8 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL.. 8-2

8.1 Introduction. 8-2

8.2 Monitoring Details. 8-2

8.3 Baseline Monitoring. 8-3

8.4 Event/Action Plan for Landscape and Visual Works. 8-3

8.5 Mitigation Measures. 8-3

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL

8.1 Introduction

8.1.1 The EIA has recommended landscape and visual mitigation measures to be undertaken during both the construction and operational phases of the project. This section outlines the monitoring and audit of these measures.

8.1.2 The key landscape resources, landscape character areas and visual sensitive receivers are shown in Figures 8.1a, 8.1b, 8.2a, 8.2b, 8.3a, 8.3b, 8.3c.

8.2 Monitoring Details

8.2.1 The design, implementation and maintenance of landscape mitigation measures should be checked to ensure that they are fully realised and that potential conflicts between the proposed landscape measures and any other project works and operational requirements are resolved at the earliest possible date and without compromise to the intention of the mitigation measures.

Table 8.1 Monitoring Programme

Stage	Monitoring Task	Monitoring Report	Form of Approval	Frequency
Design	Monitoring of design works against the recommendations of the landscape and visual impact assessments within the EIA should be undertaken during detailed design and tender stages, to ensure that they fulfil the intentions of the mitigation measures. Any changes to the design, including design changes on site should also be checked.	Report by ER confirming that the design conforms to requirements of EP	Approved by Client	At Completion of Design Stage
Construction	Monitoring of the contractor’s operations during the construction period.	Report on Contractor's compliance, by ET	Counter-signature of report by IC(E)	Weekly
Establishment Works	Monitoring of the planting works during the 24-month Establishment period after completion of the construction works.	Report on Contractor's compliance, by ET	Counter-signature of report by IC(E)	3 months
Long Term Operation (5 years)	Monitoring of the long-term management of the planting works in the period up to 5 years after completion of the construction works.	Report on compliance by ET or Maintenance Agency	Counter-signature of report by Management Agency	12 months

Design

8.2.2 The mitigation measures proposed within the EIA to mitigate the landscape and visual impacts of the scheme should be embodied into the detailed engineering design and landscape design drawings and contract documents. Designs should be checked to ensure that the measures are fully incorporated and that potential conflicts with civil engineering, geo-technical, structural, lighting, signage, drainage, underground utility and operational requirements are resolved prior to construction.

8.2.3 The Client should prepare a detailed 5-Year Management Programme for the long-term management and maintenance of the planting works following the Establishment periods. The Programme should include evaluation and objectives for management, details of the operations to be undertaken to achieve these objectives, and outline of work programmes.

Construction & Establishment Period

8.2.4 The implementation of landscape construction works and subsequent maintenance operations during the 12-month establishment period must be supervised by fully qualified Landscape Resident Site Staff (Registered Landscape Architect or Professional Member of the Hong Kong Institute of landscape Architects).

8.2.5 Measures to mitigate landscape and visual impacts during construction should be checked to ensure compliance with the intended aims of the measures.

8.2.6 The progress of the engineering works shall be regularly reviewed on site to identify the earliest practical opportunities for the landscape works to be undertaken.

Long Term Management

8.2.7 The success or otherwise of all planting works intended to mitigate the visual and landscape impact of the roads, the noise barriers/screening/semi-enclosures and street lighting shall be monitored during the first ten years of the operational phase of the project. Any areas of vegetation which have failed to establish, should be corrected by the appropriate maintenance authorities at the earliest opportunity. Monitoring should include the long-term maintenance of the planting works under the detailed 5-Year Management Programme.

8.3 Baseline Monitoring

8.3.1 A photographic record of the site and a report recording the changes to each landscape resource, landscape character area and view condition of each visually sensitive receiver at the time of the contractor’s possession of the site shall be prepared by the Contractor and approved by the ER. The approved photographic record and the report recording the changes shall be submitted to the Project proponent, ET, IC(E) and EPD for record.

8.4 Event/Action Plan for Landscape and Visual Works

8.4.1 Should non-compliance of the landscape and visual impacts occur, actions in accordance with the action plan stated in Table 8.2 and 8.3 should be carried out.

Table 8.2 Construction & Establishment Periods

EVENT ACTION LEVEL	ACTION
	ET	IC(E)	ER	CONTRACTOR
Design Check	· Check final design conforms to the requirements of EP and prepare report.	· Check report. · Recommend remedial design if necessary	· Undertake remedial design if necessary
Non-conformity on one occasion	· Identify Source · Inform IC(E) and ER · Discuss remedial actions with IC(E), ER and Contractor · Monitor remedial actions until rectification has been completed	· Check report · Check Contractor's working method · Discuss with ET and Contractor on possible remedial measures · Advise ER on effectiveness of proposed remedial measures. · Check implementation of remedial measures.	· Notify Contractor · Ensure remedial measures are properly implemented	· Amend working methods · Rectify damage and undertake any necessary replacement
Repeated Non-conformity	· Identify Source · Inform IC(E) and ER · Increase monitoring frequency · Discuss remedial actions with IC(E), ER and Contractor · Monitor remedial actions until rectification has been completed · If non-conformity stops, cease additional monitoring	· Check monitoring report · Check Contractor's working method · Discuss with ET and Contractor on possible remedial measures · Advise ER on effectiveness of proposed remedial measures · Supervise implementation of remedial measures.	· Notify Contractor · Ensure remedial measures are properly implemented	· Amend working methods · Rectify damage and undertake any necessary replacement

Table 8.3 Long Term Management

EVENT	ACTION
ACTION LEVEL	MAINTENANCE AGENCY	MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Non-conformity	· Identify Source · Discuss remedial actions with Management Agency · Monitor remedial actions until rectification has been completed	· Check report · Discuss with Maintenance Agency possible remedial measures · Supervise implementation of remedial measures.

