebrated. The other is Old Sheung
Shui Police Station, which is a confirmed Grade 2 Historic Building. It was one of thirteen police stations
built soon after the British took over the New Territories and later became a
police reporting centre and then a Junior Police Call (JPC) Club House after
the new Sheung Shui Police Station was opened in 1979. Tin Ping Shan Tsuen in the east is
relatively small, mainly consisting of more traditional and simple structured
houses of a single storey. Most areas
are hard-surfaced and have limited vegetation except those private amenity
plantings. Given the traditional nature of much of this LR
and its historical buildings, this LR is relatively intolerant to change and
is considered to have medium sensitivity. |
|||||
12.5 |
Wa
Shan Rural Development Area |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to several rural development areas along the hillsides or at the
foothill of Wa Shan. They are largely
rural settlements including Sheung Shui Wa Shan village, Siu Hang Tsuen and
Siu Hang San Tsuen. Most of these
villages are undergoing transformation due to the fact that many houses have
been replaced by modern housing blocks of 2-3 storeys and some new housing
blocks are being constructed. This LR
has limited softscape treatment but does include some trees (e.g. Mangifera
indica, Dimocarpus longan and Livistona chinensis) and private amenity
plantings (e.g. Duranta erecta). One temple is located in Siu Hang Tsuen, (Fuk Tak
Temple), established some 100 years ago.
The temple is for the worship of the Earth God and other gods/deities
that give protection to the villagers and so is locally important. Although
the temple has a ‘Nil Grade’ historic building value, it is at one end of the
Lung Yeung Tau Heritage Trail. It
is a large piece of grassland for military purpose. Many mature trees grow in the surroundings,
including Macaranga tanarius, Celtis sinensis, Leucaena leucocephala and
Eucalyptus spp. This LR is largely a man-made area but some of
the historical buildings and the vegetation associated with the firing range
are relatively intolerant to change.
The overall sensitivity of this LR is medium. |
|||||
12.7 |
Rural
Development Area at Wo Hop Shek and Lung Shan |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
This
LR includes Cyber Domaine, Tong Hang, Tong Hang Tung Chuen (at the foothill
of Lung Shan), part of the Wo Hop Shek San Tsuen in Wo Hop Shek, Kau Lung
Hang San Wai and Yuen Leng. It also
includes the Tong Hang Fresh Water Service Reservoir that is located on the
hillside of Lung Shan. Trees commonly
found in this LR are Melaleuca quinquenervia, Celtis sinensis , Ficus
hispida, Leucaena leucocephala,
Dimocarpus longan, and Eucalyptus citriodora This LR is dominated by domestic
residencies. Its landscape amenity,
significance and quality are moderate and it has a high ability to tolerate
change, making its overall sensitivity low. |
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12.8 |
Rural Development Area at Ma Shi Po |
Medium |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
This LR is dominated by domestic
residencies. Its landscape amenity,
significance and quality are medium and it has limited ability to tolerate
change given the age of those old village houses and its relationship with
the surrounding agricultural land, making its overall sensitivity medium. |
|||||
12.9 |
Wu
Nga Lok Yeung and Ling Shan Tsuen Rural Development Area |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR mainly refers to two patches of continuous rural development located at Wu
Nga Lok Yeung as well as Ling Shan Tsuen and Good View New Village. Some of the construction works at Wu Nga Lok
Yeung are suspended, leaving two rows of 3-storey unfinished village houses
on exposed ground. Plants are
generally absent from this area. The
village houses in Ling Shan Tsuen and Good View New Village are relatively
concentrated with large trees frequently found along the winding roads and in
private gardens. These trees include
Celtis sinensis, Dimocarpus longan, Livistona chinensis and Macaranga
tanarius, etc. This LR is dominated by domestic
residencies. Its landscape amenity,
significance and quality are medium and it has high ability to tolerate
change, making its overall sensitivity low. |
|||||
12.12 (KLR-
12.2) |
Rural
Development Area in Long Valley, Yin Kong, Tsung Pak Long and Hak Ka Wai |
Medium |
High |
Low |
High |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR lies between the Shek Sheung River and Fanling Highway to the southeast of
Long Valley. It covers three villages:
Yin Kong Tsuen, Hak Ka Wai and Tsung Pak Long. Yin
Kong Tsuen is a traditional village undergoing transformation. Some of the existing residential houses in
the northern part of the village are identified as historical buildings.
Earth shrines associated with Fung Shui Trees (Ficus microcarpa in most
cases) are present including the Grade 2 listed Earth God Shrine of Kam Tsin
historic building. In addition an old
western styled Enchi Lodge (Grade 2 historic building) is located on the
southern part of the village. Between
the northern and southern parts of the village there is grassland which would
have been agricultural land in the past.
On the other hand, the modern aspect of Yin Kong Tsuen is presented by
many well-established modern village houses as well as facilities such as
small-scaled playgrounds. Hak
Ka Wai is a traditional village with around 100 years of history. It consists of two rows of residences, an
ancestral hall (the Wong Shek Chung Ancestral Hall), a study hall, an
entrance gate, enclosing walls and a watch tower. This village is a Grade 1 historic
building. Tsung
Pak Long is a traditional village undergoing transformation. It contains ancestral halls, earth shrines,
a school and a church in traditional style to its northwest. Most areas within this LR are hard-surfaced
and have limited vegetation except those private amenity plantings, in which
fruit trees Dimocarpus longan, Carica papaya and Citrus reticulata and
landscaping shrub Duranta erecta and Murraya paniculata are commonly found. The
historic buildings located in this LR, particularly the relatively large area
of Hak Ka Wai village, cannot be easily recreated and this LR is relatively
intolerant to change. Overall it is
considered to have high sensitivity. |
|||||
12.14
(KLR-12.11) |
Rural
Development Area in Ma Tso Lung |
Low to
Medium |
Medium |
Low |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR refers to the rural area at Ma Tso Lung on the northwest of the KTN NDA
Study Area. It mainly covers two
villages, i.e. Ma Tso Lung San Tsuen and Shun Yee San Tsuen, which are
relatively small, mainly consisting of more traditional houses of a single
storey. Trees associated with this
area include some fruit trees such as Diospyros kaki, Musa x paradisiaca and
Dimocarpus longan as well as other native and exotic trees such as Bauhinia
blakeana, Leucaena leucocephala, and Bombax ceiba. Although
these structures cannot be recreated easily and have low ability to
accommodate change, their landscape quality and maturity are not high and
overall this LR has medium sensitivity. |
|||||
12.15
(KLR-12.10) |
Lo
Wu Rifle Range |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. Lo
Wu Rifle Range is located between Fung Kong Shan and the Tai Shek Mo
mountain. It is a large piece of
grassland for military purpose. Many
mature trees grow naturally in the surroundings, including Bauhinia blakeana,
Macaranga tanarius, Celtis sinensis and Leucaena leucocephala. This
LR is a man-made area but it is green land not hard surface and so has a
medium tolerance to change. The
sensitivity of this LR is medium. |
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FLR 13 - Industrial / Open Storage Refers to
areas which are heavily adapted for human industrial use, such as factory
facilities, waste processing plants and other industrial buildings, often
with some open areas for storage, parking or other associated activities. These areas have small roads within them
and some concrete drainage channels.
There is very little existing vegetation within this LR. Within
the Study Area of the DPs, this LR is geographically divided into Sheung Shui
and Fanling industrial/open storage areas and will be further described
individually. |
|||||
13.1 |
Sheung
Shui Industrial/Open Storage Area |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
The
western part of this LR contains Sheung Shui Water Treatment Works, Sheung
Shui Slaughter House, Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works as well as several warehouses
and industrial buildings. Planted
trees are found along the roads and dominant species include Acacia
auriculiformis, Acacia confusa and Leucaena leucocephala. The rest of this LR is largely used for open
storage and car parks as well as several waste processing plants but there is
one recognized Tin Hau Temple (No. 41 Hung Kiu San Tsuen), but this has a
‘Nil Grade’ historic building value.
Trees within this area are not actively managed and grasses occupy
many places between the car parks. Tree
species commonly found include Leucaena leucocephala, Bauhinia blakeana,
Bauhinia variegata, Macaranga tanarius, Delonix regia, Cassia siamea, Bombax
ceiba, Syzygium jambos, Ficus virens, Mangifera indica and Acacia
auriculiformis. This LR has relatively low landscape amenity
value and consists mostly of modern man-made structures that can be easily
recreated. Its sensitivity is
considered to be low. |
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13.4 (KLR-13.3) |
Industrial/Open
Storage in Shek Tsai Leng, Tong Kok and Fung Kong |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR is located around the villages of Shek Tsai Leng, Fung Kong, Tung Fong and
Tong Kok and is generally in the middle of the KTN NDA. This LR at Fung Kong falls within the Study
Area of the DP. This continuous area is largely used for open storage and car
parks. Also, several waste processing
plants are present. Trees
within this LR are not actively managed and grasses occupy many places
between the car parks. Tree species
commonly found in the area include Macaranga tanarius, Celtis sinensis,
Bauhinia blakeana, Mallotus paniculatus, Ficus microcarpa, Acacia confusa,
Casuarina equisetifolia, Leucaena leucocephala, Hibiscus tiliaceus,
Dimocarpus longan, Livistona chinensis, Morus alba, Psidium guajava and
Artocarpus macrocarpon. This LR predominantly consists of man-made
structures which have a high capacity to tolerate change and have low
landscape value. This LR is considered
to have low sensitivity. |
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FLR
14 - Major Transportation Corridor Refers to MTRC railway, Fanling Highway, as well
as Sha Tau Kok Road (Lung Yeuk Tau) and all the associated intersections.
There is tree planting along the sides of the roads consisting of a variety
of indigenous and exotic species such Cassia siamea and Acacia confusa. In addition, there is some planting along
the central divider (median) in some sections, including of amenity shrubs
such as Allamanda schottii and sometimes palm trees Livistona chinensis. |
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14.1 |
MTRC
East Rail |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. The
LR includes a short section of MTRC East Railway running between Sheung Shui
and Lo Wu Stations. No significant
planting is found along the railway lines and trees growing randomly in its vicinity
are dominated by Leucaena leucocephala. This resource is highly utilized by the general
public and well linked but it is man-made with low landscape value and a high
ability to accommodate change. Its
sensitivity is low. |
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14.3 |
Fanling
Highway |
Medium |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR is a major transportation corridor connecting Fanling, Sheung Shui, Kwu
Tung and other adjacent areas. It
includes a short section of Fanling Highway with a reasonable amount of
roadside planting with some mature tree.
Species include Melaleuca quinquenervia, Bombax ceiba, Ficus
microcarpa, Casuarina equisetifolia, Acacia confusa and Bauhinia blakeana. This
is a man-made resource, and due to the roadside planting is less able to
accommodate change and its overall sensitivity is considered to be medium. |
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14.4 |
MTRC
near Fanling Highway |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
This
LR sits outside the works area and will not be affected. This
LR is small section of the MTRC East Rail line running parallel to Fanling
Highway. It has no planting associated
with it, only noise barriers at its edges. This
is a man-made resource which has a high ability to accommodate change. Its overall sensitivity is considered to be
low. |
Table 12C.3.2 Landscape Character Areas and their
Sensitivity – FLN NDA (DP7, 11 and 13)
Id. No. |
Landscape Character Area (LCA) |
Quality & Maturity |
Rarity |
Ability to Accommodate Change |
Sensitivity |
|
KLCA-1 |
Natural Hillside Landscape |
High |
High |
Low |
High |
|
Refers to large hillside
areas which are dominated by shrubland, grassland and some woodland patches. |
||||||
Within the Study Area
the LCA encompasses Tai Shek Mo (183 mPD), Western Range of Tai Shek Mo (Ma
Tso Lung and Lok Ma Chau) (144 mPD), Ki Lun Shan (222 mPD), and Fung Kong
Shan (40 mPD). |
||||||
Tai Shek Mo lies to the
north of the Study Area. The primary
ridgeline extends southward while the Western Range ridgeline runs
approximately NE-SW, covering Ma Tso Lung and Lok Ma Chau. These two sections
of LCA are separated by lower land and to their south the smaller Fung Kong
Shan is located. |
||||||
Ki Lun Shan lies to the
southwest of the Study Area. |
||||||
FLCA-1 |
Natural Hillside Landscape |
High |
High |
Low |
High |
|
Refers to large hillside areas
which are dominated by shrubland, grassland and some woodland in places such
as the ravines. |
||||||
Within the Study Area of the DPs, this LCA encompasses
Tai Shek Mo (183 mPD), Fung Kong
Shan (40 mPD), Cham Shan
and Wa Shan to the north reaching 164 mPD and the foothills of Lung Shan to
the south. Other areas of this LCA
found within the study area are at Wong Kong Shan, and Ling Hill. They are at a relatively lower in height
and close to human activities. |
||||||
This LCA is predominantly natural and of high
quality. It is a significant LCA within the Study Area and has a low
tolerance to change. Therefore its
sensitivity is considered to be high.
