This Section
presents the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) for the construction
and operation of the Proposed Beach Development at Lung Mei.
In accordance with the EIAO Guidance Note No. 8/2002, the main
components of the LVIA are as follows:
·
Description of
the Project;
· Review of the
planning and development control framework;
· Tree survey
results;
· Baseline study
of landscape character and landscape resources of the Study Area;
· Landscape impact
assessment during construction and operation of the Project;
·
Visual impact
assessment during construction and operation of the Project;
· Assessment of
night lighting and glare; and
·
Recommendations
for landscape
and
visual mitigation measures for both the construction and operation phases;
·
Assessment of
the residual impacts and conclusion on the acceptability of the Project.
Generally,
the Proposed Beach Development will comprise of the following elements:
·
Modifications to
Ting Kok Road;
· A new car park
to provide 113 fee-paying parking spaces for 100 private cars, 10 motorcycles
and 3 coaches, 2 coach loading/unloading bays and 2 passenger car/taxi unloading
bays;
·
Drainage
diversion works for an existing box culvert and downstream of Lo Tsz River;
· Male change room
facilities approximately 39m x 11.8m x 5.95m()
high;
·
Female/ Family
change room facilities approximately 37.5m x 9.4m x 5.95m()
high;
·
Management
building containing, staff room, boat storage and related infrastructure 38m x
12m x 10.3m()
tall;
· 2 rubble mound groynes 1 x 120m and 1 x 100m in length to contain the new beach;
· 2 x 6m tall look
out towers (a maximum of 3 towers may be required subject to detailed design),
and;
· New beach 200m
in length.
During the EIA process the scale of the development
has been reviewed to reduce the potential landscape and visual impacts. In
particular, the Management
Building has been
substantially reduced from 18m to 10.3m tall. It should be noted that the
average building height of 10.3m of the Management Building
is the minimum requirement for effective operation including the accommodation
of water tanks, and staff office with panoramic view of the whole beach on
upper level. As confirmed by
Architectural Services Department, there is no scope to further reduce the
building height.
The
layout of the Proposed Beach Development is illustrated in
Figure 10.1.
The LVIA was undertaken in accordance with the
guidelines and requirements stipulated in Annexes
10 and 18 of the EIAO-TM under the EIAO (Cap.499, S16),
entitled “Criteria for Evaluating Visual and Landscape Impact” and “Guidelines
for Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment”, respectively and the EIAO Guidance Note
No. 8/2002 “Preparation of Landscape
and Visual Impact Assessment Under the Environmental Impact Assessment
Ordinance.” The landscape assessment considers the potential impacts of the
Project on the existing landscape and particularly on the landscape resources
within 100m of the Project Site.
The visual assessment analyses the potential visual
impacts of the Proposed Beach Development on the existing views and the visual
amenity, particularly from the Visually Sensitive Receivers (VSR) within the
viewshed (sometimes referred to as the Zone of Visual Influence (ZVI). This report will use the term
“viewshed”. In order to illustrate the
visual impacts of the development, photomontages prepared from selected
viewpoints compare the existing conditions with the view after commissioning. The residual impacts are evaluated qualitatively,
in accordance with the requirements of Annex 10 of the EIAO-TM.
10.4.1 Planning
The
Proposed Beach Development is situated in an area covered by the draft Ting Kok
Outline Zoning Plan S/NE-TK13. Figure 10.2
shows the OZP layout for Hong Kong. The Project Site itself is located in the area
designated as Open Space. The Planning Intention of this Zone is:
‘This zone is intended primarily for the provision of
out-door open air public space for active and/or passive recreational uses
serving the needs of local residents as well as the general public.’
The Proposed Beach Development is generally in accordance
with the Planning Intention of this zone. The Proposed Beach Development will
complement the existing BBQ areas, the restaurants, and the recreational hire
facilities including the boat hire and bicycle facilities.
Lung
Mei is a popular destination for locals and residents of greater Hong Kong and
the addition of this Proposed Beach Development will enhance this areas
existing and planned uses.
A
tree survey of the Proposed Beach Development was undertaken. A total of a
maximum of 157 trees were identified.
10.5.1 Methodology
Topographical surveys, including identification of
the location of the trees, were undertaken by CEDD in late 2005. The tree survey was undertaken within the
Project Site in accordance with Clause 6.2.14 of the Brief (or Section 3.4.7.4 of EIA Study Brief No.
ESB-138/2006), the guideline from Works Branch Technical Circular No. 3/2006,
No. 55/2002, No. 2/2004, LAO Practice Note No. 6/2000 and 8/2002.
The most commonly occurring tree species include Albizia
lebbeck, Celtis sinensis, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Leucaena leucocephala, and
Macaranga tanarius.
Colour photographs of each of the identified tree
species are presented in Appendix H1. The tree species (botanical name)
and general conditions of the trees are identified and evaluated and are
presented in Appendix H2.
Appendix H3 shows the location of the
trees, relative to the Project Site.
Those trees in conflict with the development will be
removed. The exact numbers of trees to be removed, retained and transplanted
will be described in the Tree Felling Application at a later stage of the
Proposed Beach Development. However, the
preliminary estimates of the numbers of trees to be affected are:
1.
38 trees recommended for retaining
2.
82 trees recommended for felling of which
a.
29 trees recommended for felling(non-invasive trees)
b.
49 trees recommended for felling(invasive trees)
c.
4 dead trees
3.
37 trees recommended for transplanting
A Landscape Plan will be submitted before the
commencement of Works.
In accordance with Annex 18 of the EIAO-TM,
the landscape impact assessment will cover the following:
· Describe the baseline landscape within 100m of the Project
Site and the works area of the enabling works along the access routes.
· Describe the Landscape Character Areas (LCAs) and Landscape
Resources (LRs) including describing edges as different LRs.
·
Map the distribution of the LCAs and LRs.
·
Propose a qualitative and quantitative assessment of
significant thresholds which reflect the magnitude of change and sensitivity to
change of a particular LCAs and LRs.
· Analyse the landscape impacts during construction, impact
after development, and off-site landscape impacts. This section analyses the extent to which
these landscape units and edges are changed, using both quantitative and
qualitative assessments.
· Examine landscape measures that will contribute to reducing
any landscape impacts or will enhance the landscape associated with the
Proposed Beach Development. This may
include planting, new landscaped areas and re-vegetation. The residual landscape impacts are also
analysed.
· Provide conclusions on the impacts of the Project.
10.6.1 Baseline Landscape Conditions
As specified by the EIA Study Brief, the area for the
Landscape Impact Assessment covers the area within 100m of the Proposed Beach
Development. The landscape baseline study examines the potential impacts on the
Project Site and surrounding areas in terms of both the LCAs and the LRs.
The LCAs and LRs of the Study Area have been
categorised according to the presence of common elements. These include factors such as:
·
Topography;
· Vegetation type
(both species and age);
·
Built forms;
· Evidence on
human modifications;
· Land use (past
and present); and
· Edges.
10.6.2 General Landscape Description
The baseline landscape character of the greater area
of Lung Mei is dominated by the coastline to the south and the vegetated hill
slopes further to the north. The low-rise residential village houses and
restaurants are the dominant signs of human activity. The area also has a
relaxed atmosphere with a focus on recreation created by the BBQ areas,
restaurants, and the bicycle and boat hire facilities.
The topography is
generally flat falling down to the sea edge. The Proposed Beach Development is
also secluded as a result of the small peninsula at Tei Mei Tuk and the hills
to the north in the Pat
Sin Leng
Country Park.
10.6.3 Landscape
Sensitivity
An understanding of the sensitivity to change of the
LCAs and LRs is important when analysing the overall landscape impact of the
Proposed Beach Development upon the LCAs and LRs.
Factors affecting the
sensitivity of change for evaluation of landscape are:
·
Quality of LCAs
and LRs;
·
Importance and
rarity of special landscape elements;
· Ability of the
landscape to accommodate change;
· Significance of
the change in the local and regional context, and;
· Maturity of the
landscape.
The degree of sensitivity
of the LCAs and LRs is classified as follows:
i) High
– eg;. important components or landscape of particularly distinctive character
susceptible to small changes;
ii) Medium
– eg; a landscape of moderately valued characteristics reasonably tolerant to
change; and
iii) Low
– eg; a relatively unimportant landscape which is able to accommodate extensive
change.
The following section
describes each of the LCAs and LRs within the Study Area.
10.6.4 Landscape Character Areas (LCAs)
Description
of Landscape Character Areas
The Landscape Character Map of Hong Kong identifies
three different Landscape Character Types within the Study Area.
·
Inter-tidal
Coast Landscape;
·
Inshore
Waters Landscape; and;
·
Rural Coastal Plain Landscape.
In order to gain a
greater insight into the site itself, three Landscape Character Areas have been
adopted.
