5.1
Key cultural heritage resources found within the Study Area
included five
5.2
The proposed WIL will be an underground railway system and
therefore any potential cultural heritage would be limited to more surface
works with an interface with the resources. Potential impacts have been carefully
considered during the development of the project design to avoid and minimize
impacts on important cultural heritage resources.
5.3
According to the EIA study, the project would not result in any
adverse direct impact to historical buildings as there were no plans of
demolition of any declared monuments or graded historic buildings based on the
preliminary design proposal. Visual
aesthetic impacts would be mitigated to acceptable levels with the use of
sensibly designed hoardings and aboveground structures as discussed in Section 4.
5.4
Indirect vibration impact due to the use of drill and blast
method for the construction of WIL was considered as the worst case scenario in
the cultural heritage impact assessment in the EIA study. It was predicted that, through the control
of vibration levels, adverse impact on the identified heritage resources would
not arise. A monitoring and audit
programme for vibration impacts would be in place to ensure no exceedance of
the vibration limit during construction.
The requirements of monitoring and audit programme for vibration impacts
are presented below.
5.5
Blasting will take place at each work face no more than two
times a day. As such, monitoring
equipment may either be manned, or unmanned. If it is manned, then the maximum PPV
level for the duration of the blast must be available immediately after the
blast, so that information can be relayed to the Contractor before the next
blast. If the monitoring device is
unmanned, then it must be triggered, and the results conveyed by telephone
hook-up to the responsible person.
The responsible person will then immediately inform the Contractor. Blasting shall be monitored at either
one or two locations per blast location, as described below. The preferred equipment is an Instantel
Blastmate, with the Blastmate III being the most recent.
5.6
If an identified vibration sensitive historical building is
within
5.7
All blasting shall be monitored. If blasting is scheduled for more than
one location at the same time, the measurement specialist shall provide
sufficient equipment to monitor, as described, all blast locations.
5.8
The Measurement Specialist shall tabulate the PPV level
taken above the blast for each blast episode against: track chainage,
horizontal setback, if any, vertical depth, PPV criterion (
5.9
The Measurement Specialist shall tabulate the PPV level
taken within or outside a monitored sensitive receiver for each blast episode
against: track chainage, horizontal setback, if any, vertical depth, PPV
criterion (i.e.
5.10
The Measurement Specialist shall provide a copy of the
updated tabulation to the Contractor after each blast episode. If the measured PPV either above the
blast or at any nearby receiver is above the criteria values for three
consecutive blasts, the Contractor shall take immediate corrective action by
reducing the rate of forward progress, as necessary, to bring PPV levels within
compliance. If upon subsequent blasting,
the criteria are still exceeded, further reduction of the rate of forward
progress shall occur on consecutive blasts until PPV levels are brought within
compliance. If PPV levels cannot be
brought within compliance after six successive non-compliant blasts, the
Contractor shall cease all blasting, with recommencement subject to review by
MTRC.
5.11
If the measured PPV is less than
5.12
Based on the EIA Study, archaeological watching brief would
be required for the identification of any historical finds in the following
works area which might have a potential for finds and remains of archaeological
interest to be found:
·
Works Area C at
·
Works Area H at
the Belcher’s
·
Works Area I near Pok Fu Lam Road Flyover
·
Works Area J at
·
Works Area J1 at
·
Works Area J2 at Whitty Street Public Toilet
·
Works Area J3 at the
·
Works Area M at the basket ball court of King George V
Memorial Park
·
Works Area M2 at David Lane Sitting Out Area
5.13
A watching brief is a process whereby a qualified and
licensed archaeologist monitors the excavation works during the construction
phase in areas identified to be of archaeological potential. Details of the frequency of inspection
shall be provided to AMO for review and comment once the detailed construction
programme has been finalized. The
archaeologist conducting the watching brief should obtain a licence prior to
commencement of works as stipulated in Section 12 of the Antiquities and
Monuments Ordinance (Cap. 53). The
granting of the licence may take up to 8 weeks after the submission of the
licence to the Antiquity Authority
5.14
The IEC should ensure proper implementation of the
archaeological watching brief such as frequency and field recording.
5.15
Mitigation measures recommended in Table 4.3 in relation to visual impacts would generally ameliorate
potential impacts to the surrounding environment including historic sites.
Hence, EM&A requirements recommended in Section 4 would as well be applicable in controlling the potential
operational phase visual impact on heritage sites.