|
||||||
FLCA-2 |
Rural and Urban Peripheral Village
Landscape |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
|
Refers to rural village areas and village areas on
the fringes of urban developments, including relic landscapes of former
villages. This LCA is dominated by
small or medium sized villages with modern and traditional houses and some
temples, interspersed with small agricultural plots and comprises a broad
mixture of other land uses including water ponds, schools, sports grounds,
and playgrounds, some open storage areas and car parks. This LCA also has some patches of woodland
as well as vegetation associated with the villages and park areas. |
||||||
Within the Study Area of the DPs, this LCA is generally found at
the foothills of the Tai Shek Mo, Cham Shan and Wa Shan along the northern bank of Ng
Tung River such as Fu Tei Au as in other lowland areas such as Long Valley, Tsung Pak
Long, Fu Tei Au; Sheung Shui Wai, Shek
Wu San Tsuen, Tong Hang and Wo Hop Shek. |
||||||
This LCA
is considered to have medium tolerance to change and be of moderate amenity
value. Its sensitivity is therefore medium. |
||||||
FLCA-3 |
Urban Development Landscape |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
|
This LCA sits outside the
works area and will not be affected. Refers to urban areas with significant numbers of
high-rise developments and extensive transport infrastructure. It also contains car parks and open areas
associated with urban development such as playgrounds and small parks and
sitting out areas. This LCA has
limited natural vegetation but does include some man-made landscaping. |
||||||
Within the Study Area of the DPs, this LCA is found only towards
the south-western boundary including Sheung Shui town centre, with buildings
becoming more modern. It includes the
high-rise developments such as Woodland Crest and some high rise estates such as Tin Ping Estate. |
||||||
This is an important residential landscape and has
high tolerance to change. The sensitivity of this LCA is considered to be low. |
||||||
FLCA-4 |
Industrial Landscape |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
|
Refers to areas comprising a broad mix of land uses
including factories, utility facilities, workshops, open storage and some
channelized water courses. It is
normally located on low lying ground or at the base of hills and may include
small and fragmented areas of residential houses and their associated
agricultural land. There is little
significant vegetation among this built environment, but small patches of
vegetation do exist, particularly along the channelized river. |
||||||
Within the Study Area
for FLN NDA this LCA is mainly comprised of factory buildings, vacant land
and open storage. It includes the Fanling Industrial Area that is found between Sha Tau Kok Road and Ma Wat
River channel. The Sheung Shui Slaughter House, Sheung Shui Water Treatment
Works and Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works, at the west of the Study Area
and the open storage uses along Man Kam To road are also included. |
||||||
This LCA contains man-made facilities that are able
to accommodate change, particularly if they have been abandoned. Except for the significant planting along
Ng Tung River, most areas in this LCA comprise degrade and un-made ground
where vegetation has been largely removed, resulting in a low landscape
amenity. Therefore, the sensitivity of
this LCA is considered to be low. |
||||||
FLCA-5 |
Lowland Agricultural Landscape |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
|
This LCA sits outside the
works area and will not be affected. Refers to large areas
dominated by agricultural land (active and abandoned) with scattered small
villages and low-rise buildings and may also include some fishponds and
irrigation ponds. This LCA is mostly
found among lowlands and floodplain areas.
|
||||||
Within the Study Area
for FLN NDA the key area of this LCA is found at Tin Ping Shan Valley. Tin Ping Shan (Sacred Hill) Valley is
located to the west of Ng Tung River and contains abandoned agricultural
fields and drained concrete fishponds as well as some active agriculture. |
||||||
The value and quality
and maturity of this LCA is medium. In
some locations this LCA can accommodate a reasonable level of change; its
overall sensitivity is considered to be medium. |
||||||
FLCA-6 |
Major Transportation Corridor
Landscape |
Low |
Low |
High |
Low |
|
This LCA sits outside the
works area and will not be affected. Refers to major highway and railway areas, with
their scattered associated buildings. |
||||||
Within the Study Area of the DPs, Fanling Highway and MTRC East
Railway are major transport routes stretching in a variety of directions and
located at the east, west and south boundaries of the Study Area. |
||||||
The LCA is considered to be highly tolerant to
change and its sensitivity is low.
|
||||||
FLCA-7 |
Major Water Course Corridor
Landscape |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
|
Refers to modified water courses channelized with
concrete or grasscrete and also includes some walkways along the water course
and the vegetation associated with the water course, both within the channel
and along the banks as well as in the ridge of the banks. |
||||||
Within the Study Area of DPs, this LCA includes sections of Ng
Tung River, Shek Sheung River and Sheung Yue River. |
||||||
The
landscape amenity and significance of this LCA are medium. Due to its largely man-made state, it is
reasonably tolerant to change and its sensitivity is considered to be medium. |
||||||
12C.3.3 Summary of Baseline Conditions
The LRs within the Study Area which have been identified for their higher sensitivity are generally natural streams, woodland, marsh/ wetland, some water ponds, although other resources may also have high sensitivity due to certain characteristics.
LRs associated with natural water bodies are often considered higher value resources. With the exception of a natural steam at Cham Shan (FLR-2.2), which has banks partially paved in places and low water quality (commonly polluted with rubbish), the natural streams in FLN (in Tin Ping Shan Agricultural Land (FLR-2.1), Lung Shan (FLR-2.3), Tai Shek Mo (FLR-2.5) and Ma Tso Lung (FLR-2.6) all have high sensitivity, largely due to their intactness and low ability to accommodate change. Two pond areas which are relatively intolerant to change due to their natural qualities, those at Ho Sheung Heung and Long Valley (FLR-3.1) and within the Closed Area (FLR-3.2), are considered to have high sensitivity. In addition, all the marsh/wetland areas in FLN NDA, including those in Long Valley and near Tsung Yeun (FLR-4.1), and the mitigation wetland along Ng Tung and Sheung Yue River (FLR-4.2), are all rated as highly sensitive largely due to their rarity within a developed landscape setting, natural characteristics and sensitivity to change.
Trees are considered as a precious LR therefore, all areas of hillside woodland within the Study Area are rated as having high sensitivity. Unlike woodland within KTN, the lowland woodland around FLN is generally of low to medium quality as a result of human disturbance. The lowland woodland at Sacred Hill (FLR-7.4) and at Ling Hill/Ling Shan Tsuen (FLR-7.5) are considered to have high sensitivity as they are of better quality, more pristine and therefore less able to accommodate change. There are no OVTs in this area but one area of plantation (at Ha Pak Tsuen (FLR-5.2) is considered to have high sensitivity as a result of its maturity, number of mature tree specimens within a traditional village setting, giving it a low ability to accommodate change.
FLR8-Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic surrounds
the study area such around Fu Tei Au (FLR-8.2), Cham Shan and Wa Shan
(FLR-8.3). It is also commonly
associated with hillsides and local prominences such as Lung Shan (FLR 8.4) and
Tai Shek Mo (FLR 8.5). These LR are
generally located on undeveloped areas of natural topography however they are
managed using periodic fires, therefore their overall sensitivity is considered
to be medium. Areas of
shrubland/grassland mosaic are found along the Sheung Yue River and Ng Tung
River (FLR8.1) and close to Sheung Shui STW at Fu Tei Au (FLR8.2). In this case the LR is established on
man-made landscape features such as road verges or artificial watercourse
channels therefore the sensitivity is considered to be low.
The FLN NDA Study Area extends to the west and touches upon the agricultural land in Ho Sheung Heung and Long Valley (FLR-9.1). While most agricultural LRs have medium sensitivity (given it is relatively easy to create in the right environment and not overly rare in the New Territories), the agricultural land in Long Valley is unique as it forms part of a large, high quality, contiguous area which would be difficult to recreate in Hong Kong due its maturity and strong visual characteristics. This agricultural land is therefore recognized as having high sensitivity.
With regards to LCAs, Natural Hillside Landscape in FLN NDA (FLCA-1) is considered highly sensitive, largely due to its high landscape quality and inability to accommodate change. Rural and Urban Peripheral Village Landscape (FLCA-2) and Major Water Course Corridor Landscape (FLCA-7) have medium sensitivity, largely due to their moderate amenity value and medium tolerance to change. The Lowland Agricultural Landscape in this area (FLCA-5) is predominantly of medium value and considered reasonably easy to recreate given the right environment, and therefore also has medium sensitivity. The Major Transport Corridor Landscape in this area (FLCA-6) includes the southern Fanling Highway and part of the MTRC East Rail Line. Unlike in the KTN area, there is limited planting within this LCA within the FLN Study Area so it has a high ability to accommodate change and therefore this LCA has low sensitivity. Urban Development Landscape (FLCA-3) and Industrial Landscape (FLCA-4) also have low sensitivity due to their low landscape quality through human development and high ability to accommodate change.
DPs 7, 11 and 13 relate to the provision of new sewage related infrastructure serving the proposed KTN and FLN NDAs. A summary of the likely site formation impact for each DP is provided below:
12C.4.1 DP7 Utilisation of Treated Sewage Effluent
DP
7 comprises the construction of two separate Flushing Water Service reservoirs
and extension of part of the existing Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works to
provide the associated effluent reuse facilities. The proposed KTN Flushing Water Service
Reservoir is located to the north east of the KTN NDA on Tai Shek Mo, east of
the existing Lo Wu Firing Range. The
proposed FLN Flushing Water Service Reservoir is located on the hillside slope
above Tong Hang Tung Chuen, west of the existing Tong Hang Service Reservoir. Both of these reservoirs would require
significant earthworks operation during the construction stage due to their
location on existing hillside. Preliminary assessments suggest a cut slope
formation of approximately
38m and 62m height with the proposed
cut/fill slope angle not exceeding 40° based on the general safe angle of the cut slope
for the service reservoirs at KTN and FLN NDAs respectively. Further studies can be conducted to reduce the extent of
site formation as far as possible during the detailed design stage after the ground
investigation has been conducted.
Road access to the KTN Flushing Water Reservoir is shared with the Proposed Fresh Water Reservoir, both the reservoir and the road sit within the Schedule 3 works.
The
reservoir at FLN will utilise the existing road access road to the Tong Hang
Fresh Water Service Reservoir. A
junction will be formed off this road requiring some modifications to the
existing road surface.
The works associated with effluent reuse facilities at Shek Wu Hui STW would involve the construction of mechanical plant and associated buildings on previously levelled and cleared land adjacent to the existing STW facilities and the Sheung Shui Slaughter House.
12C.4.2 DP 11 Proposed expansion and upgrading of Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works at FLN NDA
DP 11 comprises improvements to the existing sewage treatment works and extension of the plant. Improvement works are within the existing footprint of the STW and would involve the upgrading and reorganisation of sewage treatment facilities. The extension works would occupy land immediately adjoining the STW facility currently zoned as Green Belt but used as compound and open storage facilities. STW would incorporate a dewatering house, sludge holding tanks and a combined heat and power facility. The proposed site formation levels to sewage treatment works range from +6.5mPD adjacent to Ng Tung River, to +12.0mPD adjacent to the Fu Tei Au Road at the northern boundary of the area.
12C.4.3 DP 13 New Sewage Pumping Stations in FLN NDA
DP 13 relates to the construction of 4no. Sewage Pumping Stations in the KTN NDA, these are located:
· SPS south of Fu Tei Au
· SPS off Man Kam To Road
· SPS south of Wa Shan
· SPS opposite Sacred Hill
The construction of the SPS will require the direct loss of Green Belt land for the site off Man Kam To Road, the other sites occupy land currently zoned as Agriculture. The SPS building will be approximately 5m high surrounded with fencing or walling at approximately 3m high.
During the construction of the various components of DP7, 11 and 13, potential landscape and visual impacts will generally result from the following:
· Site clearance including demolition of structures and tree removal/transplantation.
· Site formation works including cutting and filling of natural topography (hillside) including watercourse channels.
· Stockpiling and transportation of construction and demolition materials, excavated materials, including existing topsoil, and storage of construction equipment and mechanical plant.
· Exposed rock faces and slopes as a result of formation work for flushing water reservoir site formation.
· Decommissioning of existing STW mechanical plant and construction of improvement works. Construction of new STW building and facilities.
· Construction of Sewage Pumping Station Buildings and associated internal access road and pedestrian access and boundary walling/fencing.
· Temporary structures within the Project Site including site offices, boundary fencing/hoarding and parking areas.
· Re-alignment of roads.
· Re-alignment of streams and watercourses.
During the operation phase, potential impacts will result from the following:
· Operation of new flushing water service reservoirs.
· Operation of new sewage pumping stations and TSE reuse and STW facilities.
· Residual impacts from loss of natural hillside, trees and vegetation during the construction phase.
The landscape impact assessment has been carried out taking into consideration the baseline LRs and LCAs described in Section 12C.3 and potential impacts described in Sections 12C.4 and 12C.5.
Further details of the potential landscape impacts are provided for each DP below. The magnitude of change on FLN DP 7, 11 and 13 LRs and LCAs are presented in Tables 12C.6.1 and 12C.6.2 below.
Landscape
impacts are presented on Figures 12.52.22 and 12.52.33 to
36.
Table 12C.6.1 Magnitude of Change on LRs (DP
7, 11 and 13)
Note - For LRs where no impact is recorded, these have been omitted.
Name |
DPs and Site No. (Land Use Type*) Impacting LR |
Area of LR within study area and within DP boundary (ha) or length (m or
Km) |
Physical extent of the impact (Small/ Medium/ Large) |
Compatibility with Surrounding Landscape |
Duration of Impact |
Reversibility of Change |
Magnitude of Change |
||||||||
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
||||||||
FLR 1 |
Channelized Water Course |
||||||||||||||
1.1 |
Ng Tung River (Fanling District) |
DP 7: Utilization of Treated Sewage
Effluent DP11:
Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works -
Further Expansion (SWHSTW) DP 13: New Sewage Pumping Station |
Study Area: 35.8ha / 3.5km DP Boundary: 2.25ha/ 528m |
Small |
Fair |
Good |
Temporary Medium |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Reversible |
Small |
Negligible |
|||
Description
of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation The proposed DPs will be constructed at the top of the riverbank
fronting the river channel. Vegetation
clearance together with soil stripping and excavation works will be
undertaken at the river banks Impact of the TSE reuse facilities and Sewage
Pumping Stations (except the one off Man Kam To Road) will only affect a
small area of this LR and this will again mainly be at construction stage
during site formation. The further
expansion of the STW at A2-3 may also have an impact on a larger area of the
banks and adjacent. Impacts at these
sites will be during site formation initially but at operation land use will
have changed only for a small area adjacent to the river itself. The river banks has already been heavily altered through
channelization and alignment modifications, therefore no valuable natural
features will be lost or affected. In
this case the compatibility of the scheme is considered to be fair in
construction due to the physical disruption and good in operation. Due to the relatively small scale of the area affected and taking into
account previous highly engineered alterations to this resource the magnitude
of change is considered to be small during construction and negligible in
operation. |
|||||||||||||||
1.2 |
Shek Sheung River |
DP11:
Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works -
Further Expansion (SWHSTW) |
Study Area: 25.1ha / 2.6km DP Boundary: 0.42ha / 100m |
Small |
Poor |
Poor |
Temporary Short |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Reversible |
Small |
Negligible |
|||
Description
of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation Vegetation clearance together with breaking out hard surfaces, soil
stripping and excavation works will be undertaken beyond the upper bank away
from the river channel. The river banks have already been heavily altered through
channelization and alignment modifications; however some vegetation will be
lost which is relatively rare in this landscape scenario. In this case the compatibility of the
scheme is considered to be poor both in construction and operation. Due to the relatively small scale of the area affected and taking into
account previous highly engineered alterations to this resource the magnitude
of change is considered to be negligible. |
|||||||||||||||
FLR 6 |
Hillside Woodland |
||||||||||||||
6.4 |
Hillside Woodland at Lung Shan and Wa Mei Shan |
DP7: Utilization of Treated Sewage Effluent |
Study Area: 23.28 DP Boundary: 0.04 |
Small |
Fair |
Fair |
Temporary Short Term |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Irreversible |
Small |
Small |
|||
Description of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation |
|||||||||||||||
FLR 7 |
Lowland Woodland |
||||||||||||||
7.2 |
Lowland Woodland at Fu Tei Au and Sheung Shui Water
Treatment Works |
DP 13: New Sewage Pumping Station |
Study Area: 4.8ha DP Boundary: 0.11ha |
Small |
Fair |
Fair |
Permanent |
Permanent |
Irreversible |
Irreversible |
Small |
Small |
|||
Description of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation A small area of woodland sits within the works area of the SPS south
of Fu Tei Au. Existing trees would
require felling to allow construction of the pumping station. As a result of the existing human
disturbance such as abandoned agricultural lands and partly developed rural
area surrounding these woodlands, the overall sensitivity is medium and the
LR has some capacity to accept change.