The locations of the
Landscape Character Areas are illustrated in
Figure 10.6 and are
described in more detail below.
LCA1
Foreshore Landscape (Refer to
Figure 10.3)
This LCA is characterised by muddy tidal flats gently
rising to scrubby sparsely vegetated dune areas and it is generally natural in
appearance. The area is not commonly found in this region of Hong
Kong and does not have a high ability to accommodate change due to
its relatively natural appearance. It also is generally of high landscape
quality. This LCA is considered to have a high
sensitivity to change.
LCA2
Inshore Waters Landscape (Refer to
Figure
10.4)
The
LCA is commonly found in the surrounding region and is characterised by
generally calm waters with passing marine vessels. There are a number of nearby
surrounding islands and shores that gives this marine environment an intimate
atmosphere. The shorelines range from sandy beaches in the western part of the
Study Area to man made retaining walls where the sea meets Ting Kok Road. This LCA is generally
significant in the local regional context and is a feature of Tai Po. It has a
moderate ability to accommodate change.
This LCA is considered to have a medium sensitivity to change.
LCA3
Coastal Rural/Suburban Landscape (Refer to
Figure
10.5)
This LCA is characterised by man
made elements such as roads with three storey village houses and restaurants.
It also includes Ting Kok Road.
This LCA can accommodate change, is common in the surrounding region and is a
relatively immature landscape. This LCA is considered to have a medium
sensitivity to change.
10.6.5 Landscape Resources
(LRs)
Seven
LRs have been identified. The location of these LRs is shown in Figure 10.16
LR 1 Shrubland
LR 2 Trees/Backshore Vegetation
LR 3 Water
LR 4 River
LR5 Sand/Rocky Beach
LR6 Road
LR7 Village/Developed Area
LR1
Shrubland (Refer to
Figure 10.9)
A
small patch of shrubland was identified to the north of the villages. This LR shows signs of occasional disturbance
by hill fire and human activities. Invasive plants such as Mikania micrantha,
Ageratum conyzoides and Dicranopteris linearis were
recorded in the open area of the shrubland. Shrubland patches found on the hill slopes
are generally with 0.5 to 1.5m in height.
A total of 26 plant species, which are common to shrubland habitat in Hong Kong, were recorded.
The shrublands were dominated by several small shrub species, including Baeckea frutescens,
Bridelia
tomentosa, Macaranga tanarius,
Lantana
camara and Microcos paniculata. This LR is relatively immature and is
commonly found in the surrounding region. The sensitivity of this LR is
considered to be medium.
LR2 Trees/Backshore Vegetation
(Refer to
Figure 10.10)
There are a number of trees and vegetation located
to the south of Ting Kok road between the road and the beach area. The tree and shrub species
including Limonium sinense, Sesuvium portulacastrum and Zoysia sinica were found. The
area further to the south west contains some scattered mangrove species and
other vegetation including Thespesia populnea, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Kandelia
obovata, Excoecaria agallocha, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Aegiceras
corniculatum ranging from the height of 0.3m to 4m. This LR is not
uncommon in the region, and is relatively immature. It does however, have a low
ability to accommodate change. The sensitivity of the Trees/Backshore
Vegetation is considered to be medium.
LR3 Water (Refer to Figure 10.11)
The
water area is comprised of the sea to the south of the beach. This LR is very
commonly found within the region and it has a high ability to
accommodate change. The sensitivity of the water area is considered to be low.
LR4 River
(Refer to
Figure 10.12)
A section of the Lo Tze
Tin River is located within the study area.
The river runs from the village areas of Lo Tze Tin to the ocean. The river is partially channelised and there
are signs of pollution from the nearby village development. Drainage of sewage
and litter were recorded in the river section along the village area. The vegetation present is dominated by weed
species. The river has limited water flows during dry season with higher water
flow occurs in wet season. The river is general of low quality. The sensitivity of the river is considered
to be low.
LR5
Sandy/Rocky Beach (Refer to
Figure 10.13)
Sandy/Rocky Beach exists
from Ting Kok to Tai Mei Tuk. This
location is a popular visitor destination; this LR is relatively uncommon in
this region and has a high landscape value. The sensitivity of the Sandy/Rocky
Beach is considered to be high.
LR6 Road (Refer to
Figure 10.14)
The
road area is comprised by Ting Kok
Road that dissects the study area in an east-west
direction. The road has single lane in each direction and typical associated
infrastructure such as lighting, signage etc. This LR can easily accommodate
change, is very common and has no regional significance. The sensitivity of the Road is considered to be low.
LR7
Village/Developed Area (Refer to
Figure
10.15)
Several local villages
including Lung Mei Tsuen, Tai Mei Tuk Tsuen, Ng Uk Tsuen, Lo Tsz Tin Tsuen and
Ting Kok Tsuen are located in the surrounding areas. The village/developed areas
are highly developed and dominated by blocks of village houses, concrete paths,
landscaped areas and fenced off abandoned lands occupied by weeds and
construction materials. A total of 46
landscape and weed plants were recorded in these areas and all of them are
commonly found in Hong Kong. The village/developed area was dominated by landscape
plants including Acacia confusa, Delonix regia, Gossampinus
malabarica, Michelia alba and Hibiscus tiliaceus, with weed plants such as Leucaena leucocephala, Mikania
micrantha, Pueraria lobata Wedelia chinensis dominant in the
open areas and abandoned lands. This LR is relatively common in the
region and can accommodate change, and is generally of low landscape quality.
The sensitivity of the Village/Developed area is considered to be low.
Table 10.1 below shows the areas of
each of the LRs and LCAs within the Study Area.
Table 10.1:
The Distribution of LRs
|
LCA/LR
|
Area (hectare)/ Length (km)
Within Study Area
|
|
Foreshore
Landscape |
3.6ha |
|
Inshore
Waters |
16.4ha |
|
Coastal
Rural/Suburban Landscape |
6.9ha |
|
Shrubland
|
0.06ha |
|
Trees/Backshore
Vegetation |
1.23ha |
|
Water
|
16.39ha |
|
River
|
0.09ha |
|
Sandy/Rocky
Beach |
0.83ha |
|
Road
|
1.37ha |
|
Village/Developed
Area |
6.94ha |
10.6.6 Landscape Impacts During Construction
The two key factors that affect the evaluation of LCA
and LR impacts are the magnitude of change and the sensitivity of the landscape
areas/resources. The sensitivity to
change for each of the LCAs and LRs has been described above and the factors
affecting the magnitude of change are outlined below.
Factors affecting the magnitude of change for
assessing landscape impacts are:
·
Compatibility of
the Proposed Beach Development with the surrounding landscape, ie how well will
it fit with its surrounds;
· Scale of the
development, ie how big is the development relative to its surroundings, and;
· Reversibility of
change. ie to how easily the changes to
the landscape can be reversed.
The magnitude of
change is classified as follows:
· Large – notable
change in the landscape characteristics over an extensive area ranging to very
intensive change over a more limited area;
· Intermediate –
moderate changes to a local area;
· Small – changes
to specific landscape components; and
· Negligible – no
substantial changes to the baseline condition.
The landscape impact is a product of the magnitude of
change the Proposed Beach Development will have and the sensitivity of the LR. Table
10.2 shows the significance threshold of the LR impacts.
Table 10.2: Significance Threshold of Potential
Landscape
Resource Impact
Table 10.3 provides some definitions
of the significance thresholds for LR and LCA impacts.
Table 10.3 Adverse / Beneficial Impact of Landscape
Impact
|
Level of
Impacts (Negative / Beneficial/ Neither)
|
|
Significant:
|
Moderate:
|
Slight:
|
Negligible
|
|
Adverse
/ beneficial impact where the Project would cause significant degradation or
improvement in existing landscape baseline conditions
|
Adverse
/ beneficial impact where the Project would cause noticeable degradation or
improvement in existing landscape baseline conditions
|
Adverse
/beneficial impact where the Project would cause a barely noticeable
degradation or improvement in existing landscape conditions or where the
changes brought about by the Project would not be apparent in visual terms
|
The
Project does not affect the existing landscape baseline conditions
|
Figures 10.7
and 10.8 show the impacts on the LCAs.
Figures 10.17
and 10.18 shows the impacts of the Proposed Beach Development on the
LRs
10.6.7
Unmitigated Landscape
Impacts During Construction
Table 10.4 shows the impact of the
Project on each of the LRs and LCAs and the overall impact based on the
preceding Landscape Impact Assessment Matrix.
