2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

2.1 Site Location

2.1.1 The temporary typhoon shelter (DP4) is located to the north of the existing Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter (CBTS). Figure 1.2d shows the location of the temporary typhoon shelter.

2.2 EIA Study Area

2.2.1 The following definitions of the study areas have been adopted with reference to the EIA Study Brief registered under the EIAO:

· Air Quality Impact: the assessment area should include the area within 500 m from the boundary of the Project;

· Noise Impact Assessment: the assessment area should include the area within 300 m from the boundary of the Project;

· Water Quality Impact Assessment: the assessment area should include the areas within and 300m extended beyond the boundary of the Project, plus the Victoria Harbour Water Control Zone (WCZ), the Eastern Buffer WCZ and the Western Buffer WCZ as declared under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance;

· Waste Management: the assessment will focus on areas within the boundary of the Project;

· Land Contamination: the assessment area for land contamination impact will include any potentially contaminated sites identified in this EIA;

· Landscape and Visual Impact: the area for landscape impact assessment should include all areas within 100 m extended from the boundary of the Project, while the assessment area for the visual impact assessment should be defined by the visual envelope from the Project and associated works;

· Marine Ecology: the assessment for marine ecological impact will focus on the area within the Project boundary; and

· Cultural Heritage Impact: the assessment for cultural heritage impact will focus on the area within the Project boundary.

2.3 Project Requirements, Scope and Benefits

Project Scope and Requirements

2.3.1 The construction of the Trunk Road tunnel beneath the existing CBTS will temporarily affect the existing moorings. To maintain the operation of the CBTS during the construction period, it is necessary to reprovision a temporary typhoon shelter in the vicinity of the existing one. The Project includes a temporary typhoon shelter at the north of the existing typhoon shelter with around 4 ha temporary mooring area for not less than 30 vessels at the north of the existing typhoon shelter. The location of the temporary typhoon shelter is shown in Figure 1.2d.

Project Benefits

2.3.2 The temporary reprovisioning of the affected CBTS to the temporary typhoon shelter at the north of the existing one maintains the current provision of mooring area at Causeway Bay area.

Consequences of Not Proceeding with the Project

2.3.3 Should the temporary typhoon shelter not be temporarily reprovisioned, the existing mooring area at the CBTS will be temporarily lost during construction of the Trunk Road.

2.4 Consideration of Alternatives

2.4.1 As alternative to temporarily reprovisioning the typhoon shelter to the north of the existing one, which is the nearby available location, affected vessels sheltered at CBTS could be temporarily relocated to other off-site typhoon shelters. These are very far away from the Causeway Bay area. In view of the inconvenience to CBTS users and the lack of spare mooring space at other off-site typhoon shelters, this alternative option will have serious impacts to the current users and will receive strong objections. On site like-for-like temporary reprovisioning of the typhoon shelter at the north of the existing one is recommended in lieu of off-site reprovisioning.

2.5 Construction Methods and Engineering Requirements

2.5.1 The proposed temporary moorings will require construction of a 400m long rubble mound breakwater some 180m offshore and parallel to the existing Causeway Bay typhoon shelter breakwater, together with 120m and 130m lengths of piled wave walls at the eastern and western ends of the sheltered mooring area respectively.

2.5.2 The primary wave and physical protection will be provided by the conventional rubble mound breakwater, which will be of similar construction to existing breakwater. The piled wave walls will comprise vertical concrete downstands, supported on tubular steel piles. The downstands will extend down below the surface of the water to reduce wave transmission through the typhoon shelter entrances from the north-easterly and north-westerly directions.

2.5.3 Typical details of the breakwater and the piled wave walls are shown in Figure 5.5.

2.5.4 Dredging for the rubble mound breakwater construction will be carried out by a closed grab dredger. Rock fill for the breakwater will be placed by bottom dumping (below water) and by grab (above water).

2.5.5 No dredging will be required for the construction of the wave walls. The concrete wave wall downstands will be precast units constructed off-site. They will be delivered to site for installation upon completion of piling works.

2.5.6 Upon relocation of the moorings back to their original locations in the CBTS, the temporary typhoon shelter will be demolished by extraction of the wave wall piles and removal of the breakwater rock fill down to seabed level.

2.6 Operation of the Project

2.6.1 During the operation phase of the Project, the moorings will be relocated back to the existing typhoon shelter and the temporary typhoon shelter will be demolished.

2.7 Works Programme

2.7.1 The temporary relocation of CBTS is anticipated to commence on site in early 2009 and will be demolished in 2016. A construction programme is presented in Appendix 2.5 for reference.

2.8 Related Projects

2.8.1 The following projects are related to this DP4:

(i) Civil Engineering and Development Department's CRIII project, comprising reclamation along the Central waterfront for transport infrastructure needs (including CWB and NIL) and basic land use requirements. A section of CWB tunnel will also be constructed under CRIII project. Construction will take place from February 2003 to September 2012.

(ii) Trade Development Council’s Atrium Link Extension project, comprising a link bridge spanning across the water channel between the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) Phase I and HKCEC Extension. Construction will take place from May 2006 to March 2009.