As a result the compatibility during construction and operation is
considered to be fair. As a result of the small area concerned and the overall medium
capacity of the LR to accept change, the magnitude of change during
construction and operation is considered to be Small. |
|||||||||||||||
FLR 8 |
Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic |
||||||||||||||
8.4 |
Shrubland/ Grassland
Mosaic at Lung Shan |
DP7: Utilization of Treated Sewage Effluent |
Study Area: 22.12ha DP Boundary: 1.44ha |
Small |
Fair |
Fair |
Permanent |
Permanent |
Irreversible |
Irreversible |
Large |
Larger |
|||
Description
of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation A small part of this LR
sits within site D4-1 which is the proposed site for the Fanling North
Flushing Water Service Reservoir. The
area is close to the existing Fresh Water
Service Reservoir at north of Tong Hang Tung and adjacent to the existing
access road. The preliminary design of
the reservoir and its access road, which is subject to change at the detailed
design stage, suggests the site formation work required will affect a small
area of this LR (1.4 ha). The
highest proposed cut/ fill slopes for the reservoir will be 62 m with a
maximum 40 degree angle for all slopes.
The exposed slope at completion will be up to 56 m high as some
of the slope will be backfilled. There
will therefore be some topography changes in this area. The existing shrubland/ grassland in this
area will also be lost during construction although there is potential for
landscaping of the reservoir roofs and cut/ fill slopes and remediation in
future. As a result of the
relatively small area concerned forming part of a much larger LR and the
medium capacity to accept change, the compatibility during construction and
operation is considered to be fair. However, the detailed reservoir design is
not yet finalised and will continue to be refined to try and reduce potential
impacts. At operation this small area
will be largely incompatible with the current LR and will change the land
use. Despite the relatively small size
of the area affected, the irreversibility of the work, the topographical
changes including up to 62 m cut/fill slope above the reservoir within
the hillside are considered to generate a large magnitude of change during
construction and operation. |
|||||||||||||||
8.5 (KLR- 8.3) |
Shrubland/ Grassland
Mosaic in Tai Shek Mo and the Western Range Foothills |
DP7: Utilization of Treated Sewage Effluent |
Study Boundary: 71.2ha DP Boundary: 1.21ha |
Medium |
Fair |
Fair |
Permanent |
Permanent |
Irreversible |
Irreversible |
Large |
Large |
|||
Description
of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation A small area of this
large scale LR sits within site G1-4 and will require considerable site
formation during construction to form the level construction platform. The preliminary design of the reservoir
proposes cut/ fill slopes of up to 38m.
At completion the exposed face of slope above the reservoir would be
32 m in length. The overall topography beyond this area will not be
changed. The existing vegetation in
these areas will be lost although there is potential for landscaping of the
reservoir roofs and re-profiled slopes.
However, the detailed reservoir design is yet not finalised and will
continue to be refined to try and reduce potential impacts. As a result of the
relatively small area concerned forming part of a much larger LR and the
medium capacity to accept change, the compatibility during construction and
operation is considered to be fair. Despite the relatively
small size of the area affected, the topographical changes including up to
32 m cut/fill slope above the reservoir within the hillside are
considered to generate an intermediate magnitude of change during
construction and operation. |
|||||||||||||||
FLR 9 |
Agricultural Land |
||||||||||||||
9.2 |
Fu Tei Au Agricultural Land |
DP13: New Sewage Pumping Stations |
Study Area: 3.61 DP Boundary: 0.04 |
Small |
Poor |
Poor |
Permanent |
Permanent |
Irreversible |
Irreversible |
Small |
Small |
|||
Description
of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation A very small area of this LR will be lost for the construction of the
proposed SPS south Fu Tei Au. Construction works will require site
clearance and filling works to achieve the required site levels. As a result of the
development this area of agricultural land will be replaced with a small
building and associated boundary works, in this case the compatibility is
considered to be poor during construction and operation. Given the very small
size of the area concerned it is considered the overall magnitude of change
during construction and operation would be small. |
|||||||||||||||
9.5 |
Agricultural
Land at Sheung Shui Wa Shan |
DP13: New Sewage Pumping Stations |
Study Area: 8.02ha DP Boundary: 0.03 |
Small |
Poor |
Poor |
Permanent |
Permanent |
Irreversible |
Irreversible |
Small |
Small |
|||
Description
of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation A very small area of this LR will be lost for the construction of the
proposed SPS south of Wa Shan. Construction works will require site
clearance and filling works to achieve the required site levels. As a result of the
development this area of agricultural land will be replaced with a small
building and associated boundary works, in this case the compatibility is
considered to be poor during construction and operation. Given the very small
size of the area concerned it is considered the overall magnitude of change
during construction and operation would be small. |
|||||||||||||||
FLR 12 |
Rural Development Area |
||||||||||||||
12.7 |
Rural Development Area at Wo Hop Shek and Lung Shan |
DP7: Utilization of Treated Sewage Effluent |
Study Area: 33.7 DP Boundary: 0.11 |
Small |
Good |
Good |
Temporary Short |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Reversible |
Negligible |
Negligible |
|||
Description
of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation This LR covers the existing access road to the Tong Hang Fresh Water
Reservoir. Construction works will
require some reconfiguration to the existing road in order to form a new road
junction to provide access to the proposed FWSR. Construction works will
require breaking out of existing road surface and localized ground modeling
followed by construction of new road surface. As the existing LR
functions as a road and the proposed works would involve road construction,
the overall compatibility during construction and operation is considered to
be good. Given the good
compatibility of these works, limited extent and identical function, the
magnitude of change is considered to be negligible both in construction and
operation. |
|||||||||||||||
12.8 |
Rural Development Area at Ma Shi Po |
DP13: New Sewage Pumping Stations |
Study Area: 3.77ha DP Boundary: 0.14 |
Small |
Fair |
Fair |
Temporary Short |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Reversible |
Negligible |
Negligible |
|||
Description
of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation The construction works for the SPS opposite Sacred Hill will impact
this LR through vegetation clearance, soil stripping and cut and fill works
to achieve the required site levels. Taking into account the previously developed
nature of this LR the compatibility is considered to be fair during both
construction and operation. As a
result of the very limited extent of this LR impacted within the construction
footprint and the medium ability to accept change, the magnitude of change is
considered to be negligible. |
|||||||||||||||
FLR 13 |
Industrial / Open Storage |
||||||||||||||
13.1 |
Sheung Shui Industrial/Open Storage Area |
DP 7: Utilization of Treated Sewage
Effluent DP 11: Shek Wu
Hui Sewage Treatment Works - Further
Expansion (SWHSTW) DP13:
New Sewage Pumping Stations |
Study Area: 59.6ha DP Boundary: 11.95ha |
Large |
Fair |
Good |
Temporary Short |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Reversible |
Small |
Negligible |
|||
Description
of Key Impacts during Construction and Operation DP11 will impact this
resource through upgrading works within the existing STW site and extension
works involving the construction of completely new STW facilities. Upgrading works will require
decommissioning and demolition works of existing plant, this will all be
based within the footprint of the existing site. The extension works will occupy a site
currently used for open storage type uses; works will require clearance of
low scrub vegetation, removal of existing temporary structures and breaking
out of hard surfaces. Given the existing
function of the site for sewage treatment facilities and disturbed nature of
the receiving landscape, the compatibility of the DPs is considered to be
fair in construction (due to size of construction area affected) and good in
operation. DP13 SPS off Man Kam To
Road will impact a very small area of this LR. Works will involve demolition of temporary
structures and minor cut and fill works to form the required levels for the
formation of the pumping station and surrounding boundary treatments. Given the already disturbed and highly
changeable nature of the land use and the limited extent of the works, the
compatibility of the DP is also considered to be fair during construction and
good during operation. This area has already
been significantly altered through the construction of the existing STW,
large scale Sheung Shui Slaughter House facilities and ongoing open storage
functions with the landscape appearing highly disturbed. It is therefore considered that the
magnitude of change during construction would be small during to the highly
changeable nature of the receiving landscape and negligible in operation
given the good compatibility. |
|||||||||||||||
Table 12C.6.2 Magnitude of Change on LCAs (DP 7, 11
and 13)
Note - For LCAs where no
impact is recorded, these have been omitted.
LCA Code |
Name |
Site No. (Land Use Type*) Impacting LCA |
Area of LCA affected within DP boundary
(ha) |
Physical extent of the impact (Small/ Medium/ Large) |
Compatibility with Surrounding Landscape |
Duration of Impact |
Reversibility of Change |
Magnitude of Change |
||||
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
|||||
KLCA-1 |
Natural Hillside Landscape |
The LCA affected by the sites: DP7: KTN Flushing
Water Service Reservoirs. |
Study Boundary: 68.52ha DP Boundary: 1.22ha |
Small |
Good |
Good |
Permanent |
Permanent |
Irreversible |
Irreversible |
Small |
Small |
|
|
Most of this LCA falls
outside the DP boundary; the site designated for the KTN Flushing Water Service Reservoir (D4-1) sits completely
within this LCA. Since this LCA
already contains water reservoirs within hillside locations, this is
considered compatible with the Project during operation, although it will be
less compatible during the slope cutting / profiling and earthwork filling
operations during construction. The construction
works for both the reservoirs will require large alterations to these hillsides,
during the construction stage this will involve major earthwork operations
to achieve the level platforms in the hillside required to site the
reservoir facilities which will involve the clearance of vegetation (mainly
Shrubland) and removal of natural contours.
In order to stabilise the uphill slopes, engineered retaining slopes
will be constructed with faces of approximately 38m long. Since the majority of
this LCA will remain unaffected by the Project the magnitude of change is
considered to be small in both construction and operation. |
||||||||||
FLCA-1 |
Natural Hillside Landscape |
The LCA affected by the sites: DP7: FLN Flushing Water Service Reservoirs. |
Study Boundary: 84.53 DP Boundary: 1.63ha |
Small |
Good |
Good |
Permanent |
Permanent |
Irreversible |
Irreversible |
Small |
Small |
|
|
Description of Key
Impacts during Construction and Operation As this character area
is natural and undeveloped hillside terrain, the development will constitute
a significant change therefore the compatibility during construction and
operation is considered to be poor. Whilst the
construction footprint identified is relatively small, the works will involve
creating level topography in a steeply sloped hillside area therefore the
magnitude of change in both construction and operation is considered to be
large. |
||||||||||
FLCA-2 |
Rural and Urban Peripheral Village Landscape |
The LCA is affected by sites: DP 13: Sewage Pumping Stations |
Study Area: 180.15ha DP Boundary: 0.46 |
Small |
Fair |
Fair |
Temporary Medium Term |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Reversible |
Negligible |
Negligible |
|
|
Description of Key
Impacts during Construction and Operation As a result of the
previously developed nature of these sites and small scale footprint of the
DPs, the compatibility during construction and operation is considered to be
fair. Taking into account
the precedent for development in this LCA, and the previously developed
nature of the sites, the magnitude of change during construction and
operation is considered to be negligible. |
||||||||||
FLCA-4 |
Industrial Landscape |
The LCA affected by
the sites: D7: Utilization of
Treated Sewage Effluent DP11:Proposed
expansion and upgrading of Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works at FLN NDA DP13: SPS of Man Kam
To Road |
14.1 |
Medium |
Fair |
Good |
Temporary Medium Term |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Reversible |
Small |
Negligible |
|
|
Description of Key
Impacts during Construction and Operation This area of ground
has already been heavily altered through channelization and alignment
modifications to Ng Tung River, therefore no valuable natural features will
be lost or affected. In this case the
compatibility of the scheme is considered to be fair both in construction and
operation. DP11 will impact this
LCA through upgrading works within the existing STW site and extension works
involving the construction of completely new STW facilities. Upgrading works will require
decommissioning and demolition works of existing plant, this will all be
based within the footprint of the existing site. The extension works will occupy a site
currently used for open storage type uses; works will require clearance of
low scrub vegetation, removal of existing temporary structures and breaking
out of hard surfaces. Given the existing function of the site for sewage
treatment facilities and disturbed nature of the receiving landscape, the
compatibility of the DPs is considered to be fair in construction (due to
size of construction area affected) and good in operation. DP13 SPS off Man Kam
To Road will impact a very small area of this LCA. Works will involve demolition of temporary
structures and minor cut and fill works to form the required levels for the
formation of the pumping station and surrounding boundary treatments. Given the already disturbed and highly
changeable nature of the land use and the limited extent of the works, the
compatibility of the DP is also considered to be fair during construction and
good during operation. This area has already
been significantly altered through the construction of the existing STW,
large scale Sheung Shui Slaughter House facilities and on-going open storage
functions with the landscape appearing highly disturbed. It is also an area that is highly
changeable, in this case the compatibility is considered to be fair during
construction and good in operation. As a result of the
fair compatibility of the works during construction and taking into the large
extent of the area, it is considered that the magnitude of change during
construction would be small. Due to
the good compatibility of the DPs, and highly changeable nature of the receiving
landscape the magnitude of change during operation would be negligible. |
||||||||||
FLCA-7 |
Major Water Course
Corridor Landscape |
The LCA affected by
the sites: DP11:Proposed
expansion and upgrading of Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works at FLN NDA DP 13: Sewage Pumping
Stations |
0.40 |
Small |
Fair |
Fair |
Temporary Medium Term |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Irreversible |
Negligible |
Negligible |
Description of Key
Impacts during Construction and Operation The majority of the
works forming these DPs will fall within the adjacent industrial landscape
LCA. In this location both DPs have a
frontage to Ng Tung River. The
proposed DPs will be constructed at the top of the riverbank fronting the
river channel. Vegetation clearance
together with soil stripping and excavation works will be undertaken beyond the upper banks
away from the river channels. The river
banks has already been heavily altered through channelization and alignment
modifications, therefore no valuable natural features will be lost or
affected. In this case the
compatibility of the scheme is considered to be fair both in construction and
operation. Due to the relatively
small scale of the area affected and taking into account this piece of
landscape would be more associated with the adjacent industrial land due to
its history of extensive engineered alterations to this LCA, the magnitude of
change is considered to be negligible, during both construction and
operation. |
A
summary of the key landscape impacts identified in Table 12C.6.1 and 12C.6.2 for each DP is provided below.