Table 10.4: Unmitigated Landscape Impact Significance
Threshold Matrix
|
LR/LCA
|
Area / Length
|
Area Affected by Proposed
Development
|
% of Area / Length Affected
|
Sensitivity to Change
|
Magnitude of Change
|
Significance Threshold of
Landscape Impact
|
|
Foreshore Landscape
|
3.6ha
|
1.21ha
|
34%
|
High
|
Large
|
Significant
|
|
Inshore Waters
|
16.4ha
|
5.73ha
|
35%
|
Medium
|
Intermediate
|
Moderate
|
|
Coastal Rural/Suburban Landscape
|
6.9ha
|
0.44ha
|
6%
|
Medium
|
Small
|
Slight
|
|
Shrubland
|
0.06ha
|
Nil
|
0%
|
Medium
|
Negligible
|
Negligible
|
|
Trees/Backshore Vegetation
|
1.23ha
|
0.62ha
|
50%
|
Medium
|
Large
|
Significant
|
|
Water
|
16.39ha
|
5.74ha
|
35%
|
Low
|
Intermediate
|
Moderate
|
|
River
|
0.09ha
|
0.01ha
|
11%
|
Low
|
Small
|
Slight
|
|
Sandy/Rocky Beach
|
0.83ha
|
0.61ha
|
73%
|
High
|
Large
|
Significant
|
|
Road
|
1.37ha
|
0.05ha
|
4%
|
Low
|
Small
|
Slight
|
|
Village/Developed Area
|
6.94ha
|
0.32ha
|
5%
|
Low
|
Small
|
Slight
|
10.6.8 Summary of Un-mitigated Impacts on Landscape
Character Areas During Construction
LCA1 Foreshore Landscape
This
LCA is relatively uncommon in the surrounding region and it is generally
natural in appearance. It therefore has a high sensitivity to change. The
project will potentially affect approximately 34% of the LCA which is
considered to be a large magnitude of change within the study area. The
significance threshold for this LCA is considered to be significant.
LCA2 Inshore Waters
Landscape
The LCA is commonly found in the surrounding region is
generally significant in the local regional context and has a moderate ability
to accommodate change. This LCA is
considered to have a medium sensitivity to change. The project will
potentially affect approximately 35% of the LCA which, given the abundance of
this LCA in the region is considered to be an intermediate magnitude of change
within the study area. The significance threshold for this LCA is considered to
be moderate.
LCA3 Coastal/Rural
Suburban Landscape
This
LCA can accommodate change, is common in the surrounding region and is a
relatively immature landscape and has a medium
sensitivity to change. There will be small magnitude of change resulting in a slight/moderate significance threshold.
Due the ability of this LCA to accommodate change and its abundance in the
region, the overall significance threshold is considered to be slight.
10.6.9 Summary of Un-mitigated Impacts on Landscape
Resources During Construction
LR1 Shrubland
The Shrubland LR has medium sensitivity, however
due to its distance from the project site, there will be no impacts on this LR.
The significance threshold is therefore negligible.
LR2 Trees/Backshore
Vegetation
This LR is considered to have a moderate
sensitivity to change mainly due to the immature nature of many of the
plantings and the low number of native trees found within this LR.
Approximately 50% of this LR will be affected by the project, resulting in a significant
impact according to Table 10.4. However, as this LR is relatively
uncommon, the significance threshold is considered to be significant.
LR3 Water
Whilst this LR has a high quality but is also very
common in the region. The 35% removal of the water by reclamation within the
study area is considered to be an intermediate magnitude of change. The
resulting significance threshold for this LR is therefore moderate.
LR4 River
The generally low landscape quality of the river
and its ability to accommodate change result in a low sensitivity to change.
There is also a small magnitude of change on this LR. The
resulting significance threshold for this LR is therefore slight.
LR5 Sandy/Rocky Beach
The Sandy/Rocky Beach is uncommon in the
surrounding area and has a high landscape value. Approximately 73% of the LR
will be affected by the project will creating a large magnitude of change. This
may result in a significance threshold that is significant.
LR6 Road
The
road area has a high ability to accommodate change, and is common in the
surrounding region. There will also be a small magnitude of change due to the
construction of the carpark entry and modifications to the kerb and channel.
The significance threshold for this LR is slight.
LR7 Village/Developed
Area
The Village Developed
Area is relatively common, can accommodate change and has a low landscape
value. The area to be affected is a small area or bare ground that will be
replaced with the new carpark. Only 4% of this LR will be affected by the
project, resulting in a small magnitude of change. The resulting significance
threshold for this LR is slight.
10.6.10 Landscape Mitigation
The landscape mitigation measures proposed will be
implemented progressively throughout the construction of the Proposed Beach
Development.
The
following mitigation measures are proposed to reduce the potential impacts on
the existing LRs and LCAs as illustrated in Figures
10.19.
LMM
1 – Cultivation of areas impacted during construction. Areas impacted during the construction phase
that are not required during the operation phase, are to be cultivated to a
depth of 300mm in accordance with accepted Hong Kong
practice and guidelines. The cultivation shall involve ripping of compacted
soil by mechanical means and the addition gypsum and/or organic fertiliser if
required.
LMM
2 – Car Park Tree Planting. Advanced trees are to be planted to provide shade to the
carpark areas and to reduce the mass of the paved areas.
LMM
3 – Tree and Shrub Planting. All planting of
trees and shrubs is to be carried out in accordance with the relevant best
practice guidelines. Plant densities are
to be provided in future detailed design documents and are to be selected so as
to achieve a finished landscape that matches the surrounding, undisturbed, equivalent
landscape types. This mitigation measure
will require establishment maintenance which will be the responsibility of the
Project Proponent.
LMM 4 – Roof Terrace Planting. Trees, shrubs and climbers shall be
established in planters on the roof terraces of the new structures where
possible to soften the built elements.
LMM 5 – Natural Rock Groynes.
New rock groynes are needed to contain the sand of the new beach. Natural
stones will be used for construction of the groynes so that this new man-made
feature will be more compatible with the surroundings.
LMM 6 –
Inter-Tidal Re-generation. It
is likely that a build up of sediment and sand will occur at the outer edges of
the rock groyne. This is a natural process and the development proponent has no
control over the implementation of this mitigation measure.
LMM 7 – Mangrove Re-generation.
Mangroves of similar species to existing to be manually established by planting
of droppings.
LMM
8 – Buffer Planting. Trees and shrubs are to be
planted along Ting Kok Road to screen the development from the nearby
Village/Developed Areas.
LMM 9 – Early
Planting Works Where technically feasible, new plantings are to be
installed during the construction works to reduce landscape impacts.
LMM 10 – Tree Protection/Transplantation.
Where
technically feasible, existing trees in the Trees/Backshore Vegetation LR are
to be retained. Those trees that cannot be retained that are of value are to be
transplanted.
Table 10.5 describes the predicted
un-mitigated and mitigated impacts on the landscape resources and landscape
character areas of the project area in construction phase. Table
10.6 shows the predicted un-mitigated and mitigated impacts on day 1 of
operation and year 10 of operation.
Table 10.5: Mitigated Landscape Impacts
|
|
Un-mitigated Construction impacts
|
|
Mitigated Construction Impacts
|
|
Construction Impact threshold
|
Adverse/ Beneficial/Neither
|
Recommended Construction Mitigation Measures
|
Construction Impact threshold following mitigation
|
Adverse/ Beneficial/Neither |
|
Foreshore Landscape |
Significant |
Adverse |
1, 9, 10 |
Moderate
|
Adverse
|
|
Inshore Waters |
Moderate |
Adverse |
Nil (1) |
Moderate |
Adverse |
|
Coastal Rural/Suburban Landscape
|
Slight |
Adverse |
1, 9, 10 |
Slight |
Adverse |
|
Shrubland |
Negligible |
Neither |
Nil |
Negligible |
Neither |
|
Trees/Backshore Vegetation
|
Significant |
Adverse |
1, 9, 10 |
Moderate |
Adverse |
|
Water |
Moderate
|
Adverse |
Nil (1) |
Moderate |
Adverse |
|
River |
Slight |
Adverse |
1,9 |
Negligible |
Neither |
|
Sandy/Rocky Beach |
Significant
|
Adverse |
Nil (1) |
Significant
|
Adverse |
|
Road |
Slight
|
Adverse |
1, 9, 10 |
Negligible
|
Neither |
|
Village/Developed Area
|
Slight
|
Adverse |
1, 9, 10 |
Negligible
|
Neither |
Note 1: There will not be
any
available mitigation measure for inshore waters landscape, water, and the
sandy/rocky beach during construction.
