The EIA Report has recommended landscape
and visual mitigation measures to be undertaken during construction and
operation phases of the Project.
This Section defines the EM&A requirements to ensure the proposed
landscape and visual impact mitigation measures are effectively implemented.
The ET should carry out baseline landscape
and visual monitoring prior to the commencement of any construction works. The baseline monitoring should be
conducted as a one-off site survey.
Before commencing the baseline monitoring,
ET should inform the Contractor, IEC, ER and the EPD of the baseline monitoring
schedule programme such that relevant parties could conduct on-site audit to
ensure accuracy of the baseline monitoring results.
Any baseline changes with respect to the
landscape and visual impact should be recorded in reference to the baseline
conditions of the site as described in Section 8 of the EIA Report. The baseline monitoring should in
particular record changes of each landscape resource, landscape character area
and the view conditions of each visual sensitive receiver. Parameters used to describe changes in
each of the above should be the same as in Section 8 of the EIA Report.
The purposes of the baseline monitoring are:
·
to
check the status of the landscape resources within, and immediately adjacent
to, the construction sites and works areas;
·
to
determine whether any change has occurred to the status of the landscape
resources since the EIA Study carried out;
·
to
determine whether amendments in the design of the landscape and visual
mitigation measures are required for those changes; and
·
to
recommend any necessary amendments to the design of the landscape and visual
mitigation measures.
A competent Landscape Architect should be employed
to conduct the baseline landscape and visual environmental monitoring.
In order to ensure landscape and visual
impact is controlled and mitigated during both construction and operational
phases of the Project, the ET should undertake regular site inspections to
ensure those recommended mitigation measures were properly implemented. Section
8 of this Manual sets out inspection requirements, and the inspection
programme will verify the implementation status and evaluate the effectiveness
and stability of the mitigation measures.
A competent Landscape Architect should be employed
to conduct the regular landscape audit during both construction and operational
stage.
For the operational phase, all landscape
and visual mitigation measures should be monitored monthly during the first
year of the operational phase to ensure that the effectiveness of the
mitigations.
In cases where non-compliance of landscape
and visual impacts occurs, actions should be carried out in accordance with the
Action Plan shown in Table 7.1.
Table 7.1 Event
and Action Plan for Landscape and Visual Impact
|
Event |
Action |
|||
|
|
ET |
IEC |
ER |
Contractor |
|
Non-compliance on one
occasion |
1.
Identify source; 2.
Inform the IEC and the ER; 3.
Discuss remedial actions with the IEC, the ER and the Contractor; 4.
Monitor remedial action until rectification has been completed. |
1.
Check report; 2.
Check the Contractor’s working method; 3.
Discuss with the ER and the Contractor on possible remedial measures; 4.
Advise the ER on effectiveness of proposed remedial measures. |
1.
Notify the Contractor; 2.
Ensure remedial measures are properly implemented. |
1.
Amend working methods; 2.
Rectify damage and undertake remedial measures or any necessary replacement. |
|
Repeated Non-compliance |
1. Identify source; 2. Inform the
IEC and the ER; 3. Increase
monitoring (site audit) frequency; 4. Discuss
remedial actions with the IEC, the ER and the Contractor; 5. Monitor
remedial actions until rectification has been completed; 6. If exceedance stops, cease additional monitoring (site
audit). |
1. Check report; 2. Check the
Contractor’s working method; 3. Discuss with
the ER and the Contractor on possible remedial measures; 4. Advise the ER
on effectiveness of proposed remedial measures; 5. Supervise
implementation of remedial measures. |
1. Notify the Contractor; 2. Ensure
remedial measures are properly implemented; 3. Inform EPD when necessary. |
1. Amend working methods; 2. Rectify
damage and undertake remedial measures or any necessary replacement. |
The landscape and visual mitigation
measures should be incorporated to ensure the mitigation effect and achieve the
intended aims as described in Tables 7.2
and 7.3 below, together with an indication of Funding, Implementation and
Maintenance Agencies. Approval-in-principle
to the implementation, management and maintenance of the proposed mitigation
measures is sought from the appropriate authorities are indicated in Tables 7.2 and 7.3 below; according to
the principles in Works Bureau Technical
Circular WBTC 14/2002. Any changes to the mitigation measures
that may be recommended as a result of the baseline monitoring or ongoing
monitoring of the design, construction and establishment works should be taken
into account.
Table 7.2 Proposed
Landscape and Visual Mitigation Measures during Construction Phase
|
Items |
Landscape and Visual Mitigation Measures |
Funding Agency |
Implementation Agency |
|
1 |
LMM 5 – Early
Planting Works. Where technically feasible, new plantings are to be installed
as early as possible during the construction works. |
HyD |
Contractor |
|
2 |
LMM 6 – Site
hoardings to be compatible with the surrounding environment. Where possible
site hoardings to be coloured to complement the surrounding areas. Colours
such as green and light brown are recommended. |
HyD |
Contractor |
Table 7.3 Proposed
Landscape and Visual Mitigation Measures during Operational Phase
|
Items |
Landscape and Visual Mitigation Measures |
Funding Agency |
Implementation Agency |
Maintenance/ Management Agency |
|
1 |
Cultivation of
areas compacted during construction.
Areas compacted during the construction phase that are not required
during the operation phase, are to be cultivated to a depth of up to 300mm in
accordance with the future Landscape Specification. |
HyD |
Contractor/HyD |
LCSD/HyD |
|
2 |
Soil
stabilisation and planting. During the design phase, a soil stabilisation and
embankment planting strategy will be developed to ensure that land affected
by slope excavation can be replanted.
Soil preparation and the selection and provision of suitable growing
medium is to be completed in accordance with the
relevant best practice guidelines. |
HyD |
Contractor/HyD |
LCSD/HyD |
|
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. |
HyD |
Contractor/HyD |
LCSD/HyD |
|
4 |
LMM 4 -
Relocation. Landscape Resources of value to be re-located where practically
feasible. |
HyD |
Contractor/HyD |
LCSD |
|
5 |
Design of
Structures. Where possible, built structures will utilise appropriate designs
to complement the surrounding landscape.
Materials and finishes will also be considered during detailed design. |
HyD |
Contractor/HyD |
HyD |
|
6 |
Design of noise
barriers. The 2.5m high vertical noise barrier for the planned schools will
be in the form of concrete structure installed with barrier panels to align
with the existing provision in the vicinity and to integrate into the
landscape. |
HyD |
Contractor/HyD |
HyD |
|
7 |
Plantings in
addition to the landscape mitigation plantings proposed, appropriate new
plantings will be installed as appropriate to help integrate the new
structures into the surrounding landscape. |
HyD |
Contractor/HyD |
LCSD/HyD |
|
Note: (1)
LCSD means Leisure and Cultural Services Department; (2)
HyD should be responsible for the maintenance and
management for hard streetscape works and LCSD should be responsible for the
maintenance and management of soft landscape works. |
||||
The design, implementation and maintenance
of landscape and visual mitigation measures should be checked monthly to ensure
that they are fully implemented.
Any potential conflicts between the proposed landscape measures and any
other project works or operational requirements should also be recorded for the
Contractor to resolve in early stage, without compromising the intention of the
mitigation measures.
The landscape and visual mitigation
measures recommended in the EIA Study are outlined in the Environmental
Mitigation Implementation Schedule (EMIS) (Annex
B).