DP7: Utilization of Treated Sewage
Effluent
The principal impacts as a result of
the developments of TSE handling facilities and Flushing Water Service
Reservoirs will occur during the construction and operation stages. The following LRs/LCAs are affected:
FLR 1.1 Ng Tung River (Fanling District)
FLR 6.4 Hillside Woodland at Lung Shan and Wa Mei Shan
FLR 8.4 Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic at Lung Shan
FLR 8.5 Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic in Tai Shek Mo and the Western Range Foothills
FLR 12.7 Rural Development Area at Lung Shan and Kau Lung Hang Shan
FLR 13.1 Sheung Shui Industrial/ Open Storage Area
KLCA-1 Natural Hillside Landscape
FLCA-1 Natural Hillside Landscape
FLCA-4 Industrial Landscape
It
is predicted that most impacts will be generated in relation to FLR 1.1, 8.4,
8.5, KLCA-1 and FLCA-1 relating to the construction of the Flushing Water
Service Reservoirs where extensive cut and fill operations together with
engineered slopes will be required, resulting in permanent loss of the
associated LRs area set within the wider LCA.
The works in association with the TSE handling facilities located
adjacent to SWHSTW are considered to be compatible with the existing landscape
setting and the level of impact would generally be low.
DP 11 – Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment
Works - Further Expansion
The principal impacts as a result of
the upgrading and extension works at SWHSTW will mainly occur during the
construction stage. The following
LRs/LCAs are affected:
FLR 1.1 Ng Tung River (Fanling
District)
FLR 1.2 Shek Sheung River
FLR 13.1 Sheung Shui Industrial/Open
Storage Area
FLCA 4 – Industrial Landscape
FLCA 7 – Major Water Course Corridor
Landscape
It is predicted that most impacts in
relation to this scheme would be generated in the construction stage, mainly
due to the likely scale of the construction works within the LR and LCA
areas. In all cases due to the
deteriorated condition of the receiving landscape and it’s highly changeable
nature it is considered these impacts would be small. In all cases, during operation, the magnitude
of change would be negligible due to the good compatibility of these works with
the existing landscape setting.
DP13: New Sewage Pumping Stations
The principal impacts as a result of
the construction of the 4no. new SPS in FLN NDA will mainly occur during the
construction stage. The following
LRs/LCAs are affected:
FLR 1.1 - Ng Tung River (Fanling
District)
FLR 1.2 – Shek Sheung River
FLR 7.2 – Lowland Woodland at Fu Tei
Au and Sheung Shui Water Treatment Works
FLR 9.2 Fu Tei Au Agricultural Land
FLR 9.5 - Agricultural Land at
Sheung Shui Wa Shan
FLR12.8 - Rural Development Area at
Ma Shi Po
FLR 13.1 - Sheung Shui
Industrial/Open Storage Area
FLCA 2- Rural and Urban Peripheral
Village Landscape
FLCA 4- Industrial Landscape
FLCA-7 - Major Water Course Corridor
Landscape
Whilst the footprint of all of these
projects is very small, potential impacts are predicted in relation to FLR 7.2
and 9.2 due to poor compatibility with these LRs. In terms of other LRs/LCAs, the impacts are
considered to be small to negligible as the works are within areas that have
been previously developed.
The potential significance of landscape impacts during the construction and operational phases, before mitigation, is provided in Tables 12C.8.1 and 12C.8.2 below. The assessment follows the methodology proposed in Section 12.18 and the matrix provided in Table 12.18.1.
Landscape impacts are mapped on Figures 12.52.22 and 12.52.33 to 40.
Table 12C.8.1 Significance of
landscape impacts on LRs (DP 7, 11 and 13)
Name |
LR
Sensitivity (High/ Medium/ Low) |
Magnitude
of Impact (Large/ Intermediate/ Small/ Negligible |
Impact
Significance BEFORE Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/ Slight/
Insignificant) |
|||
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
|||
FLR 1 |
Channelized Water Course |
|||||
1.1 |
Ng Tung River (Fanling District) |
Medium |
Small |
Negligible |
Slight |
Insignificant |
1.2 |
Shek Sheung River |
Medium |
Small |
Negligible |
Slight |
Insignificant |
FLR 6 |
Hillside Woodland
|
|||||
6.4 |
Hillside Woodland at Lung Shan and Wa Mei Shan |
High |
Small |
Small |
Moderate |
Moderate |
FLR 7 |
Lowland Woodland
|
|||||
7.2 |
Lowland Woodland at Fu Tei Au and Sheung Shui Water
Treatment Works |
Medium |
Small |
Small |
Slight |
Slight |
FLR 8 |
Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic |
|||||
8.4 |
Shrubland/ Grassland
Mosaic at Lung Shan |
Medium |
Large |
Large |
Substantial |
Substantial |
8.5 (KLR- 8.3) |
Shrubland/ Grassland
Mosaic in Tai Shek Mo and the Western Range Foothills |
Medium |
Large |
Large |
Substantial |
Substantial |
FLR 9 |
Agricultural Land |
|||||
9.2 |
Fu Tei Au Agricultural Land |
Medium |
Small |
Small |
Slight |
Slight |
9.5 |
Agricultural Land at Sheung Shui Wa Shan |
Medium |
Small |
Small |
Slight |
Slight |
FLR 12 |
Rural Development Area |
|||||
12.7 |
Rural
Development Area at Wo Hop Shek and Lung Shan |
Low |
Negligible |
Negligible |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
12.8 |
Rural Development Area
around Ma Shi Po |
Medium |
Negligible |
Negligible |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FLR 13 |
Industrial / Open Storage |
|||||
13.1 |
Sheung Shui Industrial/ Open
Storage Area |
Low |
Small |
Negligible |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
In summary for LRs, moderate adverse impact is predicted during the construction and operational stages for FLR 6.4 Hillside Woodland at Lung Shan and Wa Mei Shan. Substantial impacts are predicted for FLR-8.4 Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic at Lung Shan and FLR - 8.5 Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic in Tai Shek Mo and the Western Range Foothills due to the scale and nature of the impact arising from the construction of the Flushing Water Service Reservoirs under DP7. These works will involve topographical changes within natural landscape areas which will lead to direct loss of these LRs.
Slight adverse impacts are predicted for FLR 7.2 Lowland Woodland at Fu Tei Au and Sheung Shui Water Treatment Works, this is due to loss of trees within an area of medium sensitivity. Slight adverse impacts are also predicted in relation to FLR 9.2 Fu Tei Au Agricultural Land and FLR 9.5 Agricultural Land at Sheung Shui Wa Shan due to the direct loss of this LR. In addition FLR 1.1 Ng Tung River (Fanling District), 1.2 Shek Sheung River will experience slight adverse impacts during construction due to the close interface with the works areas where excavation works will be required behind the river bank.
The remaining LRs will all experience insignificant impacts at the construction and operational stages.
Table 12C.8.2 Significance
of Impacts on LCAs (DP7, 11 and 13)
LCA Code |
Name |
LCA Sensitivity (High/ Medium/ Low) |
Magnitude of Impact (Large/ Intermediate/
Small/ Negligible |
Impact Significance BEFORE Mitigation
(Substantial/ Moderate/ Slight/ Insignificant) |
||
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
|||
KLCA1 |
Natural
Hillside Landscape |
High |
Small |
Small |
Moderate |
Moderate |
FLCA1 |
Natural
Hillside Landscape |
High |
Small |
Small |
Moderate |
Moderate |
FLCA2 |
Rural
and Urban Peripheral Village Landscape |
Medium |
Negligible |
Negligible |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FLCA4 |
Industrial
Landscape |
Low |
Small |
Negligible |
Slight |
Insignificant |
FLCA7 |
Major
Water Course Landscape |
Medium |
Negligible |
Negligible |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
In summary for LCAs, moderate impacts are predicted during the construction and operational stages for KLCA 1 and FLCA 1 – Hillside Landscape, located in KTN and FLN respectively. This impact would be generated as a result of the reservoir developments within this LCA of high sensitivity which would disrupt topography within this natural landscape setting.
The remaining LCAs will all experience a slight or insignificant impact at the construction and operational stages.
The proposed mitigation measures for the Project are summarized in Table 12C.9.1 below and described in detail following. Mitigation measures not applicable to these DPs have been omitted from this list. The same table also lists the agents responsible for the capital funding, the implementation and the maintenance of the suggested measures. These agents will be agreed before the start of construction.
Table 12C.9.1–Summary of Proposed Mitigation Measures
Mitigation Measure Code |
Summary Description |
Capital Funding Agency ([1]) |
Implementation Agency |
Post-Construction Maintenance Agency ([2]) |
MM1 |
Minimum Topographical
Change |
Government/
Private Sector |
Contractors
of the Government/ Private Sector |
n/a |
MM2 |
Detailed Design - Visual |
Government/
Private Sector |
Contractors
of the Government/ Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
MM4 |
Tree Protection & Preservation |
Government/ Private
Sector |
Contractors of the
Government/ Private Sector |
n/a |
MM5 |
Tree
Transplantation |
Government/ Private
Sector |
Contractors of the
Government/ Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
MM6 |
Slope
Landscaping |
Government/ Private
Sector |
Contractors of the
Government/ Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
MM7 |
Compensatory
Planting |
Government/ Private
Sector |
Contractors of the
Government/ Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
MM8 |
Woodland
Compensatory Planting |
Government/ Private
Sector |
Contractors of the
Government/ Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
MM9 |
Vertical
Greening |
Government/ Private
Sector |
Contractors of the
Government/ Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
MM10 |
Green Roof |
Government/ Private
Sector |
Contractors of the
Government/ Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
MM11 |
Screen
Planting |
Government/ Private
Sector |
Contractors of the
Government/ Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
MM14.3 |
Watercourse Impact Mitigation – Enhancement Planting on Embankment |
Government/Private Section |
Contractors of the Government/Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
MM16 |
Screen
Hoarding |
Government/ Private Sector |
Contractors of the
Government/ Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
MM17 |
Light
Control |
Government/ Private
Sector |
Contractors of the
Government/ Private Sector |
DSD/WSD |
Minimum
Topographical Change (MM1)
Some elements of the revised RODP, in this
case the Flushing Water Service Reservoirs, are still undergoing basic design
refinements therefore the design assumes a worst case scenario whereby
comprehensive mitigation measures would be required. The detailed design of
these facilities should adopt a robust approach to minimising land take to
reduce the potential for construction of engineered slopes and disruption to
natural terrain. With respect to the
proposed top water levels and founding levels, a cut slope formation of about
To minimise landscape and visual impacts, the footprint and elevation should be optimised to reduce topographical/ landform changes, as well as reduce land take and interference with natural terrain and reduce overall earth movements. Where there is a need to significantly cut into the existing landform, retaining walls should also be considered as well as with profiled slopes, to minimise landform changes and land resumption.
Where engineered slopes are proposed, a terraced design is recommended that will allow planting of larger species planting within the slope face to assist with mitigating visual impacts. Generally these should link with other planted areas to avoid a conspicuous green patch on an otherwise unplanted hillside.
In addition, earthworks and engineered slopes should be designed to provide a structurally stable and visually interesting landform, which is compatible with surrounding landscape and mimics the natural contouring and terrain (e.g. introduction and continuation of natural features such as spurs and ridges where appropriate) to support assimilation with the hillside setting and avoid the appearance of straight, geometric line within the natural setting.
Detailed Design (Visual) (MM2)
The overall design of the DP has considered reducing visual impacts.
The form, textures, finishes and colours of the proposed SPS buildings and boundary treatments should aim to be compatible with the existing surroundings. To improve visual amenity, designs should be aesthetically pleasing and treatment of structures also improve visual amenity. For example natural building materials such as stone and timber, should be considered for architectural features, and light earthy tone colours such as shades of green, shades of grey, shades of brown and off-white should also be considered to reduce the visibility of the development components, including all structures, buildings and fencing.
For DP11 and DP7, the operational requirements for sewage treatment plant layout and built is likely to restrict some of the options in terms of visual improvements. Visual improvement can be achieved through the use of natural earthtone colours such as shades of green, shades of grey, shades of brown and off-white. In addition to tree screening, structural screens or barriers using natural materials, such as timber, that enclose unsightly features of the development can assist in reducing visual impact.
In terms of the reservoir construction works, the main structure of these will be below ground however, above ground features such a small ancillary buildings should also follow the approach described above.
Tree Protection & Preservation (MM4)
Exiting trees to be retained within the Project Site should be carefully protected during construction. Detailed Tree Protection Specification shall be provided in the Contract Specification. Under this specification, the Contractor shall be required to submit, for approval, a detailed working method statement for the protection of trees prior to undertaking any works adjacent to all retained trees, including trees in contractor’s works areas. (Tree protection measures will be detailed at Tree Removal Application stage).
Tree Transplantation (MM5)
Trees unavoidably affected by the Project works should be transplanted where practical. Trees should be transplanted straight to their final receptor site and not held in a temporary nursery as far as possible. A detailed Tree Transplanting Specification shall be provided in the Contract Specification, where applicable. Sufficient time for necessary tree root and crown preparation periods shall be allowed in the project programme. A detailed transplanting proposal will be submitted to relevant government departments for approval in accordance with ETWBTC 2/2004 and 3/2006 and final locations of transplanted trees should be agreed prior to commencement of the work.
Slope Landscaping (MM6)
Hydroseeding of modified slopes should be done as soon as grading works are completed to prevent erosion and subsequent loss of landscape resources and character. Woodland tree seedlings and/ or shrubs should be planted where the slope gradient and site conditions allow. In relation to embankments formed above the reservoirs, planting terraces are incorporated into the design to allow for greening of any engineered slopes.