Table 10.6: Un-Miti gated and Mitigated Operation Landscape Impacts
|
|
Un-Mitigated Impacts
|
|
Mitigated Impacts
|
|
Operation
|
Adverse/ Beneficial/Neither
|
Recommended Mitigation
|
Operation Day 1
|
Operation Year 10
|
Adverse/ Beneficial/Neither
|
|
Foreshore
Landscape |
Significant |
Adverse
|
2, 3-8
|
Significant
|
Moderate
|
Neither |
|
Inshore
Waters |
Moderate
|
Neither
|
5-6 |
Moderate
|
Slight
|
Neither
|
|
Coastal
Rural/Suburban Landscape |
Slight
|
Adverse
|
2,4,8
|
Slight
|
Negligible
|
Neither
|
|
Shrubland
|
Negligible
|
Neither
|
Nil |
Negligible
|
Negligible
|
Neither
|
|
Trees/Backshore
Vegetation |
Significant
|
Adverse
|
2-4,7-8
|
Significant
|
Moderate
|
Adverse
|
|
Water
|
Moderate (2)
|
Adverse
|
Nil |
Moderate (2)
|
Moderate
(2)
|
Adverse
|
|
River
|
Slight
|
Adverse
|
3,7 |
Slight
|
Negligible
|
Neither
|
|
Sandy/Rocky
Beach |
Significant
|
Adverse
|
5,6 |
Significant |
Moderate
|
Adverse
|
|
Road
|
Slight |
Adverse
|
2-3,8
|
Slight
|
Negligible
|
Neither
|
|
Village/Developed
Area |
Slight |
Adverse
|
2,8 |
Slight
|
Negligible
|
Neither
|
Note 2: Although the impacts assessed for LR3 (water)
during operation are moderate and there are no available mitigation measures
for the loss of this LR within the study boundary, the overall impacts in a
regional context, which are not reflected in this table, are considered
slight.
10.6.11 Effectiveness of Landscape Character Areas and
Landscape Resource Mitigation Measures
The proposed mitigation measures will effectively help to
reduce the impacts on the LCAs and LRs to an acceptable level.
10.6.12 New Landscape Character Areas
Figure 10.8 shows that as a result
of the project, two new Landscape Character Areas will be created. LCA4,
Recreational Beach Landscape will be characterised by the new bathing beach and
rock groynes. LCA5 Coastal Urban Recreational Landscape will be characterised
by the new car park, buildings, and the new bathing beach. The creation of the
2 New LCAs is the direct results of the project. The mitigation measures
proposed in Table 10.6 and Figure 10.19 will alleviate the
potential impacts on existing landscape character of the area. As the new
Landscape Character areas mature the impacts on them will become less
noticeable.
10.6.13 New
Landscape Resources
The
construction and operation of the project will create a new Landscape Resource.
LR8 Sandy Beach will comprise the new sand area for bathing and the rock
groynes at either end. The creation of the 2 New LRs is the direct results of
the project. The mitigation measures proposed in Table 10.6 and
Figure 10.19 will
alleviate the potential impacts on existing landscape resources of the area. As
the new Landscape Resource areas mature the impacts on them will become less
noticeable.
10.6.14
Summary of Residual
Impacts on the Landscape During Construction
The construction period for the
project is expected to be approximately 2 years long. During this period it is
not possible to mitigate all of the potential impacts, however, the Cultivation
of Areas Compacted During Construction, Early Planting Works and
Transplantation of valuable trees will all help to reduce these impacts.
10.6.15
Summary of Residual
Impacts on Landscape Character Areas During Operation
LCA1 Foreshore Landscape
The un-mitigated
significance threshold for this LCA was considered to be significant. With the implementation of the Landscape Mitigation
Measures described in Table 10.5,
particularly the Car-Park Planting and Tree and Shrub Planting, these impacts
will reduce having a residual significance threshold of moderate after year 10 of implementation.
LCA2 Inshore Waters
Landscape
The un-mitigated significance threshold for this LCA was considered to
be moderate. However, this is somewhat
reduced due to the relative abundance of this LCA in the surrounding region and
its moderate ability to accommodate change. With the implementation of the
Landscape Mitigation Measures described in Table
10.5, including the Natural Rock Groynes and Inter-tidal Regeneration,
these impacts will reduce having a residual significance threshold of slight after year 10 of implementation.
LCA3 Coastal
Rural/Suburban Landscape
Due
the ability of this LCA to accommodate change and its abundance in the region,
the overall un-mitigated significance threshold was considered to be slight. With the implementation of the
Landscape Mitigation Measures described in Table
10.5, including Car Park, Buffer and Roof Top plantings, these impacts will
reduce having a residual significance threshold of negligible after year 10 of implementation.
10.6.16
Summary of Residual Impacts on Landscape Resources during
Operation
LR1 Shrubland
The
un-mitigated significance threshold for this LR was considered Negligible. Consequently,
no mitigation is proposed for this LR. The resulting residual significance threshold will
remain negligible.
LR2 Trees/Backshore Vegetation
The
un-mitigated significance threshold was considered to be significant. However
with the
implementation of the Landscape Mitigation Measures described in Table 10.5, particularly the Car Park,
Buffer and Roof Top plantings, these impacts will reduce having a residual
significance threshold of moderate
after year 10 of implementation.
LR3 Water
Due to the beach development,
part of the sea will be reclaimed and it may appear that portion of LR3 will be
lost. There were no available mitigation measures for the loss of water and the
impact significance threshold for this LR with and without mitigation measure
during operation was considered moderate.
However, the loss of water is relatively small in a regional/ global context.
Therefore, the overall residual impact of this LR is considered to be slight.
LR4 River
The
un-mitigated significance threshold for this LR was considered slight. Following
the
implementation of the Landscape Mitigation Measures described in Table 10.5, including tree and Shrub
Planting and Mangrove Regeneration, these impacts will reduce having a residual
significance threshold of negligible after
year 10 of implementation.
LR5 Sandy/Rocky Beach
The
un-mitigated significance threshold for this LR was considered significant. Following
the creation
of the new LR8 ‘Sandy Beach’ and the implementation of the Landscape Mitigation
Measures described in Table 10.5,
particularly the use of a Natural Rock Groyne and the Inter-tidal Regeneration,
these impacts will be reduced. The residual significance threshold of this LR
after year 10 of implementation will be moderate.
LR6 Road
The
un-mitigated significance threshold for this LR was considered slight. Following the implementation of the
Landscape Mitigation Measures described in Table
10.5, including Tree and Car Park Planting, Tree and Shrub Planting and
Buffer Planting will reduce the impact on this LR resulting in a residual
significance threshold of negligible after
year 10 of implementation.
LR7 Village/Developed Area
The
un-mitigated significance threshold for this LR was considered slight. Following the implementation of the
Landscape Mitigation Measures described in Table
10.5, including Tree and Car Park Planting, Tree and Shrub Planting and
Buffer Planting will reduce the impact on this LR resulting in a residual
significance threshold of negligible after
year 10 of implementation.
10.7.1 Introduction
The following tasks were undertaken in the visual
impact assessment.
Define the viewshed that would be potentially impacted by
the Project and map the areas of visual impact.
This
task describes the viewshed of the Proposed Beach Development, which was
developed based on both the planning guidelines and the parameters of human
vision. Geographical Information System
(GIS) software was then utilised to determine areas that could potentially see
the development. This GIS viewshed
analysis was based solely on topography and did not take into account the
screening potential of vegetation, which would further reduce the actual
viewshed. The GIS viewshed analysis also
mapped the visibility of the development from roads and houses.
Discuss
atmospheric conditions
This task discusses the
mitigating effects of weather, particularly sea haze and rainfall.
Assess indicative
viewpoints as a means of assessing the visual impact on the broader landscape
This
task describes a number of Visually Sensitive Receiver (VSR) viewpoints around
the development, which have been selected as indicative of the range of views
from accessible locations within the viewshed.
Photomontages have been prepared to show the existing landscape and the
landscape with the development at the key VSRs.
Discuss visual mitigation
measures
This
task examines measures (if required) that will reduce any potential visual
impacts. This may include planting and
recommendations for material and finishes.
These measures will also help improve the overall amenity of the
Project. Residual impacts are also
discussed.
Assess
night lighting and glare impacts
This
task examines the potential glare and night lighting impacts associated with
the Proposed Beach Development.
10.7.2 Viewshed
Determination and Areas of Potential Visual Impact
The
baseline for a visual impact assessment is an understanding of the existing
visual qualities within the region that can be visually affected by a
development. This area is referred to as
the viewshed.
Defining an appropriate viewshed is
the starting point to understanding the visual impacts of a development as the
area of the viewshed will vary depending on the nature and scale of the
proposed development. The larger a
development the greater the viewshed as it may be visually apparent for a
greater distance. Once the viewshed is
established, locations can be identified within the viewshed that are either
particularly sensitive or indicative of the visual impact for a number of locations. In some circumstances, viewpoints may be
identified beyond the viewshed to recognise the visual impact on locations of
particularly high sensitivity.
The
Management Building is the major visual element of
the Proposed Beach Development and may visually impact on the surrounding
landscape. As the viewer moves further
away from the Management
Building the visual
impact decreases until it is no longer visible.