8.1 Mitigation Measures

8.1.1 The landscape and visual impact assessment of the EIA recommends a series on mitigation measures, as noted below:

Landscape and Visual Mitigation Measures during Construction Phase

For the Whole Project

· Topsoil, where identified, should be stripped and stored for re-use in the construction of the soft landscape works, where practical (CM1);

· Existing trees to be retained on site should be carefully protected during construction (CM2);

· Trees unavoidably affected by the works should be transplanted where practical (CM3);

· Compensatory tree planting should be provided to compensate for felled trees (CM4);

· Control of night-time lighting (CM5);

· Erection of decorative screen hoarding compatible with the surrounding setting CM6).

For DP1 – CWB (Within the Project Boundary)

· Topsoil, where identified, should be stripped and stored for re-use in the construction of the soft landscape works, where practical (CM1);

· Existing trees to be retained on site should be carefully protected during construction (CM2);

· Trees unavoidably affected by the works should be transplanted where practical (CM3);

· Compensatory tree planting should be provided to compensate for felled trees (CM4);

· Control of night-time lighting (CM5);

· Erection of decorative screen hoarding compatible with the surrounding setting (CM6).

DP2 - WDII Major Roads (Road P2)

· Topsoil, where identified, should be stripped and stored for re-use in the construction of the soft landscape works, where practical (CM1);

· Existing trees to be retained on site should be carefully protected during construction (CM2);

· Trees unavoidably affected by the works should be transplanted where practical (CM3);

· Compensatory tree planting should be provided to compensate for felled trees (CM4);

· Control of night-time lighting (CM5);

· Erection of decorative screen hoarding compatible with the surrounding setting (CM6).

DP3 - Reclamation

· Control night-time lighting (CM5);

· Erection of decorative hoardings (CM6).

For DP4 – Temporary Typhoon Shelter

· Control of night-time lighting (CM5).

For DP5 – Wan Chai East Sewage Outfall (refer to EIA-058/2001, Table 10.13)

· Minimisation of works areas (CM2);

· Erection of decorative hoardings (CM3);

· Control night-time lighting (CM4);

· Minimisation of disruption to public by effective programming of the works (CM5).

For DP6 – Cross-Harbour Water Mains from Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui (refer to EIA-058/2001, Table 10.13)

· Minimisation of works areas (CM2);

· Erection of decorative hoardings (CM3);

· Control night-time lighting (CM4);

· Minimisation of disruption to public by effective programming of the works (CM5).

Landscape and Visual Mitigation Measures during Operation Phase

8.1.2 The landscape and visual mitigation measures in the Operation Phase would be achieved principally through the realisation of a Master Landscape Plan encompassing the following principal objectives:

· the establishment of a network of open spaces providing for a range of functions including pedestrian circulation and as a venue for community events;

· the creation of major landscape spaces forming pedestrian arteries linking the waterfront with existing open spaces, proposed and existing adjacent developments and other areas of the city;

· the establishment of an integrated, pedestrian oriented streetscape which will enhance pedestrian movement, integrate the proposed and existing developments within an overall landscape framework and generally improve the quality of the public environment;

· the provision of green buffer areas to mitigate negative environmental conditions associated with transport corridors, especially for the proposed IECL;

· the development of an integrated, fully co-ordinated design, incorporating all foreseeable functional requirements such as utilities, drainage reserves, and pumping stations;

· the creation of a high quality Waterfront Park which will reflect and integrate with that proposed for the Central District Reclamation development;

· the provision of open space linkage between the Central Reclamation and HKCEC in the west, the RHKYC, Victoria Park and stretching to North Point to the east.

For the Whole Project

· Aesthetic design of buildings and road-related structures, including viaducts, vent buildings, subways, footbridges and noise barriers and enclosure (OM1);

· Shrub and Climbing Plants to soften proposed structures (OM2);

· Buffer Tree and Shrub Planting to screen proposed roads and associated structures (OM3);

· Aesthetic design of proposed waterfront promenade (OM4);

· Aesthetic streetscape design (OM5);

· Aesthetic design of roadside amenity areas (OM6).

For DP1 – CWB (Within the Project Boundary)

· Aesthetic design of buildings and road-related structures, including viaducts, vent buildings, subways, footbridges and noise barriers and enclosure (OM1);

· Shrub and Climbing Plants to soften proposed structures (OM2);

· Buffer Tree and Shrub Planting to screen proposed roads and associated structures (OM3);

· Aesthetic streetscape design (OM5);

· Aesthetic design of roadside amenity areas (OM6).

DP2 - WDII Major Roads (Road P2)

· Aesthetic design of buildings and road-related structures, including viaducts, vent buildings, subways, footbridges and noise barriers and enclosure (OM1);

· Buffer Tree and Shrub Planting to screen proposed roads and associated structures (OM3);

· Aesthetic streetscape design (OM5);

· Aesthetic design of roadside amenity areas (OM6).

DP3 - Reclamation

· Aesthetic design of proposed waterfront promenade (OM4).