In addition, landscape planting should be provided for the retaining structures associated with modified slopes, where conditions allow. All slope landscaping works should comply with GEO Publication No. 1/2011-Technical Guidelines on Landscape Treatment for Slopes.
Compensatory Planting (MM7)
Compensatory tree planting for felled trees shall be provided to the satisfaction of relevant Government departments. Required numbers and locations of compensatory trees shall be determined and agreed separately with Government during the Tree Removal Application process under ETWBTC 3/2006. Compensatory planting is proposed at the open areas within development lots.
Compensatory planting for shrub cover should be considered in suitable locations including native species such as Melastoma malabathricum, Diospyros vaccinioides, Gardenia jasminoides, Ixora chinensis, Ligustrum sinense, Litsea rotundifolia, Melastoma dodecandrum, Atalantia buxifolia, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Rhaphiolepis indica, and Rhododendron simsii.
For specific woodland compensatory planting, see MM8.
For compensatory planting in relation to reservoir construction, also see MM10.
Woodland Compensatory Planting (MM8)
Specific Woodland compensatory planting is
proposed for any areas of woodland that are unavoidably affected. The location and design of the woodland
compensatory planting will principally be within habitats of lower value such
as upland grassland. These have been considered both within the NDAs.
The
proposed locations are mostly on the foothills of Tai Shek Mo and on Fung Kong
Shan in KTN NDA with a small area in the northern FLN NDA.
The total
area allocated for compensatory woodland planting is more than 16 ha. This
provision allows in part for the fact that it will take some time for the compensatory
planting to achieve the landscape and ecological function and value of the area
to be lost. In addition, it allows for the fact that not all of the areas
identified for planting will prove to be plantable, by virtue of topography and
ground conditions and, especially, because though the areas identified are
largely grassland it is inevitable that these areas will already support some
patches of trees and shrubs which would be inappropriate for further planting.
The
intention of the compensatory woodland will be to recreate areas of quality
woodland, not necessarily to compensate for loss of trees on a like for like
basis. Native tree species are suggested
for planting, including Ailanthus fordii, Bischofia javanica, Castanopsis
fissa, Celtis sinensis, Cinnamomum burmannii, Cinnamomum camphora, Xanthoxlyum
avicennae, Liquidambar formosana, Sapium discolor, Schefflera heptaphylla and
Ilex rotunda. In addition some
understory vegetation may be planted including shrubs such as Atalantia
buxifolia, Diospyros vaccinioides, Gardenia jasminoides, Ixora chinensis,
Ligustrum sinense, Litsea rotundifolia, Melastoma malabathricum, Melastoma
dodecandrum, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Rhaphiolepis indica, and Rhododendron
simsii.
Vertical Greening (MM9)
Planting of climbers to grow up vertical surfaces were appropriate, such as along perimeter fencing and building walls are recommended to break up uniform surfaces and provide visual amenity.
Green Roof (MM10)
Roof greening has been proposed for all sewage pumping stations in order to improve visual integration within the proposed urban setting and reduce exposure to untreated concrete surfaces and particularly mitigate visual impact to VSRs at high levels.
Green roofing is also proposed within the reservoir schemes; in this case the reservoir enclosure which covers the storage tanks can be landscaped. This will assist in reducing the exposure to untreated man-made surfaces. In addition, shrubland/ grassland can be established over the reservoir, partly compensating for the loss of this resource during construction.
Screen Planting (MM11)
Tall screen/buffer trees and shrubs should be planted to screen proposed structures such as sewage treatment plants and buildings. This measure may additionally form part of the compensatory planting and will improve compatibility with the surrounding environment and create a pleasant pedestrian environment.
Watercourse Impact Mitigation (MM14)
For channelized watercourses if these are modified, they should match the existing and include enhancement planting to upgrade the channels as appropriate, including consideration of wetland planting along embankments where appropriate.
Enhancement Planting on Embankment MM14.3
For
channelised
watercourses, if these are modified, the Drainage Services Department Practice
Note No.1/2005 – Guidelines on Environmental Considerations for River Channel
Design, should be considered and appropriate mitigation measures included
ensuring the new watercourses match the existing as far as possible. Measures
can include enhancement planting to upgrade the channels as appropriate,
including consideration of wetland planting along embankments where
appropriate; as well as consideration of the best materials for the channel
lining (e.g. gabion). All measures must
also ensure any necessary maintenance work can be carried out and that the
channel meets all its requirements for water flow.
The proposed construction of sewage treatment facilities of DP7 and DP11 would interface with Ng Tung River and Shek Sheung River. All SPSs excluding SPS of Man Kam To Road would also interface with Ng Tung River. In all cases this would involve excavation works behind the river bank, including some breaking out of surfaces. As stated above, the replacement channel works should match the existing and where possible include enhancement planting.
Screen Hoarding (MM16)
Screen hoarding shall be erected along areas of the construction works site boundary where the works site borders with public accessible routes and/or is close to visually sensitive receivers (VSRs), to screen undesirable views of the works site. It is proposed that the screening be compatible with the surrounding environment and where possible, non-reflective, recessive colours be used.
Light Control (MM17)
Construction day and night time lighting should be controlled to minimise glare impact to adjacent VSRs during the construction stage. Street and night time lighting shall also be controlled to minimize glare impact to adjacent VSRs during the operation phase. This is considered a general measure for good practice.
The reservoir development will appear on undeveloped or artificially lit hillsides therefore external lighting provision should be heavily restricted.
Other good practise measures.
For areas unavoidably disturbed by the Project on a short term basis e.g. works areas, the general principle to try and restore these to their former state to suit future land use, should be adhered to.
With regard to topsoil, where identified, it should be stripped, treated appropriately, and where suitable and practical stored for re-use in the construction of the soft landscape works such as roadside amenity strips, and open space sites. It is assumed that the topmost 100mm of soil surface will be topsoil material. This good site practice and will also minimize off-site disposal.
For all planting, this should be installed as soon as the areas become available, to achieve early establishment.
The proposed landscape and visual mitigation measures, as described in Section 12C.9, have been applied to the various impacts and used to identify potential residual impacts.
The potential significance of residual landscape impacts during the construction and operational phases, before and after mitigation at day 1 and year 10, are provided in Tables 12C.10.1 and 12C.10.2. The tables assume that the appropriate mitigation measures have been applied and that the full effect of the soft landscape mitigation measures would be fully realised and established after 10 years.
Where insignificant impacts have been identified prior to mitigation, mitigation measures are still shown in the table as these areas would be applied as best practice in the construction and operational stages as part of a consistent design and construction approach.
Landscape mitigation measures are presented on Figures 12.52.52, 12.52.70 to 75, 12.52.87 to 88 and 12.52.91 to 94.
Table 12C.10.1 Residual Landscape Impact on
Implementation of Mitigation Measures for LRs
LR Code |
Name |
Impact Significance BEFORE Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/ Slight/
Insignificant) |
Recommended Mitigation Measures |
Residual Impact Significance UPON Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/
Slight/ Insignificant) |
||||
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation Day 1 |
Operation Year 10 |
||
FLR
1 |
Channelized
Water Course |
|||||||
1.1 |
Ng Tung River (Fanling District) |
Slight |
Insignificant |
4, 5, 6, 7, 14.3 |
4, 6 |
Slight |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
1.2 |
Shek Sheung River |
Slight |
Insignificant |
4, 5, 6, 7, 14.3 |
4, 6 |
Slight |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FLR 6 |
Hillside Woodland |
|||||||
6.4 |
Hillside Woodland at Lung Shan and Wa Mei Shan |
Moderate |
Moderate |
1, 4, 5, 8 |
4, 6 |
Sight |
Slight |
Insignificant |
FLR 7 |
Lowland Woodland |
|||||||
7.2 |
Lowland Woodland at Fu Tei Au and Sheung Shui Water
Treatment Works |
Slight |
Slight |
1, 4, 5, 7 |
4, 6 |
Sight |
Slight |
Insignificant |
FLR 8 |
Shrubland/ Grassland
Mosaic |
|||||||
8.4 |
Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic at Lung Shan |
Substantial |
Substantial |
1, 5, 6, 7, 9,10 |
4, 6 |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Slight |
8.5 |
Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic in Tai Shek Mo and the
Western Range Foothills |
Substantial |
Substantial |
1, 5, 6, 7, 9,10 |
4, 6 |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Slight |
KLR 9 |
Agricultural Land |
|||||||
9.2 |
Fu Tei Au Agricultural Land |
Slight |
Slight |
1, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
4 |
Slight |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
9.5 |
Agricultural Land at Sheung Shui Wa Shan |
Slight |
Slight |
1, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
4 |
Slight |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FLR 12 |
Rural Development Area |
|||||||
12.7 |
Rural Development Area at Wo Hop Shek and Lung Shan
|
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
1, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
4 |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
12.8 |
Rural Development Area around Ma Shi Po |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
1, 4, 5, 6,
7 |
4 |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FLR 13 |
Industrial/Open Storage |
|||||||
13.1 |
Sheung Shui
Industrial/Open Storage Area |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
1, 4, 5, 6,
7 |
4 |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
Table 12C.10.2 Residual Landscape Impact
on Implementation of Mitigation Measures for LCAs
LCA Code |
Name |
Impact Significance BEFORE Mitigation
(Substantial/ Moderate/ Slight/ Insignificant) |
Recommended Mitigation Measures |
Residual Impact Significance UPON
Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/ Slight/ Insignificant) |
||||
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation Day 1 |
Operation Year 10 |
||
KLCA-1 |
Natural Hillside Landscape |
Moderate |
Moderate |
1, 4. 5. 6, 7, 8, 10 |
4, 6, 7, 8 |
Moderate |
Slight |
Insignificant |
FLCA-2 |
Rural and Urban Peripheral Village Landscape |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
1, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
4, 6, 7 |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FLCA-4 |
Industrial Landscape |
Slight |
Insignificant |
1, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
4, 5, 6, 7 |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FLCA-7 |
Major Water Course Corridor Landscape |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14.3 |
1, 14.3 |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
Only a very small area (approximately 400m2) of Hillside Woodland at Lung Shan and Wa Mei Shan (FLR-6.4) would be affected by the FLN Flushing Water Reservoir works. Moderate adverse impacts prior to mitigation are predicted, these would be generated by the high sensitivity of the resource and requirement for felling to reconfigure the existing road access. Measures to protect and preserve trees, as well as transplant and actively compensate them with woodland plantation, will reduce this impact. Since this LR is on hillside, measures to reinstate/ landscape any slopes that are affected will also help mitigate impacts. The impact level is considered to reduce to slight at construction and operation day 1, and become insignificant by year 10 when the compensatory woodland planting will have matured to its full potential.
Substantial adverse impacts during construction and operation prior to mitigation
are predicted in relation to FLR-8.4 Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic at Lung Shan and FLR-8.5 Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic in Tai Shek Mo and
the Western Ranges Foothills. This is as
a result of construction works for the KTN and FLN Flushing Water Reservoirs despite the relatively small construction footprint.
Considerable site formation works would be required comprising cut/ fill slopes
of up to 62m and 38m respectively at a maximum 40 degree gradient. Detailed engineering design of the reservoirs
is not finalised however, measures to minimise changes to natural terrain,
reduce land take and reduce overall earth movements should be integrated within
the works. Retaining walls should also be considered as well as cut slopes
where this would allow reduced landform changes. Engineered slopes should integrate tree/shrub
planting across the face to help screen and visually integrate these features
with the surrounding landscape. The
engineered landform should be carefully detailed so that these slopes can tie
into existing natural contours beyond the works area. Landscaping of the reservoir roofs will also
help to mitigate the impact to the shrubland/ grassland (no trees will be
planted on the roof itself) by creating a green vegetated area rather than
hardscape surface. Planting of climbers
to grow up vertical surfaces where appropriate would also soften any wall
structures and break up uniform surfaces.
By implementing all these measures as well as taking care to landscape
any slopes that are formed and implement protection, preservation,
transplantation and compensatory planting for trees, the impact is considered
to reduce to moderate at operation
day 1. With soft landscaping maturing and conferring greater
mitigation by year 10 of operation, the impact is considered to be slight.
It is considered that all the remaining impacts to LRs could be mitigated to slight or insignificant at the construction stage through mitigation works.
In
terms of residual impact on LCAs, moderate adverse impacts, prior to
mitigation, are predicted during the construction and operational stages for
KCLA1 and FLCA 1 – Hillside Landscape within KTN and FLN, generated as a result
of the reservoir developments within the natural landscape of these high sensitivity
LCAs. The proposed mitigation measures,
including minimisation of topographical change, compensatory planting within
the DP boundary and slope landscaping of the new cut slopes, will assist in
reducing the initial scale of the impact. The site does allow potential to
plant areas within the site, such as on the proposed cut slopes above the
reservoir and greening measure such as green roofing type treatments to the
reservoir cover so that planting can be re-established insitu. In this case it is considered that post mitigation;
moderate adverse impacts would remain during construction reducing to
insignificant after 10 years of operation.
This follows establishment of landscape planting measures including
compensatory planting, tree protection and preservation on the fringes of the
DPs, tree transplantation and green roofing.
The remaining LCAs will all experience slight or insignificant impact at the construction and operational stages. This is as a result of the construction works being largely within industrial areas where the impacts to the resource would be limited due to the existing poor condition and low sensitivity. This principally relates to DP7 and 11 works at SWHSTW.
12C.13.2 Conclusion
As a result of mitigation measures it is considered that adverse impacts can be reduced to slight or insignificant levels at the operation stage for the majority of LRs and LCAs in relation to all DP Package C projects.
Substantial adverse impacts are predicted to be generated in relation to the reservoirs within DP7 during the construction stage due to loss of topography in order to construct the reservoir plateau and subsequent loss of Shrubland/ Grassland Mosaic landscape resource (LR8.4 and 8.5) . The scale of slope cutting can possibly be reduced during the detailed design stage therefore reducing impact on the LRs. The proposed mitigation measures, including minimisation of topographical change, compensatory planting within the DP boundary and slope landscaping of the new cut slopes, will assist in in reducing the initial scale of the impact. The site does allow potential to plant areas within the site, such as on the proposed cut slopes above the reservoir and greening measure such as green roofing type treatments to the reservoir cover so that planting can be re-established insitu.