However, before the point of non-visibility is reached, the Management Building has reduced in scale such that
it no longer has a significant visual impact on the landscape. In most landscapes, especially those which
have some degree of human intervention, the limit of the viewshed is defined as
that point at which the Management
Building would have an
insignificant effect on the view.
10.7.3 Types of Viewshed
In
recognising that the viewshed is not the limit of visibility, but rather the
extent to which the development would have an insignificant visual impact on
the landscape, then the extent of a viewshed differs in the context of
different landscapes.
A
viewshed in a man-modified landscape is different to a viewshed in a pristine
landscape or landscapes where there are no apparent signs of human
influence. This is because in landscapes
that appear ‘natural’ or pristine, a man made element such as a Management Building, can visually influence the
landscape for as long as a viewer can discern that newly introduced
element. A man made element in a
pristine landscape irrevocably changes a pristine landscape from natural to man
modified. Therefore, viewsheds in
pristine areas are extended to the limit of human visibility.
However
in man modified landscapes, in which there are many other existing built forms
or modifications to the landscape, the viewshed extends to that distance at
which the Management Building becomes a minor element in the landscape to all
but the most sensitive of viewers. The
structure may still be visible beyond this viewshed, however it is considered
that beyond this viewshed the visual impact will be insignificant.
10.7.4 Viewshed Determination
The
visual impact of a development can be quantified by reference to the degree of
influence on a person’s field of vision.
Figures 10.21 and 10.22
illustrate the typical parameters
of human vision and are based on anthropometric data (). This data provides a basis for assessing and interpreting the impact of a development by
comparing the extent to which the development would intrude into the central
field of vision (both horizontally and vertically).
Horizontal
Cone of View
The central field of
vision for most people covers an angle of between 50° and 60°. Within this angle, both eyes observe an
object simultaneously. This creates a
central field of greater magnitude than that possible by each eye
separately. This central field of vision
is termed the 'binocular field' and within this field images are sharp, depth
perception occurs and colour discrimination is possible. These physical parameters are illustrated in
on
Figure 10.21.
The
visual impact of a development will vary according to the proportion in which a
development impacts on the central field of vision. Developments, which take up less that 5% of
the central binocular field, are usually insignificant in most landscapes (5%
of 50° = 2.5°).
In
assessing the visual impact of the Proposed Beach Development structures it is
assumed that the largest horizontal component is the Management Building
and the Female/Family change room which in total is approximately 75.5m wide.
Table 10.7: Visual Impact Based on the Horizontal Field of
View
|
Horizontal Field of
View
|
Impact
|
Distance from an Observer to 75.5m Wide Building
|
|
<2.5° of view
|
Insignificant
The development will take up less
than 5% of the central field of view.
The development, unless particularly conspicuous against the
background, will not intrude significantly into the view. The extent of the vertical angle will also
affect the visual impact.
|
>1.7km
|
|
2.5° – 30° of view
|
Potentially
noticeable
The
development may be noticeable and its degree of visual intrusion will depend
greatly on its ability to blend in with its surroundings.
|
140m-1.7km
|
|
>30° of view
|
Potentially visually dominant
Developments that fill more than
50% of the central field of vision will always be noticed and only
sympathetic treatments will mitigate visual effects.
|
<140m
|
An
assessment of the visual impact based on the horizontal field of view is
provided in Table 10.7. These calculations suggest that the impact of a
75.5m wide building would reduce to insignificance at about 1.7km, as it would
form less than 5% or 2.5° of the horizontal field of view.
Vertical
Field of View
A
similar analysis can be undertaken based upon the vertical line of sight for
human vision. As can be seen in the
Figure
10.22 the typical line of sight is considered horizontal or 0 °. A person’s natural or normal line of sight is
normally a 10 ° cone of view below the horizontal and, if sitting,
approximately 15 °.
Objects,
which take up 5% of this cone of view (5% of 10 ° = 0.5 °)
would only take up a small proportion of the vertical field of view, and are
only visible when one focuses on them directly.
Objects that take up such a small proportion of the vertical view cone
are not dominant, nor do they create a significant change to the existing
environment when such short objects are placed within a disturbed or
man-modified landscape.
Table
10.8 shows
the relationship between impact and the proportion that the development
occupies within the vertical line of sight.
Table 10.8 Visual Impact Based on Vertical Field of View
|
Vertical Line
of Sight
|
Impact
|
Distance from an Observer to a 12m high building
|
|
< 0.5° of vertical angle
|
Insignificant
A thin line in the landscape.
|
>1.3km
|
|
0.5° – 2.5° of vertical angle
|
Potentially noticeable
The degree of visual intrusion will depend on the development’s
ability to blend in with the surroundings.
|
275m-1.3km
|
|
> 2.5° of vertical angle
|
Visually evident
Usually visible,
however the degree of visual intrusion will depend of the width of the
object and its placement within the landscape.
|
<275m
|
These
calculations suggest distances at which the magnitude of visual impact of the Management Building will reduce with distance. At distances greater than 1.3km, a fully visible
Management Building would be an insignificant
element within the landscape.
These
calculations seem closer to the observed distances at which levels of impact
seem to change. It is stressed that
these ranges will only provide a guide for the visual impact assessment.
An
apparent discrepancy will occur when analysing horizontal and vertical
parameters separately. Generally, the
more conservative figures form the basis for the assessment. In this example it is proposed to extend the
viewshed to 1.7km, although it could be argued that a lesser extent would also
be valid.
For
the Proposed Beach Development it is proposed that the distances described in Table
10.9 are used for the viewshed analysis.
Table 10.9 Viewshed and Degrees of Visual Influence
|
Impact
|
Distance from an Observer to the Management Building
|
|
Insignificant
A thin line in the
landscape, both horizontally and vertically.
|
>1.7km
|
|
Potentially
noticeable
The degree of visual intrusion
will depend on the development’s ability to blend in with the surroundings.
|
275m-1.7km
|
|
Visually
evident
Usually visible, however the degree of visual intrusion
will depend on the degree to which the development will blend into the
landscape.
|
<275m
|
10.7.5 Areas of Potential Visual Impact
A GIS viewshed analysis can determine those areas that can
potentially be visually impacted by the Proposed Beach Development. Such analysis is based on topography only,
and shows those areas that would be screened by intervening hills etc. It does not account intervening vegetation or
buildings, nor does it take into account small variations in topography, such
as road cuttings. Therefore it is a
conservative assessment of those areas that may be potentially able to view the
Proposed Beach Development structures.
Figure
10.23
shows the areas that can potentially view the Proposed Beach Development.
10.7.6 Atmospheric Factors Which Will Affect
Visual Impact
Many
climatic conditions result in changes to visibility. For example, sea haze, rainfall and other
atmospheric conditions will alter the visibility of the Proposed Beach
Development. The diminution of visual clarity bought about by atmospheric
conditions increases with distance.
Sea Haze
Sea haze is a climatic
condition along coastlines that can reduce visibility even on days when the
weather is fine. Wind which blows across
the ocean or other atmospheric conditions can cause a sea haze, limiting views
to the development from surrounding areas.
However
sea haze is unlikely to have much impact on the visibility of the development
when viewed from close proximity, say less than 1.5km. When the same features are viewed from
greater distances within the viewshed the effect of sea haze will greatly
reduce visibility and any potential visual impact.
Cloud Cover
Cloudy days can also
reduce the visibility of a development.
During site inspections of a similar facility it was apparent that a
backdrop of grey cloud reduced the visual impact. Full cloud cover also reduced the apparent
contrast on elements that extend above the landscape backdrop and as these
elements were neither strongly shadowed nor reflective.
Figure 10.24 shows that in Hong Kong, for much of the year the percentage of cloud
cover exceeds 50%.
Rainfall
The effect that rainfall
has on visibility can be measured in two ways.
Firstly the event of falling rain reduces visibility as the water
droplets obscure vision. This varies
greatly depending on the heaviness of the precipitation, but even light rain
obscures distant objects greatly. Secondly, the event of rain, particularly
sustained rain periods, reduces visitor numbers. Therefore, the visual impact is reduced on
those days as lesser viewers are visiting the area and looking at the development.
Figure 10.24 also shows
that during the wetter months, particularly from May through September, Hong Kong receives on average approximately 10mm of rain
per day. These rain events reduce
visibility.
Assessment
Scenarios
Whilst the above Section 10.7.6 describes some of the
climatic conditions that reduce the visibility of the Proposed Beach
Development, the following assessment is based on a worst case impact scenario
on visual quality and character assuming perfectly clear viewing
conditions. Mitigation measures are
proposed to reduce these impacts.
10.7.7 Baseline Visual Character
The
general baseline visual character of the development site is dominated by the
Hills of Pat Sin Leng Country Park to the north and the waters of Plover Cove
to the south. The village
of Lung Mei is nestled on
the sloping lands between the hills and the sea. The developed areas are all
three storey low rise, typical of villages in Hong Kong,
and the presence of the BBQ’s, boat hire facilities and restaurants all exude
an atmosphere of recreation.
Visually
Sensitive Receivers
To determine the likely VSRs, a
desktop assessment and detailed site assessment were carried out. The most sensitive VSRs were then identified
and to encompass the likely range of potentially affected VSRs. These include VSRs in the following areas:
·
Residents;
including Lung Mei, and Lo Tsz Tin
· Visitors;
including the BBQ areas and restaurants
· Visitors on
Marine vessels; these include visitors on passing ferries as well as recreation
visitors to the area.
VSR
Assessment
The following factors have been considered in the
visual impact assessment.
VSR Sensitivity
The first set of criteria relate to the sensitivity of the
VSRs. They include:
·
Value and
quality of existing views;
· Availability
and amenity of alternative views;
· Type and
estimated number of receiver population;
· Viewer
numbers;
· Duration
of frequency of view; and
· Degree of
visibility.
The views available to the
identified VSRs were rated in accordance with their sensitivity to change using
high, medium or low and are defined as follows:
·High
i. The nature of the viewer groups who expect a high degree of
control over their immediate environment; and
ii. The viewer groups are in close proximity to the Proposed
Beach Development.
·Medium
iii.
The nature of the viewer groups who expect a medium degree
of control over their immediate environment; or
iv. The nature of the viewer groups who have some degree of
control over their immediate environment, eg; people in transit.
·Low
v.
The nature of the viewer groups does not expect a high degree
of control over their immediate environment.
It should be noted that the above provided are a guide only,
and each VSR regardless of type is assessed according to its specific
circumstances.
Magnitude
of Change
This set of criteria is related to
the specific details of the proposal and how it relates to the existing
landscape and the visible magnitude of change it will cause. The criteria to be assessed are:
· Compatibility
of the Proposed Beach Development with the surrounding landscape;
·
Scale of
the development;
· Reversibility
of change;
· Viewing
distance;
· Potential
blockage of view; and
· Duration
of impact under construction and operation phases.
The magnitude of change to a view
was rated as large, intermediate, small or negligible and are defined as
follows:
· Large: eg
major change in view;
· Intermediate:
eg moderate change in view;
· Small: eg
minor change in view, and;
· Negligible:
eg no discernible change in view.
The degree of visual impact or significance threshold was
rated in a similar fashion to the landscape impact, ie significant, moderate,
slight and negligible. Therefore, the visual impact is a product of the
magnitude of change to the existing baseline conditions, the landscape context
and the sensitivities of VSRs. The
significance threshold of visual impact was rated for the construction phase
and for Day 1 and Year 10 of the operation phase.
Photomontage
Preparation
The visual impact assessments were also partly based on
photomontages, which showed the view with and without the Proposed Beach
Development.
Photographs that form the base of the photomontages are
taken with a 70mm Nikon lens on a 35mm film single lens reflex camera. A 70mm lens has a picture angle of 34.34° and
a horizontal angle of view of 28.84° ([5]).
When two photographs taken with a 70mm lens are overlapped approximately
1/3, the resultant image has a picture angle of approximately 50°, which is
very similar to the central cone of view of human vision.
Figure 10.25 above shows two photographs overlapped 1/3 to create
an Image approximately the same as the central cone of view of human vision.
The central field of human vision is approximately 50° -
60°. Two photographs taken with a 70mm
lens with approximately 1/3 overlap best show this static view.
10.7.8 Visual Impact Assessment from Visually
Sensitive Receivers (VSR)
Figure 10.26 shows the indicative viewpoints from publicly
accessible locations, which have been selected for analysis. The viewpoints have been selected to
represent the range of views from accessible locations.
VSR1 – View from Tai Mei Tuk BBQ
The location of this VSR is shown in
Figure 10.27 and
this VSR represents passive and active recreational users. This location is
approximately 380m from the closest rubble mound groyne and the largest of the
Proposed Beach Development structures is 540m from the site. This location
experiences varying visitor numbers, from low during mid-week winter periods,
to high to during summer holidays. Users of recreational marine vessels will
also experience a similar view.
The photomontage shown in
Figure
10.28 shows that from this viewpoint, the Proposed Beach Development will
be visually prominent.
Table
10.10: Sensitivity / Quality of VSR
Value and quality of view
|
High
|
|
Visitor numbers
|
Medium
|
|
Availability and amenity of
alternative views
|
Medium
|
|
Duration and frequency of views to
development
|
High
|
|
Degree of visibility of
Development
|
High
|
|
Sensitivity/Quality of VSR
|
High
|
Table 10.11:
Magnitude of Change of VSR
|
Items
|
Construction
|
Operation
|
|
Compatibility
with surrounding landscape
|
Low
|
Low
|
|
Viewing
distance to Development
|
380m
|
380m
|
|
Potential
blockage of view
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
Duration
of impacts
|
2 years
|
Indefinite
|
|
Scale of
development
|
Large
|
Large
|
|
Reversibility
of change
|
Irreversible
|
Irreversible
|
|
Magnitude
of change
|
Large
|
Large
|
Table
10.12: Significance Threshold during
Construction
|
|
Sensitivity
/ Quality
|
Beneficial
|
|
Low
|
Medium
|
High
|
|
Magnitude of Change
|
Large
|
Moderate
Impact
|
Moderate
- significant impact
|
Significant impact
|
Neither beneficial nor
adverse
|
|
Intermediate
|
Slight –
Moderate impact
|
Moderate
Impact
|
Moderate-significant
impact
|
|
Small
|
Slight
impact
|
Slight –
Moderate impact
|
Moderate
impact
|
Adverse
|
|
Negligible
|
Negligible
impact
|
Negligible
impact
|
Negligible
impact
|
Table 10.13:
Significance Threshold during
Operation
|
|
Sensitivity / Quality
|
Beneficial
|
|
Low
|
Medium
|
High
|
|
Magnitude of Change
|
Large
|
Moderate Impact
|
Moderate - significant impact
|
Significant impact
|
Neither beneficial nor adverse
|
|
Intermediate
|
Slight – Moderate impact
|
Moderate Impact
|
Moderate-significant impact
|
|
Small
|
Slight impact
|
Slight – Moderate impact
|
Moderate impact
|
Adverse
|
|
Negligible
|
Negligible impact
|
Negligible impact
|
Negligible impact
|
Table 10.10 shows that this VSR has
a High sensitivity to change. Table 10.11 shows that the
magnitude of change of view of VSR 1 will be Large during both of the
construction and operation phases. Table
10.12 therefore indicates that the visual impact on VSR 1 in the
construction phase is significant.
However, this impact will only be experienced for a short period, i.e. 2
years construction period. Further, with
the adoption of site hoardings, which will be in comparable colour to match
with the surroundings, during the construction phase, it is considered that the
impact could be reduced to moderate/significant. The proposed beach development, due to its
large development scale on visually prominent waterfront, would have
significant visual impact when viewed from VSR 1 (Table 10.13 refers). With
the adoption of appropriate architectural design features and screen planting
(refer to Section 10.7.9 for
details), the visual impact is considered to be moderate/significant at the
Operation Day 1. The maturity of the
plantings at later stage would further help to soften and break down the bulk
of the beach buildings. The visual impact would be reduced to moderate (Figure 10.28 refers) at Operation Year
10.
VSR2 – View from Lung Mei Residents
This VSR represents a worst
case-scenario of viewers in the nearby residential areas of Lung Mei as well as
road users and visitors to the restaurants. Figure 10.29 shows that the
development is only 75m from this viewpoint, although the largest structure is
approximately 165m away.
The
photomontage shown in Figure 10.30 illustrates that the Proposed Beach
Development will dominate the view from this viewpoint. This represents a
worst-case scenario for these VSRs.
Table
10.14: Sensitivity / Quality of VSR
at Lung Mei
Value and
quality of view
|
High
|
|
Visitor
numbers
|
Moderate
|
|
Availability
and amenity of alternative views
|
Moderate
|
|
Duration
and frequency of views to development
|
High
|
|
Degree of
visibility of Development
|
High
|
|
Sensitivity/Quality
of VSR
|
High
|
Table
10.15: Magnitude of Change
|
Items
|
Construction
|
Operation
|
|
Compatibility
with surrounding landscape
|
Low
|
Low
|
|
Viewing
distance to Development
|
75m
|
75m
|
|
Potential
blockage of view
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
Duration
of impacts
|
2 years
|
Indefinite
|
|
Scale of
development
|
Large
|
Large
|
|
Reversibility
of change
|
Irreversible
|
Irreversible
|
|
Magnitude
of change
|
Large
|
Large
|
Table
10.16: Significance Threshold during
Construction
|
|
Sensitivity
/ Quality
|
Beneficial
|
|
Low
|
Medium
|
High
|
|
Magnitude of Change
|
Large
|
Moderate
Impact
|
Moderate
- significant impact
|
Significant impact
|
Neither beneficial nor
adverse
|
|
Intermediate
|
Slight –
Moderate impact
|
Moderate
Impact
|
Moderate-significant
impact
|
|
Small
|
Slight
impact
|
Slight –
Moderate impact
|
Moderate
impact
|
Adverse
|
|
Negligible
|
Negligible
impact
|
Negligible
impact
|
Negligible
impact
|
During the construction phase, site
hoardings will be erected along Ting
Kok Road and they will be visible from this VSR.