Works in relation to DP7 Utilisation of TSE at SWHSTW and DP11 SWHSTW further expansion would have limited impact on the receiving landscapes and are considered acceptable.
In relation to the SPSs in FLN NDA which are DP 13, these will have minimal impact on the affected resources and it is considered that compensatory planting measures implemented as soon as possible will mitigate the impacts on affected LRs to insignificant level by the operation stage.
On review of the likely residual impacts and possibility to reduce all to slight or insignificant levels by operational year 10, it is considered that DPs 7, 11 and 13 would be acceptable in terms of landscape impacts.
Visual impacts have been assessed for the construction and operational phases of the Schedule 2 DPs areas; the methodology is set out in Section 12.19.
The area covered by FLN NDA, of which the Schedule 2 DP form part is around 164 ha and is bound by Fu Tei Au Road to the north, the hill range of Cheung Po Tau, Cham Shan, Wa Shan and Ma Tau Leng to the north-east, Ma Wat River to the east, Sha Tau Kok Road and Ma Sik Road to the south, and Tin Ping Road, Jockey Club Road and Po Wan Road to the south-west with a very small section of the MTRC East Rail line binding it to the west.
Ng Tung River flows along the base of the foothills of the defining hill ranges and is a key characteristic of the FLN NDA area. The area is generally of medium landscape value with high value upland areas of Cham Shan and Wa Shan defining one side of the river valley as a green backdrop into which San Wai/Tai Ling Firing Range integrates well. The urban areas of Fanling/ Sheung Shui, with a number of high rise structures and new developments as well as industries such as vehicle repair and material storage, define the other side of the river and the low-lying river flood plains in between are predominantly of a rural nature, with small scale agricultural plots (both active and abandoned) and some scattered residential settlements and isolated buildings and some open storage, which contrasts with the more natural character of the area. Sheung Shui Slaughter House and Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works are also located in the western area of this NDA, and Sheung Shui Water Treatment Works is located immediately to the north. At the north of Fanling/ Sheung Shui New Town, a number of more traditional villages are concentrated, including Sheung Shui Heung, Sheung Shui Wa Shan, Siu Hang Tsuen, Siu Hang San Tsuen and Kan Lung Tsuen/ San Wai also lie to the north of the river and are set against the hillside backdrop.
DP7 - Utilization of TSE at SHWSTW
The TSE from the
upgraded SWHSTW will be reused for non-potable uses such as toilet flushing,
landscape irrigation and make-up water for district cooling system (DCS). This is located adjacent to the existing
SWHSTW plant and the Sheung Shui Slaughter House within an industrial landscape
setting. Due to the scale of the
existing buildings and relatively open level landscape, these structures are
dominant features of the local landscape.
Visually the areas appears degraded due to large scale engineering
features associated with the existing built developed combined with the wide
channelised rivers system which forks around the whole development.
Kwu Tung North Flushing Water Service Reservoir
The proposed
reservoir site sits on the hillside of Tai Shek Mo to the east of Lo Wu Rifle
Range. This is a highly exposed area due
to lack of surrounding woodland cover on the hillside slopes. Tai Shek Mo is a key landscape feature within
the local landscape which can be seen from many points throughout the
area. From more elevated point, Tai Shek
Mo is seen with the backdrop of Shenzhen which creates a strong visual contrast
between this natural terrain feature and dense urban structure of the city.
Fanling North Flushing Water Service Reservoir
This reservoir
sits to the south of Fanling, to the east of the MTR East Rail line adjacent to
the existing Tong Hang Reservoir.
Locally the landscape is more wooded and urban / village development
encroaches around the base of the hillside proposed for the new reservoir. The Fanling Highway and MTR East Rail line
are major visual detractors within the landscape setting. The reservoir site is generally viewed with
the Lung Shan hillside in the background which is much more elevated. Engineered slopes, associated with the Tong
Hang Reservoir access road are also quite visible. At present, there is a clear contrast between
the developed floor of the valley and the natural landscape provided by the
extensive areas of hillside in the vicinity.
DP11 Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works - Further Expansion (SWHSTW)
The existing SWHSTW is a secondary STW with design capacity of 93,000m3/day, serving the North District sewerage catchment (Sheung Shui and Fanling areas). In order to cope with the natural and planned population growths within the sewerage catchment, SWHSTW is proposed to be further expanded by phases within the existing and adjacent extension sites, reaching an ultimate capacity of 190,000m3/day.
The existing STW appears as a large mass of storage tanks
and connecting pipework at broadly similar heights across the site. It
is located adjacent to the Sheung Shui Slaughter House within an industrial
landscape setting. Due to the scale of
the existing buildings and relatively open level landscape, these structures
are dominant features of the local landscape.
Visually the areas appears degraded due to large scale engineering
features associated with the existing built developed combined with the wide
channelised rivers system which forks around the whole development.
DP 13 - New SPS in FLN NDA
There will be four new SPSs in FLN NDA linking to the SWHSTW. These are SPS south of Fu Tei Au, SPS off Man Kam To Road, SPS south of Wa Shan and SPS opposite Sacred Hill. Apart from the SPS off Man Kam To Road, these are located adjacent to Ng Tung River which is a dominant visual component in the local landscape due to its engineered form and alignment.
The site for the SPS south of Fu Tei Au sits with an agricultural area which is well wooded, generally views are restricted to the south towards the open river corridor. Locally the landscape is level although the terrain begins to rise further to the north.
The SPS off Man Kam To Road site location is within an open storage area which, visually, is highly changeable as temporary structures vary across the landscape and stacked containers form visual barriers across the landscape. The area appears degraded with some respite provided by natural elements in the form of semi-mature and mature tree planting. View northward to the hillside of Table Hill is also possible.
The site for the SPS south of Wa Shan is immediately adjacent to Ng Tung River within an area of agricultural and back by woodland. The appearance of this area is generally natural, enhanced by the hillside backdrop. The main visual detractor in the vicinity is the engineered appearance of the Ng Tung River.
The final SPS is located opposite Sacred Hill on a previously developed site adjacent to Ng Tung River. Locally, the landscape contains plantation woodland, smaller channelised watercourse and urban development (roads and residential buildings). Hillside and associated woodland provide a natural backdrop to the site when viewed from the south.
12C.13.3
Visual
envelope
The visual envelope for the DPs is broadly similar to the FLN NDA however; it has been extended further to the west and south to accommodate works associated with the two Flushing Water Service Reservoirs (DP7). Broadly the viewshed is confined to the north and east by the ridgeline formed by the summits of Cheung Po Tau, Cham Shan, Wa Shan and reaching across to the more distant and easterly Tsung Shan and Mau Tau Leng summits. To the south east the foothills of Lung Shan contain the visual envelope while to the southern and western side the visual envelope is contained by the high-rise development of Fanling / Sheung Shui with the mountain range of Tai Shek Mo in the background.
Table 12C.12.1 below details the VPs in relation to the DPs and describes their overall sensitivity. This information is also presented on the following figures:
Figures 12.53.1 and 2 present VP locations.
Figures 12.54.1 to 26 provide representative photographic records from locations within each VSR, looking towards the relevant NDA and DPs. Since special access could not be gained for all VSRs, especially for private residential developments, the representative viewing locations may have been adjusted if necessary. The selected viewing point is considered the best alternative that represents the typical view of the VSRs.
Figures 12.55.8a to 12.55.20b provide representative photomontages showing the predicted view from selected viewpoints depicting existing conditions, Day 1 of Operation Phase without Mitigation Measures, Day 1 of Operation Phase with Mitigation Measures and Year 10 of Operation Phase with Mitigation Measures.
Table 12C.12.1 – VSRs and their sensitivity (DP7, 11 and 13)
VP CODE |
Name |
Category of VSR (Strategic/ District/ Local) |
Type of VSR |
Approximate Closest Viewing Distance (m) to Proposed Schedule 2 DP |
Number of Individuals (Very Many / Many / Few / Very Few) |
Quality of Existing View (Good / Fair / Poor) |
Availability of Alternative Views (Yes / No) |
Degree of Visibility (Full / Partial / Glimpse) |
Duration of view (Long, Medium, Short) |
Frequency of View (Very Frequent / Frequent / Occasional / Rare) |
Sensitivity (Low, Medium,
High) |
Description of Existing View, particularly toward the Proposed DP |
|||||||||||
KVP10 (K5b) |
Southern Knoll of Fung Kong Shan |
District |
Recreational (& some Residential & Occupational) |
Approx.100m when looking towards both east and south |
Few |
Good |
Yes |
Full |
Medium |
Frequent |
Medium |
Fung Kong Shan ridgeline runs in an inverted C shape from north to
south and the ridgeline is not easily accessible with no clear path and much
vegetation. The view north is
partially blocked by the northern ridge, some Shenzhen high rise buildings
are still visible in the background. The existing electricity pylons nearby
and open industrial area at the northern base are both visually detracting
elements to the view which in general is green from the shrubby grassland of
the hills. View looks towards the
proposed location for the Kwu Tung North Flushing Water Service Reservoir. |
Remarks: The approximate
closest viewing distance to the proposed schedule 2 DP is measured from the
edge of the VSR group to the closest built form proposed within the DP.
VP Code |
Name |
Category of
VSR (Strategic/ District/ Local) |
Type of VSR |
Approximate
Closest Viewing Distance (m) to Proposed Schedule 2 DP |
Number of
Individuals (Very Many / Many / Few / Very Few) |
Quality of
Existing View (Good / Fair / Poor) |
Availability
of Alternative Views (Yes / No) |
Degree of
Visibility (Full / Partial / Glimpse) |
Duration of
view (Long, Medium, Short) |
Frequency
of View (Very Frequent / Frequent / Occasional / Rare) |
Sensitivity
(Low, Medium, High) |
|
Description
of Existing View, particularly toward the Proposed NDA |
||||||||||||
FVP4 |
Corner of San Wan Road and San Po Street |
Local |
Pedestrian, travelling |
15 |
Many |
Poor |
Yes |
Partial |
Short |
Frequent |
Low |
|
View from end of service road leading to the south
of Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment works.
Glimpse views of the
existing sewage treatment plant above ancillary buildings and sheds are
possible. The boundary wall of the
STW and security fencing of the MTR East Rail line channel views along the
service road. Views toward the peaks
and ridgelines of Tai Shek Mo form the backdrop of the view. |
||||||||||||
FVP5 |
Chuk Wan Street adjacent Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment
Works. |
Local |
Pedestrian, travelling |
50 |
Many |
Poor |
Yes |
Partial |
Short |
Frequent |
Low |
|
VP represents a typical view from pedestrian / vehicular bridge
crossing Ng Tung River adjacent to the existing Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment
Works. Generally the view from the
area is enclosed until reaching this point whereby longer distance views are
made possible along the open corridor of the channelized river. The engineered embankment and formalized
channels are a visual detractor in the views; this together with the STW
facilities and other industrial type buildings and uses forms a relatively
poor quality environment. The elevated
and undulating terrain forming the background to the views provide some
positive visual amenity. |
||||||||||||
FVP6a |
Highpoint above Fu Tei Au Tsuen, facing south |
District |
Recreational |
400 |
Few |
Good |
Yes |
Full |
Short |
Occasional |
Medium |
|
|
VP represents typical view from hillside above Fu Tei Au Tsuen looking
towards the Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works and the western edge of the
Sheung Shui urban area. The STW and
adjacent slaughter house buildings are very large scale and detract from the
quality of the view. Area of
agricultural land (including some ponds) evokes a rural character although
this is highly fragmented as a result of areas of built form and the
engineered channels of Ng Tung river.
The mountainous terrain of Kai Kung Leng within Lam Tsuen Country Park
creates a dramatic backdrop to the view. |
|||||||||||
FVP7 |
Jockey Club Road, adjacent Ha Pak Tsuen |
Local |
Pedestrian, travelling |
90 |
Many |
Poor |
Yes |
Partial |
Short |
Frequent |
Low |
|
VP represents typical view along Jockey Club road adjacent to Ha Pak
Tsuen. Residential developments are
set back behind dense screens formed by mature vegetation. Vegetation cover beyond residential
boundaries becomes sparser and less mature.
Open storage land use on the other side of the road detracts
significantly from the quality of the view.
Glimpse views towards the high ground of Cheung Po Tau provide some
visual amenity. |
||||||||||||
FVP8 |
Access road adjacent Ng Tung River, west of Wa Shan Tsuen |
Local |
Recreational |
50 |
Many |
Fair |
Yes |
Partial |
Short |
Occasional |
Medium |
|
VP represents typical view on access path running parallel to Ng Tung
River to the west of Wa Shan Tsuen.
The river corridor allows open uninterrupted views through the local
area. Mature tree cover along the
boundary of the path (on both sides of the river) screens the appearance of
the smaller scale village type developments and surrounding agricultural
land, only the high rise built form within the Sheung Shui / Fanling urban
areas is visible. |
||||||||||||
FVP9 |
Access track, Sheung Shui Wa Shan |
Local |
Residential, Occupational |
125 |
Few |
Fair |
Yes |
Glimpse |
Long |
Frequent |
Medium |
|
Typical view experienced from within the Sheung Shui
Wa Shan area. The gently sloping terrain and intervening mature
vegetation cover forms a comprehensive screen between the village area and Ng
Tung River and subsequent urban area of Sheung Shui making outward views
difficult. Glimpsed views of mountains and ridgelines within
Lam Tsuen Country Park can be seen above the tree line. Land uses within this area are varied; parking, hard
standing and smaller commercial units detract from the overall visual
quality. |
||||||||||||
FVP11 |
Sitting out area adjacent road bridge over Ng Tung River |
Local |
Recreational, travelling |
110 |
Many |
Fair |
Yes |
Partial |
Short |
Frequent |
Medium |
|
This VP represents the typical view experienced from the small sitting
out area/shelter which overlooks Ng Tung River, facing back towards Sheung
Shui, from the river path. The various
low scale village and agricultural development throughout the northern area
of Sheung Shui are well concealed with mature vegetation of the middle ground
whereas the high-rise built form of the urban area dominates the view. The rigid geometry of engineered river
channels detracts from the quality of the view. |
||||||||||||
FVP12 |
Lung Sum Avenue adjacent Woodland Crest |
Local |
Pedestrian, residential and travelling. |
80 |
Many |
Fair |
Yes |
Partial |
Long |
Frequent |
High |
|
This VP demonstrates the view along Lum Sum Avenue facing northeast,
in front of the Woodland Crest Estate.