Table
10.17: Significance Threshold during
Operation
|
|
Sensitivity / Quality
|
Beneficial
|
|
Low
|
Medium
|
High
|
|
Magnitude of Change
|
Large
|
Moderate Impact
|
Moderate - significant impact
|
Significant impact
|
Neither beneficial nor adverse
|
|
Intermediate
|
Slight – Moderate impact
|
Moderate Impact
|
Moderate-significant impact
|
|
Small
|
Slight impact
|
Slight – Moderate impact
|
Moderate impact
|
Adverse
|
|
Negligible
|
Negligible impact
|
Negligible impact
|
Negligible impact
|
Table 10.14 shows this VSR has a High sensitivity to change and Table 10.15 shows that the magnitude of
change of view of VSR 2 will be Large in both construction and operation
phases. Table 10.16 indicates that the visual impact on VSR 2 in the
construction phase is significant.
However, this impact will only be experienced for a short period, i.e. 2
years construction period. Further, with
the adoption of site hoardings, which will be in comparable colour to match
with the surroundings, during the construction phase, it is considered that the
impact could be reduced to moderate/significant. The proposed beach
development, upon completion, will affect waterfront views for some of the
residents of Lung Mei. Due to the
closeness of the site and the blocking of the sea views, the visual impact on
VSR 2 is considered significant in the operation phase (Table 10.17 refers). With
the adoption of screen plantings on the road side to screen off the concrete
beach development, the visual impact could be reduced to
moderate/significant in the Operation Day 1 and further reduced to moderate in
Operation Year 10 (Figure 10.30
refers).
VSR3 – View
from BBQ’s west of site
Figure 10.31 shows this VSR is located
approximately 200m from the development with the largest visible structure
being 275m away. The visitors to this area are all recreational users.
The
photomontage in Figure 10.32 shows that the development will be
prominent from this viewpoint.
Table 10.18: Sensitivity / Quality of VSR
Value and quality of view
|
High
|
|
Visitor numbers
|
Low
|
|
Availability and amenity of
alternative views
|
Moderate
|
|
Duration and frequency of views to
development
|
High
|
|
Degree of visibility of
Development
|
High
|
|
Sensitivity/Quality of VSR
|
Medium
|
Table 10.19: Magnitude of Change
|
Items
|
Construction
|
Operation
|
|
Compatibility
with surrounding landscape
|
High
|
High
|
|
Viewing
distance to Development
|
200m
|
200m
|
|
Potential
blockage of view
|
Low
|
Low
|
|
Duration
of impacts
|
2 years
|
Indefinite
|
|
Scale of
development
|
Large
|
Large
|
|
Reversibility
of change
|
Irreversible
|
Irreversible
|
|
Magnitude
of change
|
Large
|
Large
|
Table
10.20: Significance Threshold
during Construction
|
|
Sensitivity
/ Quality
|
Beneficial
|
|
Low
|
Medium
|
High
|
|
Magnitude of Change
|
Large
|
Moderate
Impact
|
Moderate - significant impact
|
Significant
impact
|
Neither beneficial nor
adverse
|
|
Intermediate
|
Slight –
Moderate impact
|
Moderate
Impact
|
Moderate-significant
impact
|
|
Small
|
Slight
impact
|
Slight –
Moderate impact
|
Moderate
impact
|
Adverse
|
|
Negligible
|
Negligible
impact
|
Negligible
impact
|
Negligible
impact
|
Table 10.21: Significance
Threshold during Operation
|
|
Sensitivity / Quality
|
Beneficial
|
|
Low
|
Medium
|
High
|
|
Magnitude of Change
|
Large
|
Moderate Impact
|
Moderate - significant impact
|
Significant impact
|
Neither beneficial nor adverse
|
|
Intermediate
|
Slight – Moderate impact
|
Moderate Impact
|
Moderate-significant impact
|
|
Small
|
Slight impact
|
Slight – Moderate impact
|
Moderate impact
|
Adverse
|
|
Negligible
|
Negligible impact
|
Negligible impact
|
Negligible impact
|
Table 10.18 shows that this VSR has a Medium sensitivity
to change. Table 10.19 shows that the magnitude of change of view of VSR
3 will be Large in both construction and operation phases. Table 10.20 shows that the proposed beach development will result
in a moderate/significant visual impact during the construction phase. However, this impact will only be experienced
for a short period, i.e. 2 years construction period. Further, with the adoption of site hoardings,
which will be in comparable colour to match with the surroundings, during the
construction phase, it is considered that the impact could be reduced to
moderate. Upon completion, the proposed
beach development would have moderate/significant impact on VSR 3 (Table 10.21 refers). With the adoption of mitigation measures, it
is expected that the impact could be reduced to moderate in Operation Day 1 and
slight in Operation Year 10 (Figure 10.32
refers).
VSR 4 - View from Lo Tsz Tin
This VSR represents a worst
case-scenario of viewers in the nearby residential areas of Lo Tsz Tin Figure 10.33 shows that the development
is only 80 m from this viewpoint, although the largest structure is
approximately 140 m away.
The
photomontage shown in Figure 10.34 illustrates that the Proposed Beach
Development will dominate the view from this viewpoint. This represents a
worst-case scenario for these VSRs.
Table
10.22: Sensitivity / Quality of VSR
at Lung Mei
Value and
quality of view
|
High
|
|
Visitor
numbers
|
Moderate
|
|
Availability
and amenity of alternative views
|
Moderate
|
|
Duration
and frequency of views to development
|
High
|
|
Degree of
visibility of Development
|
High
|
|
Sensitivity/Quality
of VSR
|
High
|
Table 10.23: Magnitude
of Change
|
Items
|
Construction
|
Operation
|
|
Compatibility
with surrounding landscape
|
Low
|
Low
|
|
Viewing
distance to Development
|
75m
|
75m
|
|
Potential
blockage of view
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
|
Duration
of impacts
|
2 years
|
Indefinite
|
|
Scale of
development
|
Large
|
Large
|
|
Reversibility
of change
|
Irreversible
|
Irreversible
|
|
Magnitude
of change
|
Large
|
Large
|
Table
10.24: Significance Threshold during
Construction
|
|
Sensitivity
/ Quality
|
Beneficial
|
|
Low
|
Medium
|
High
|
|
Magnitude of Change
|
Large
|
Moderate
Impact
|
Moderate
- significant impact
|
Significant impact
|
Neither beneficial nor
adverse
|
|
Intermediate
|
Slight –
Moderate impact
|
Moderate
Impact
|
Moderate-significant
impact
|
|
Small
|
Slight
impact
|
Slight –
Moderate impact
|
Moderate
impact
|
Adverse
|
|
Negligible
|
Negligible
impact
|
Negligible
impact
|
Negligible
impact
|
During the construction phase, site
hoardings will be erected along Ting
Kok Road and they will be visible from this VSR.
Table
10.25: Significance Threshold during
Operation
|
|
Sensitivity / Quality
|
Beneficial
|
|
Low
|
Medium
|
High
|
|
Magnitude of Change
|
Large
|
Moderate Impact
|
Moderate - significant impact
|
Significant impact
|
Neither beneficial nor adverse
|
|
Intermediate
|
Slight – Moderate impact
|
Moderate Impact
|
Moderate-significant impact
|
|
Small
|
Slight impact
|
Slight – Moderate impact
|
Moderate impact
|
Adverse
|
|
Negligible
|
Negligible impact
|
Negligible impact
|
Negligible impact
|
Table 10.22 shows this VSR has a
high sensitivity to change and Table
10.23 shows that the magnitude of change of view of VSR 4 will be Large in
both construction and operation phases. Table 10.24 indicates that the proposed
beach development will have significant visual impact on VSR 4 in construction
stage. However, this impact will last
only for a short period, i.e. 2 years construction period. Further, with the adoption of site hoardings,
which will be designed in comparable colour to match with the surroundings, in
the construction stage, it is considered that the impact would be reduced to
moderate/significant. The proposed beach
development, upon completion, will change the existing views towards the
seaward side for the residents of Lo Tsz Tin.
Due to the closeness of the site and the large scale of the development,
the visual impact arising from the beach development on VSR 4 is considered
significant. However, with the adoption
of the mitigation measures including screen plantings and the provision of
green buffer, the impact could be reduced to moderate/significant in Operation
Day 1 and moderate in Operation Year 10.
10.7.9 Visual Mitigation Measures
The
analysis in Section 10.7.8 above has identified some visual impacts. The
following visual mitigation measures are proposed to enhance the views of the
development.
VMM 1
Design of Structures
The
structure shown in the photomontages are to illustrate the mass of the
structures only. During the design phase of the development, features such as
the location of doors, windows, eaves etc. will be detailed. All of these
elements will greatly improve the appearance of the structures. Where possible,
built structures will utilise appropriate designs to complement the surrounding
landscape. Some of the design elements
to be adopted for the Management
Building include:
1.
The roof level will be further reduced from +18.6mPD to
+17.05mPD after reviewing the water tank sizes and the landscape approach on
the roof top. Hence, the building height will be reduced from 12.1m to 10.3m;
2.
The solid parapet wall at the roof level will be constructed
to be visually transparent to reduce the mass of the façade adjacent to the
beach;
3.
The colour, finishes and the texture of the south facing
wall will be further detailed to reduce the bulk of the Management Building
and help integrate the building with the surrounding landscape;
4.
Planters and containing climbing plants will be proposed at
the roof level to cascade down the façade. Trees will also be planted in front
of the building to further integrate the building with the surrounding
landscape and reduce its visual impact.
Materials
and finishes will also be considered during detailed design. Moreover, layout plan, elevations and
sections of the preliminary design of the beach buildings are attached in Appendix I for reference.
VMM 2
Colours
Colours
for the structures can be used to complement the surrounding area. Lighter colours such as shades of light grey,
off-white and light brown may be utilised where technically feasible to reduce
the visibility of the structures.
VMM 3
Plantings
In
addition to the landscape mitigation plantings proposed in Section 10.6.9 of this report, appropriate new plantings will be
installed as appropriate to help integrate the new structures into the
surrounding landscape.
VMM 4
Colour of Site Hoardings
In
order to mitigate the visual impact of these temporary hoardings, it is
recommended that the hoardings be erected at a uniform height, with a uniform
colour that complements the existing surrounding landscape.
These
Visual Mitigation Measures are shown in Figure 10.19.
Table
10.26
shows how these mitigation measures will affect the significance thresholds of
the visual impacts on each of the VSRs.
Table 10.26: Mitigated
Visual Impacts
|
VSR
|
Un-Mitigated Visual Impact
|
Recommended Mitigation
|
Mitigated Impacts
|
|
Construction
|
Operation
|
Construction
|
Operation Day 1
|
Operation Year 10
|
|
1 Tai
Mei Tuk
|
Significant
|
Significant
|
VMM 1-4
|
Moderate/ Significant
|
Moderate/Significant
|
Moderate
|
|
2 Lung Mei Residents
|
Significant
|
Significant
|
VMM 1-4
|
Moderate/Significant
|
Moderate/Significant
|
Moderate
|
|
3 BBQ’s
West
|
Moderate /Significant
|
Moderate/Significant
|
VMM 1-4
|
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Slight
|
|
4 Lo
Tsz Tin
|
Significant
|
Significant
|
VMM 1-4
|
Moderate/Significant
|
Moderate/Significant
|
Moderate
|
10.7.10 Visual Impact Summary
Table 10.26 shows the un-mitigated
impacts and the residual mitigated impacts following the installation of the
recommended mitigation measures. The photomontages prepared for each of the
viewpoints also show the effectiveness of the mitigation measures in reducing
the impacts. For VSR 1 (Tai Mei Tuk), VSR 2 (Lung Mei Residents) and VSR 4 (Lo
Tsz Tin residents), the un-mitigated visual impacts in operation stage will be
significant. However, with the
implementation of the mitigation measures, the impact will be more acceptable
resulting in moderate/significant in Operation Day 1 and moderate in Operation
Year 10. For VSR 3 (BBQ Site - West of
the site), the visual impact will be moderate in Operation Day 1 and slight in
Operation Year 10. In sum, the proposed
beach development will inevitably change the existing waterfront view of the
area. However, there will be no
significant residual impacts for any VSRs.
With the adoption of the mitigation measures, the residual impact will
be reduced to a large extent and is considered acceptable.
10.7.11 Night Lighting and Glare
The above analysis examined the
visual impacts of the proposal during daylight hours. Detailed lighting plans and specifications
are not available at this preliminary design stage, however a preliminary
assessment can be made based on similar developments.
The
degree to which night lighting has an impact on the surrounding areas is
dependent on the following criteria:
· The spacings,
intensity and operation hours of the source lighting;
· The distance
between the source lighting and the VSR;
· The surrounding
ambient lighting conditions of the VSR; and
· The surrounding
lighting conditions of the source.
Source
Lighting
The lighting of the
Proposed Beach Development will generally comprise the following:
· Car park
lighting. This will be in the form of overhead pole lights to
illuminate the car park area. These fittings will be selected to minimise light
spill.
·
General access
lighting. These fittings will generally be in the form of bollards
and wall-mounted spotlights. These will provide safe access and operational
lighting conditions around the site.
Baffles will be fitted where possible to reducing upward light spill.
· Emergency
lighting. These lights will provide safe levels of illumination to
facilitate evacuations or repairs in emergency situations. The use of these lights will be infrequent.
· General
Ornamental Lighting. This lighting will generally be in the form of low
voltage ornamental spotlights, signage lights and spotlights.
Distances Between Source Lighting and the VSRs
Due to the
relatively close proximity of some of the proposed development, the source
lighting emitted from the Proposed Beach Development will be visible.
Surrounding Ambient Light of the VSR
Night lighting from the source is
more highly visible when one is observing in darkness. As the surrounding ambient light increases,
the visibility of distant objects reduces.
This includes viewers in restaurants, near streetlights, or inside
illuminated homes. Due to the
surrounding light sources, viewers looking towards the Proposed Beach
Development in darkness are expected to be low in number.
Surrounding Lighting Conditions of the Source
There is
substantial lighting in the areas surrounding the development. These include
the restaurants and residents in Lung Mei, the streetlights along Ting Kok Road and
particularly the car park at Tai Mei Tuk, which contains a number of light
fixtures.
Lighting Impact Summary
Whilst there will be an increase in
the lighting sources in the Lung Mei area resulting from the project, these
light emissions will generally be in accordance with the existing light sources
of the surrounding area. The night lighting and glare impacts are considered
acceptable.
Three Landscape Character
Areas (LCAs) were identified and the residual impacts on the LCA1 (Foreshore
Landscape) will be moderate. For LCA2
(Inshore Waters Landscape), the residual impact will be slight and for LCA3 (Coastal Rural/Suburban Landscape) the residual
impact will be negligible. Two new
LCAs will also be created ‘Recreational Beach Landscape’ and ‘Coastal Urban
Recreational Landscape’ as a consequence of the project.
Of the seven
Landscape Resources (LRs) identified, there will be no significant
residual impacts on any of the LRs after the implementation of mitigation
measures. There will be moderate residual
impacts on Trees/Backshore Shrubland and the Sandy/Rocky Beach LRs. There will
be slight residual impacts on the
Water LR and for the Shrubland, River, Road and Village, the residual impacts
will be negligible. One new LR will also be created ‘Sandy Beach’ as a
consequence of the project.
Four visually sensitive
receivers (VSRs) including VSR 1 (Tai Mei Tuk), VSR 2 (Lung Mei Residents), VSR
3 (BBQ site) and VSR 4 (Lo Tsz Tin residents) were identified. The un-mitigated visual impacts for VSR 1
(Tai Mei Tuk), VSR 2 (Lung Mei Residents) and VSR 4 (Lo Tsz Tin residents) in
operation stage will be significant. However, with the
implementation of the mitigation measures, the impact will be more acceptable
resulting in moderate/significant in Operation Day 1 and moderate
in Operation Year 10. For VSR 3 (BBQ Site - West of the site), the
unmitigated visual impacts will be moderate/significant. However,
with the implementation of the mitigation measures, the impact will be reduced
to moderate in Operation Day 1 and slight in Operation Year 10.
In sum, the proposed beach development will inevitably change the
existing waterfront view of the area. However, there will
be no significant residual impacts for any VSRs. With the adoption of the
mitigation measures, the residual impact will be reduced to a large extent and
is considered acceptable.
There will be various
lighting fixtures associated with the project, with the most visible light
source being the carpark lighting. Whilst these lights will contribute to the
general ambient light levels of the area, the impacts are not expected to be
significant.
According to Annex 10
of the Technical Memorandum on the Environmental Impact Assessment Process
(EIAO-TM) the Landscape and Visual Impacts are considered acceptable with
mitigation.