The road, car parking and fenced off concrete drainage channel form
the majority of the view. Vegetation
cover is sparse and appears unmaintained. Long distance views to mountains on the horizon provide valuable
visual amenity. |
||||||||||||
FVP25 |
Residential Block, Wah Sum Estate |
District |
Residential |
515 |
Very Many |
Good |
Yes |
Full |
Long |
Very Frequent |
High |
|
This VP demonstrates the typical view from residential towers located
at the Wah Sum Estate and its immediate vicinity. The elevation allows for an unobstructed
view through the valley to the south east of Fanling and along the
infrastructure corridor formed by the MTR East Rail Line and Fanling
Highway. The mountainsides of Lung
Shan and Kau Lung Hang Shan dominate the view. Villages and isolated developments occupy a
large percentage of the valley floor. |
||||||||||||
Remarks: The
approximate closest viewing distance to the proposed DP is measured from the
edge of the VSR group to the closest building proposed within the DP.
The potential sources of visual impact due to the Project are described in Section 12C.4 and 5. They will create varying levels of visual impact during the construction and operation phases in relation to each DP, due to factors such as obstruction of views, degradation of the visual quality of existing views and visual incompatibility with the surrounding visual context. The visual impact assessment considers each DP individually.
12C.13.1 Magnitude of Visual Change
The magnitude of visual change is largely dependent on a number of factors as outlined in the methodology. In general, the magnitude of change will reduce the further a VSR is from the Project.
Detailed engineering design of built elements in the NDA is ongoing at this stage therefore, the structures shown in the photomontages may change as detailed design is refined.
Table 12C.13.1 details the magnitude of change in relation to DPs 7, 11 and 13.
Table 12C.13.1- Magnitude of visual change for visual sensitive
receivers (VSRs) due to Schedule 2 DPs (7, 11
and 13)
.VP (Yes [Y]/ blank) |
VSR Code |
Name |
VSR
Category (Strategic/ District/ Local) |
Key
Designated Projects (DPs)/ Sites with Structures causing Visual Impact (Land
Use Type)* |
Blockage of
View (Full/ Partial/ Nil) |
Approximate
Closest Viewing Distance to Proposed NDA (m) |
Scale of
Development (Large/ Medium/ Small) |
Compatibility
with Surrounding Landscape |
Duration of
Impact |
Reversibility
of Change |
Magnitude
of Change (Large/ Intermediate/ Small/ Negligible) |
||||
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
||||||||
Description
of Impacts during Construction and Operation |
|||||||||||||||
Y |
KVP10 (K5b north) |
Southern Knoll of Fung Kong Shan |
District |
DP7 (Kwu Tung North Flushing Water Service
Reservoir) |
Partial |
Approx.100m when looking towards both east and south |
Medium |
Poor |
Poor |
Temporary [Short] |
Permanent |
Irreversible |
Irreversible |
Intermediate |
Intermediate |
|
|
VP would experience views towards the
construction works associated with the KTN Flushing Water Service
Reservoir. This would involve major
earthwork operations to form the level platform for the reservoir area and permanent
removal of the natural hillside, replacing it with slopes and level area of a
highly engineered and un-natural appearance.
Due to the scale of operations the construction works are likely to be
highly visible together with the construction movements to handle the large
amounts of cut material taken from the hillside. Given the removal of natural landscape and
replacement with engineered forms in this view, the compatibility of the
works are considered to be poor in construction and operation. As a result of the scale of change that
will occur in the view and openness of the local landscape towards this
point, the magnitude of change in construction and operation is considered to
be intermediate. Overall the magnitude of change is predicted to be intermediate during construction and operation. |
|||||||||||||
|
FVP4 |
Corner of San Wan Road and San Po Street |
Local |
DP11 |
Partial |
15 |
Large |
Fair |
Good |
Temporary [short] |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Reversible |
Intermediate |
Small |
|
|
VP would experience views toward the south
of the proposed SWHSTW upgrading works.
Decommission and demolition works would be visible within the existing
site footprint together with reconstruction and reconfiguration of the
plant. Given the established development of the
STW in this view there will not be a large change in the type of view experienced
in the future, there compatibility of the project is considered to be fair
during construction and good in operation.
As a result of the works, in this view, being contained within the
existing footprint of the STW, the main change in this landscape would be the
demolition and reconfiguration (including resizing) of existing facilities. In this case it is considered that the
magnitude of change during construction would be intermediate, reducing to
small in operation would be small. |
|||||||||||||
|
FVP5 |
Chuk Wan Street adjacent Shek Wu Hui Sewage
Treatment Works |
Local |
DP7 and DP11 |
Partial |
50 |
Medium |
Fair |
Good |
Temporary [Short] |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Irreversible |
Intermediate |
Intermediate |
|
|
VP would mainly experience views towards
the Proposed Expansion and Upgrading of Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works,
although glimpse views through the site towards DP7 (TSE at SWHSTW) may be
possible during construction and operation. Views towards the construction works to
form the extension to the STW works involving vegetation clearance and
excavation works. Operational views
would include new above ground storage tanks and ancillary buildings. The scale of the development is relatively
large as the works cover the whole site and will occupy a site which has been
used for open storage purposed without permanent structures. Taking into account the existing visual
setting of the STW and Slaughter House together with the generally degraded
and highly engineered landscape, the compatibility of the DPs are considered
to be fair during construction and good in operation. As a result of the increased footprint of
the proposed works, the presence of
the STW will increase within the immediate landscape setting causing additional
visual intrusion. As this development
is linked to the existing facility there is some visual association which
would assist in lessening the overall perception of change. As a result the overall magnitude of change
during construction and operation would be intermediate. |
|||||||||||||
Y |
FVP6a |
Highpoint above Fu Tei Au Tsuen, facing south |
District |
DP7 and DP11 |
Partial |
400 |
Large |
Fair |
Fair |
Temporary [Short] |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Irreversible |
Large |
Large |
|
|
VP would experience view over the proposed
SWHSTW upgrading and Extension works together with the adjacent Utilisation
of TSE site adjacent. As a result of the elevation, the full
extent of the DP areas can be seen; this would be worsened by any vegetation
clearance within the site which could open up the view further. A clear view of the construction works would
be possible together with the upgrading works to the existing STW. Taking into account that the site would be viewed
within the context of an industrial and highly disturbed landscape the
compatibility during construction and operation is considered to be fair. Due to the combined scale of the
construction site, associated clearance works, opening up of view, extent of
visibility and the likely visually intrusive operations of the construction
works the magnitude of change during construction is considered to be large. As this development is linked to the
existing facility there is some visual association which would assist in
lessening the overall perception of change however, the development works
comprise very large structures. As a
result the overall magnitude of change during construction and operation
would be large. |
|||||||||||||
|
FVP7 |
Jockey Club Road, adjacent Ha Pak Tsuen |
Local |
DP13 |
Partial |
90 |
Small |
Good |
Good |
Temporary [Short] |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Irreversible |
Negligible |
Negligible |
Y |
|
Views from this VSR will experience some
change as a result of the SPS off Man Kam To Road where demolition and
construction activity to form the building and boundary walling would be
partially visible. The site is presently
used for open storage and has already been heavily altered. Existing tree cover spread throughout the
open storage provides some intervening cover. As a result of existing highly changeable
open storage landscape together with the degraded nature of the view, the
compatibility during construction and operation is considered to the good. Due to small scale nature of the DP in the
view combined with a good compatibility with the receiving landscape, the
magnitude of change during construction and operation is considered to be
negligible. |
|||||||||||||
|
FVP8 |
Access road adjacent Ng Tung River, west of Wa Shan Tsuen |
Local |
DP13 |
Partial |
50 |
Small |
Poor |
Fair |
Temporary [Medium] |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Irreversible |
Small |
Small |
|
|
VP would experience views of the
construction and operation of the SPS south of Wa Shan which fronts onto the
river channel in the middle ground of the view. Tree clearance within the construction
footprint would open up partial views of the construction works. The site would also be seen in the context
of the Fanling Bypass Western Section which would be a far larger component
of the view. Due to existing mature tree cover and the relatively undeveloped
appearance of the immediate view, it is considered that the SPS would have a
poor compatibility with the receiving landscape. In operation it would be seen in
conjunction with the Fanling Bypass and other landscaping works therefore the
compatibility would be fair. As a result of the small scale footprint of the site, the magnitude of
change in construction and operation is considered to be small. |
|||||||||||||
|
FVP11 |
Sitting out area adjacent road bridge over Ng Tung River |
Local |
DP13 |
Partial |
110 |
Small |
Fair |
Fair |
Temporary [Short] |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Irreversible |
Small |
Negligible |
|
|
VP will experience views of the
construction and operation of the SPS opposite Sacred Hill which is located
directly across the river. Vegetation
clearance works within the site would open up the works and views to construction
operations to form the pumping station building and surrounding boundary
wall. In the future the SPS would be
seen in the context of the FLN NDA development. Taking into account the existing urban
backdrop and previous leveling and development works in the proposed site,
the compatibility of the DP during construction and operation is considered
to be fair. As result of the fair compatibility and
small scale nature of the development in the view and the future
backdrop/integration with the FLN NDA, the overall magnitude of change is
considered to be small in construction and negligible in operation. The magnitude of change, therefore, is
considered to be small during construction and negligible in operation. |
|||||||||||||
|
FVP12 |
Lung Sum Avenue adjacent Woodland Crest |
Local |
DP13 |
Partial |
110 |
Small |
Fair |
Fair |
Temporary [Short] |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Irreversible |
Small |
Negligible |
|
|
VP will experience views of the
construction and operation of the SPS opposite Sacred Hill which is located
to the right hand side of the view at end of the concrete channel which leads
to Ng Tung River. Vegetation clearance
works within the site would open up the works and views to construction
operations to form the pumping station building and surrounding boundary
wall. In the future the SPS would be
seen in the context of the FLN NDA development. Taking into account the future urban
backdrop and previous leveling and development works in the proposed site,
the compatibility of the DP during construction and operation is considered
to be fair. As result of the fair compatibility and
small scale nature of the development in the view and the future integration
with the FLN NDA, the overall magnitude of change is considered to be small
in construction and negligible in operation. The magnitude of change, therefore, is
considered to be small during construction and negligible in operation. |
|||||||||||||
Y |
FVP25 |
Residential Block, Wah Sum Estate |
District |
DP7 (Fanling North Flushing Water Service Reservoir) |
Partial |
515 |
Medium |
Poor |
Poor |
Temporary [Medium] |
Permanent |
Reversible |
Irreversible |
Intermediate |
Intermediate |
|
|
VP would experience views towards the
construction works associated with the FLN Flushing Water Service
Reservoir. This would involve major
earthwork operations to form the level platform for the reservoir area and
permanent removal of the natural hillside, replacing it with slopes and level
area of a highly engineered and un-natural appearance. Due to the scale of operations the
construction works are likely to be highly visible together with the
construction movements to handle the large amounts of cut material taken from
the hillside. Given the removal of natural landscape and
replacement with engineered forms in this view, the compatibility of the
works are considered to be poor in construction and operation. As a result of the medium scale of change
that will occur in the view and openness of the local landscape towards this
point, the magnitude of change in construction and operation is considered to
be intermediate. Overall the magnitude of change is
predicted to be intermediate during construction and operation. |
Based on the sensitivity assessment of VSRs as described in Section 12C.12 and the magnitude of change they might experience described in Section 12C.13 the potential significance of the unmitigated visual impacts from DPs during the construction and operation are provided in Table 12C.14.1 using the matrix given in the methodology, and taking into account site visits to the area.
Residual impact significance is also determined in this section, considering the mitigation measures described in full in Section 12C.9.
Photomontages demonstrating the potential visual impact of the proposed project before and after mitigation from certain VPs are illustrated on Figure 12.55.8a to 20b.
Table 12C14.1 - Significance of visual impacts for DP 7, 11 and 13
VSR Code |
Name |
VSR Category (Strategic/ District/ Local) |
VSR Type |
VSR Sensitivity (High/ Medium/ Low) |
Magnitude of Change (Large/ Intermediate/ Small/ Negligible) |
Impact Significance BEFORE Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/ Slight/
Insignificant) |
Recommended Mitigation Measures |
Residual Impact Significance UPON Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/
Slight/ Insignificant) |
|||||
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation
Day 1 |
Operation
Year 10 |
|||||
KVP10 (K5b north) |
Southern Knoll of Fung Kong Shan |
District |
Recreational (& some Residential &
Occupational) |
Medium |
Intermediate |
Intermediate |
Moderate/
Substantial |
Moderate/
Substantial |
1,
2, 4, 6, 11, 16 |
2,
9, 11, 12, 17 |
Moderate/
substantial |
Moderate |
Slight |
VSR Code (Code for other NDA) |
Name |
VSR Category (Strategic/ District/ Local) |
VSR Type |
VSR Sensitivity (High/ Medium/ Low) |
Magnitude of Change (Large/ Intermediate/ Small/ Negligible) |
Impact Significance BEFORE Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/ Slight/
Insignificant) |
Recommended Mitigation Measures |
Residual Impact Significance UPON Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/
Slight/ Insignificant) |
|||||
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation |
Construction |
Operation Day 1 |
Operation Year 10 |
|||||
FVP
4 |
Corner
of San Wan Road and San Po Street |
Local |
Pedestrian,
travelling |
Low |
Intermediate |
Small |
Moderate |
Slight |
2, 4, 11, 16, 17 |
2, 4, 11, 16, 17 |
Slight |
Slight |
Insignificant |
FVP5 |
Chuk
Wan Street adjacent Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works. |
Local |
Pedestrian,
travelling |
Low |
Intermediate |
Intermediate |
Slight |
Slight |
2, 4, 11, 16, 17 |
2, 9, 10, 11, 17 |
Slight |
Slight |
Insignificant |
FVP6a |
Highpoint
above Fu Tei Au Tsuen, facing south |
District |
Recreational |
Medium |
Large |
Large |
Moderate |
Moderate |
2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 17 |
2, 9, 10 11, 12,
M17 |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Slight |
FVP7 |
Jockey Club Road, adjacent Ha Pak Tsuen. |
Local |
Pedestrian, travelling |
Low |
Negligible |
Negligible |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
2, 4, 11, 16, 17 |
2, 9, 11, 12, 14,
17 |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FVP8 |
Access
road adjacent Ng Tung River, west of Wa Shan |
Local |
Recreational |
Medium |
Small |
Small |
Slight/ Moderate |
Slight |
2, 4, 11, 16, 17 |
2, 9, 11, 17 |
Slight |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FVP11 |
Sitting
out area adjacent road bridge over Ng Tung River. |
Local |
Recreational,
travelling |
Medium |
Small |
Negligible |
Slight/ Moderate |
Insignificant |
2, 4, 11, 16, 17 |
2, 9, 11, 12, 14,
17 |
Slight |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FVP12 |
Lung
Sum Avenue adjacent Woodland Crest Estate. |
Local |
Pedestrian,
residential and travelling |
High |
Small |
Negligible |
Moderate |
Insignificant |
2, 4, 6, 11, 16, 17 |
2, 9, 10, 11, 12,
17 |
Slight |
Insignificant |
Insignificant |
FVP25 |
Residential Block, Wah Sum Estate |
District |
Residential |
High |
Intermediate |
Intermediate |
Moderate/ Substantial |
Moderate/ Substantial |
1, 2, 4, 11, 16, 17 |
2, 9, 11, 12, 17 |
Moderate/ Substantial |
Moderate |
Slight |
12C.15.1
Landscape
Character Areas
In terms of residual impact on LCAs, moderate
adverse impacts, prior to mitigation, are predicted during the construction and
operational stages for KCLA1 and FLCA 1 – Hillside Landscape within KTN and
FLN, generated as a result of the reservoir developments within the natural
landscape of these high sensitivity LCAs. The proposed mitigation measures,
including minimisation of topographical change, compensatory planting within
the DP boundary and slope landscaping of the new cut slopes, will assist in
reducing the initial scale of the impact. The site does allow potential to
plant areas within the site, such as on the proposed cut slopes above the
reservoir and greening measure such as green roofing type treatments to the
reservoir cover so that planting can be re-established insitu. In this case it is considered that post
mitigation; moderate adverse impacts would remain during construction reducing
to insignificant after 10 years of operation.
This follows establishment of landscape planting measures including
compensatory planting, tree protection and preservation on the fringes of the
DPs, tree transplantation and green roofing.
The remaining LCAs will all experience slight or insignificant impact at the construction and operational stages. This is as a result of the construction works being largely within industrial areas where the impacts to the resource would be limited due to the existing poor condition and low sensitivity. This principally relates to DP7 and 11 works at SWHSTW.
Only a very small area (approximately 400m2) of Hillside Woodland at Lung Shan and Wa Mei Shan (FLR-6.4) would be affected by the FLN Flushing Water Reservoir works. Moderate adverse impacts prior to mitigation are predicted, these would be generated by the high sensitivity of the resource and requirement for felling to reconfigure the existing road access. Measures to protect and preserve trees, as well as transplant and actively compensate them with woodland plantation, will reduce this impact. Since this LR is on hillside, measures to reinstate/ landscape any slopes that are affected will also help mitigate impacts. The impact level is considered to reduce to slight at construction and operation day 1, and become insignificant by year 10 when the compensatory woodland planting will have matured to its full potential.
Substantial adverse impacts during construction and operation prior to mitigation are predicted in relation to FLR-8.4 Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic at Lung Shan and FLR-8.5 Shrubland/Grassland Mosaic in Tai Shek Mo and the Western Ranges Foothills. This is as a result of construction works for the KTN and FLN Flushing Water Reservoirs despite the relatively small construction footprint. Considerable site formation works would be required comprising cut/ fill slopes of up to 62m and 38m respectively at a maximum 40 degree gradient. Detailed engineering design of the reservoirs is not finalised however, measures to minimise changes to natural terrain, reduce land take and reduce overall earth movements should be integrated within the works. Retaining walls should also be considered as well as cut slopes where this would allow reduced landform changes. Engineered slopes should integrate tree/shrub planting across the face to help screen and visually integrate these features with the surrounding landscape. The engineered landform should be carefully detailed so that these slopes can tie into existing natural contours beyond the works area. Landscaping of the reservoir roofs will also help to mitigate the impact to the shrubland/ grassland (no trees will be planted on the roof itself) by creating a green vegetated area rather than hardscape surface. Planting of climbers to grow up vertical surfaces where appropriate would also soften any wall structures and break up uniform surfaces. By implementing all these measures as well as taking care to landscape any slopes that are formed and implement protection, preservation, transplantation and compensatory planting for trees, the impact is considered to reduce to moderate at operation day 1. With soft landscaping maturing and conferring greater mitigation by year 10 of operation, the impact is considered to be slight.
It is considered that all the remaining impacts to LRs could be mitigated to slight or insignificant at the construction stage through mitigation works.
12C.15.3
Visual
Impact
In summary, the visual impact assessment determined that VSRs in the vicinity of FVP25 Residential Block, Wah Sum Estate would experience moderate/ substantial adverse visual impacts as a result of the construction of the FLN FWSR (DP7). These impacts would result from the loss of natural hillside terrain through the large scale earthwork operations required to form the level area required for the reservoir platform and upper slope stabilisation. In operation day 1 this is considered to reduce to moderate as the scale of the construction footprint will reduce and visual mitigation measure such as screen planting will have been implemented. Measures such as screen planting around the perimeter of the facility, on engineered slopes and green roof treatment across the reservoir itself will assist greatly in breaking up the appearance of the DP within its landscape setting. Whilst these mitigation measures can assist in reducing the adverse operational visual impacts, it is unlikely they could ever fully mitigate the intrusion of engineered forms (reservoir and slopes) into a natural landscape setting. It is predicted that at year 10, once visual mitigation measures have fully established and reached a sufficient level of maturity that the residual impact significance could be reduced to slight. This takes into account the extent and high visibility of infrastructure corridors (MTRC East Rail and Fanling Highway) within the valley floor. These features are considered large scale visual detractors; when the reservoir is seen in the context of these features, it is considered the overall visual impact of the DP would be less severe.
Prior to visual
mitigation works, VSRs in the vicinity of KVP10 (K5b north) Southern Knoll of
Fung Kong Shan are predicted to experience moderate / substantial adverse
impacts due to the construction and operation of the KTN FWSR (DP7). As in the case of the FLN FWSR,
the principal source of the impact is derived from the major earthworks
operations to form the platform for the reservoir and the visibility of
stabilisation works to the upper slope faces, all set within a large area of
natural landscape. Due
to the visual openness of the receiving landscape, as
a result of low level shrubland ground cover, the
construction works are likely to be highly visible from a wide
area. Following application of mitigation
measures including screen planting around the perimeter of the facility, on
engineered slopes and green roof treatment across the reservoir it is
considered by operation (day 1) these visual impacts will reduce to a moderate
level as construction movements, open ground and slope cutting works will have
ceased and overall works area reduced.
At this stage, visual mitigation measures will not have achieved a level
of maturity that would fully assist with the visual integration of the
development into the receiving landscape.
It is predicted the residual impact significance at year 10 of operation
would reduce to slight following mitigation works reaching a sufficient level
of maturity. This assessment takes into
account the future visibility of road development forming part of DP4,
residential and potential activity centre development forming part of the KTN
NDA which would be seen in front of the reservoir within the lower valley. In this case these new developments would
provide an urban context to the DP which would lessen the impact severity of
the reservoir from the VSR.
Moderate adverse impacts during construction
have been predicted for FVP4
Corner of San Wan Road and San Po Street, FVP6a Highpoint
above Fu Tei Au Tsuen, facing south and FVP12 Lung Sum Avenue adjacent Woodland
Crest. In relation to FVP4, the moderate adverse
impacts predicted at the construction stage prior to mitigation relate to DP11,
construction works of the SWHSTW would be visible, whilst it is considered that
the visual impact will reduce to slight at operation as the type of view
experience would not have large change given the established development of the
SWHSTW in this view. By implementing
screen planting, vertical greening and green roof, the residual impact is considered
to be insignificant at operation.
In the case of VSRs in the vicinity of FVP6a,
the impacts are generated by the construction stage of the SWHSTW upgrading and
extension works (DP11) and TSE at SWHSTW (DP7).
These impacts are generated by the combination of the construction
footprint of these adjoining sites together with the likely visually intrusive
scale of the construction operations (demolition and plant assembly). As these new large scale structures will be visually
associated with the existing STW, slaughter house facilities, engineered
channel of the Ng Tung River and wider urban and industrial setting, increasing
the overall footprint of industrial form in the local landscape, the level of
impact is considered to remain at a moderate adverse level during construction
and operation day 1 post mitigation. Ultimately
once screen planting, vertical greening and green roof measures have been
implemented and planting has established then the level of impact at operation
year 10 would reduce to slight.
In relation to FVP12, the moderate adverse
impacts predicted at the construction stage prior to mitigation relate to DP13
SPS opposite Sacred Hill and respond to the high sensitivity of residential
VSRs in the vicinity. Given the small
scale nature of the DP, it is considered these impacts can be reduced to slight
during the construction mainly through screening measures, green roofing and
vertical greening combined with good site practices (screen hoarding and light
control). The site has been previously
disturbed through levelling works and sits within a wider visual setting of the
channelized Ng Tung River; in the future developments forming part of the FLN
NDA will also be seen within the view. In
this case, also taking into consideration the low height and footprint of the
DP, the level of impact would drop to insignificant during the operation stages
post mitigation. The impacts in relation
to FVP11 Sitting out area adjacent to road bridge over Ng Tung River relate to
the same DP and impact mitigation corresponds to the same influences and
outcome.
It is considered that all remaining VSRs could be mitigated to slight and insignificant at the construction stage through mitigation works.
12C.15.4
Cumulative
impacts
Cumulative impacts are assessed for concurrent developments together with the wider NDA projects as follows.
12C.15.5
FLN
& KTN NDA
The assessment of impacts in relation to LRs and LCAs in this section has considered the construction of the schedule 2 DPs in isolation so that it is possible to identify and quantify their specific influences and contributions to potential landscape and visual impacts within the wider NDA projects. In general the construction footprint of the schedule 2 DPs are significantly smaller than the schedule 3 components and the associated impacts on LRs and LCAs are also far smaller. When considered together the impact of the schedule 2 projects would not alter the outcome of the Schedule 3 assessment as this has taken into the account the same LRs/LCAs within broadly the same study area. It is only on the periphery of the urban area where the schedule 2 DPs potentially exert additional impact on LRs and LCAs beyond the construction footprint of the Schedule 3 works such as both KTN and FLN Flushing Water Service Reservoirs. In both cases the assessment has identified that these works cannot be fully mitigated through direct landscape mitigation compensation and the principal method of dealing with their presence would be through visual mitigation.
In the case of the FLN FWSR, the cumulative impact of the DP would not change the current assessment as the FLN NDA is remote from the associated works area.
In relation to KTN FWSR, this would be seen in the context of the far larger proposed KTN fresh water service reservoir which would be located to the east of the DP on the same hillside. In this case the overall cumulative impact is likely to become more severe (from slight to moderate) in the operational stage year 10 scenario due to the large extent of the hillside that will be affected.
In terms of visual impact, the DP13 SPS structures will be integrated directly within or around the FLN NDA therefore in operation, they will be seen in the context of the new urban development of which they will form a very small component. In this case there would be no change in the impact assessment.
12C.15.6
Agreement
No. CE42/2006(TP) Planning Study on Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Cross-boundary
Control Point and its Associated Connecting Roads in Hong Kong – Feasibility
Study.
A new Boundary Control Point (BCP) is proposed to be constructed at Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai together with its connecting roads and other associated works. These works involve a tunnel portal which will appear on the same hillside, approximately 500m further to the south together with associated road infrastructure (on viaducts) which connect to the Fanling Highway. There will be a significant intrusion of new road into the open valley landscape in the vicinity of the reservoir which will have a far greater operational footprint. In this case, this case there may be a marginal increase in the cumulative impact from high sensitivity VSRs with a view of this area. However, the visual impact mitigation measures associated with the reservoir would ultimately assist the development to become more recessive into the landscape setting through greening, becoming less associated with the wider highway infrastructure works which are a more dominant visual detractor.
12C.15.7
Agreement
No. CE53/2008(CE) Planning and Engineering Study on Development of Lok Ma Chau
Loop - Investigation
The LMC Loop eastern connection road lies within the study
area of KTN NDA; this will link to DP 4 (KTN NDA Road D1 to D5) distributor
road south of Ma Tso Lung. This project
is remote from the DPs within this assessment; there would be no cumulative
impacts.
12C.15.8
Widening
of Tolo Highway/ Fanling Highway between Island House Interchange and Fanling
(Stage 2)
This project falls on the outer visual setting of the FLN FWSR, where is may form part of the view from existing sensitive VSRs. In this case, as the works are well contained within the highway corridor, it is unlikely to affect the assessment. In terms of landscape impacts, there are also not affected.
12C.15.9
Construction
of cycle tracks and the associated supporting facilities from Sha Po Tsuen to
Shek Sheung River.
This project is remote from the DPs within this assessment; there would be no cumulative impacts.
12C.15.10 Site Formation and Associated Infrastructural
Works for Development of Columbarium, Crematorium and Related Facilities at
Sandy Ridge Cemetery.
The Sandy Ridge site is located to the north of the two NDA sites, to the east of the NG Tung River and adjacent to Lo Wu MTR station at the border with Shenzhen. This project is remote from these DPs and there would be no cumulative impact.
12C.15.11 Overall Conclusion
It is considered that work in relation to the SWHSTW comprising DPs 7 and 11 (including the expansion, upgrading and adjacent utilisation of TSE) and the proposed SPS in FLN NDA (DP13) would generally be acceptable within the receiving landscape both in term of landscape and visual impact. Through the application of mitigation measures, principally compensatory planting (for screening and replacement trees) and sensitive detailed design of the future developments, the majority of impacts during the construction stage can be controlled to slight or insignificant levels. In operation these impacts can all be mitigated to insignificant or slight levels at an early stage when landscape planting has matured, providing effective screening and compensation for loss of landscape resources incurred at the construction stage.
In this case, tree screening mitigation measures combined with landscape treatments to engineered slopes can assist in reducing the visual impact of the reservoir developments to slight adverse impacts at operational stage year 10. It is considered that, providing full implementation of the recommended mitigation measure that visually these developments would be acceptable within the landscape setting.
On review of the likely residual impacts and possibility to reduce all to slight or insignificant level by operational year 10, it is considered that DPs 7, 11 and 13 would be acceptable in terms of landscape and visual impacts.