2.1
Description of Site Location of the Project and History
2.1.1
The
location of the proposed Roads D3A & D4A was previously used as the runway
of the former
2.1.2
At
present, a local access road comprising a single 2-lane carriageway with
utilities is being constructed under Advance Works Stage 1 (Contract No.
KL/2008/07) of Agreement No. CE35/2006(CE) to enable the commissioning of the
Cruise Terminal in mid 2013. In the
original plan, this local access road will be upgraded to dual-2 carriageway
under Advance Works Stage 2 as Road D3 along the former runway, and a
landscaped deck will also be provided above the carriageway. A Kai Tak Development Environmental
Impact Assessment was subsequently approved in 2009.
2.1.3
In
the consultation with the Harbour-front Enhancement Committee (HEC) in 2009,
concerns were raised with regards to appearance at the proposed landscaped deck
above Road D3 to be constructed under the Advance Works Stage 2 of Agreement
No. CE35/2006 (CE). Besides, in the
process of seeking funding approval for Advance Works Stage 1 in mid 2009,
there was strong request from Legislative Council (LegCo) members on
considering relocating the carriageway network away from the promenade to
enhance the space for public enjoyment along the waterfront.
2.1.4
With
comments from the HEC and LegCo members, the original scheme of Road D3 was
revisited and a new conceptual option was identified and evaluated for
refinement of designs of Road D3 and the landscaped deck above. Under the new conceptual option, the southern
section of the original Road D3 is now replaced by Road D3A. In view of the new alignment of Road
D3A, Road D4A is also added as an extension to Road D4 connecting Road D4 with
Road D3A.
2.2
Size, Scale, Shape and Design of the Project
2.2.1
Both
Road D3A and Road D4A are dual 2-lane district distributor roads running along
the Runway Precinct of KTD, as shown in Figure 1.1. The length of
Road D3A and Road D4A is about 1.4km and 0.1 km respectively. They will serve
the Cruise Terminal, the Tourism Node and the development sites in the Runway
Precinct.
2.2.2
The
Runway Precinct is planned with a hotel belt facing harbours and waterfront
residential development facing KTAC. A harbourfront shopping street and open
space link is planned to sustain interest of exploration from
2.3.1
The
following definitions of study area for assessing different potential
environmental impacts have been adopted with reference to the EIA Study Brief
No. ESB-222/2011 for the Project:
·
Noise
Impact: the assessment area included the area within 300m from the boundary of
the Project;
·
Air
Quality Impact: the assessment area included the area within 500m from the
boundary of the Project;
·
Water
Quality Impact: the assessment area included all areas within 300m from 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 or the area likely to be impacted by the Project; and
·
Waste
Management: the assessment focused on areas within the boundary of the Project; and
·
Landscape
and Visual Impact: the area for landscape impact assessment included all areas
within 100m from the boundary of the Project, while the assessment area for the
visual impact assessment is defined by the visual envelope from the Project and
associated works.
2.4
Nature, Scope and Benefits of the Project
Nature of the Project
2.4.1
The
Project is to redevelop the former Kai Tak Airport Runway Area.
Project Scope
2.4.2
The
scope of the Project comprises:
a) Construction of approximately 1.5km long dual 2-lane carriageway along the former runway;
b) Construction of footpaths;
c) Construction of approximately 1.4km long landscaped deck above the dual 2-lane carriageway along the former runway; and
d) Ancillary works including drains, sewers, fresh and salt water supply mains, utilities, landscape softworks and hardworks;
Project Benefits
2.4.3
With
the vision to create a distinguished, vibrant, attractive and people-oriented
Kai Tak by Victoria Harbour, the Runway Precinct of KTD has adopted the
principle to achieve economic, social and environmental sustainability in its
preparation.
2.4.4
The
Project is expected to improve the landscape and urban design quality of the
area, provide numerous community facilities to meet the needs of a diversity of
user groups, preserve and promote the cultural heritage and identity of the
place, promote a vibrant and accessible harbour front, and promote cultural
development in Hong Kong.
2.4.5
The Project will provide accessible waterfront
promenade to the visitors with space for public enjoyment, while fulfilling its
essential function as providing access to the developments. In addition, the landscaped deck above
the roads will serve multi-purposes, as a pedestrian connection across Road D3,
as an open space for various landscaping and public enjoyment, and as a shield
to the noise generated from the developments of the Runway Precinct.
2.5
The Need of the Project and Scenario without the Project
2.5.1
The Project is the essential infrastructure to
provide access to all development areas in the Runway Precinct from other area
of Kai Tak Development. The developments include Cruise Terminal, Tourism Node,
Metro Park, Runway Park, waterfront promenades, residential and commercial
lots. The absence of the Project will inevitably undermine all the developments
of the Runway Precinct.
2.6
Consideration of Alternatives and Development
of Preferred Option
2.6.1
In
the Original Scheme as shown in Figure
2.2, Road D3 provided access to domestic lots at the northeast side of
the former runway. It also enhanced the accessibility to the commercial lots at
the southwest side of the runway via Roads L12 and L13. An elevated deck was
proposed in the original design over Road D3 for pedestrian enjoyment and
pedestrian linkage between the Metro Park, Runway Precinct and the Tourism
& Leisure Hub at the Runway. It could maximize the greening opportunity by
decking over the proposed dual two lanes carriageway (Road D3) and provides
landscape amenity for the local residents at Runway Precinct and Kowloon Bay
upon completion of the works.
2.6.2
The
proposed landscaped deck in the original scheme was over 1km long and was about
21m wide providing flexible spaces for amenity and seating. Despite such
provision and the provision of pedestrian promenade next to the Victoria
Harbour side (South-west side), the layout receives criticism from members of
Legislative Council concerning the necessity of provision of pedestrian
promenade at ground level at both sides of the Former Runway.
2.6.3
The
Environmental Impact Assessment approved in 2009 comprises of the Original
Scheme of Road D3 shown in Figure
2.2. Although the locations
of the roads were reviewed and refined to be different from the approved EIA
study, the environment including traffic volume and locations of sensitive receivers
are similar. Therefore, the
environmental impacts including air quality, noise, water
pollution, landscape and visual as well as waste management implications are
considered to be similar to those of the previously approved EIA study.
2.6.4
Different
schemes were scrutinized in determining the best response to the request on
enhancing space for public enjoyment along the waterfront. In view of the space provision and ease
of access to waterfront promenade, schemes other than placing Road D3 at
Central Boulevard poses major restrictions and are therefore not pursued.
2.6.5
The
final scheme, as shown in Figures
1.1 and 2.1,
will provide spacious waterfront promenades at both waterfronts facing
2.6.6
Preliminary
review on the traffic air quality and noise impact on placing the Road D3 at
Central Boulevard was conducted to provide initial verification on the
recommended scheme being acceptable with provision of proper mitigation
measures. Taking into account the
walking comfort received by the pedestrians and the noise mitigation, the
setback of the building blocks from their boundary is preliminarily set to be
15m for residential and 10m for commercial. Larger open areas, provision of air
ventilation and penetration of natural light would also be improved by setback
of the building lots. Also, the
landscaped deck over the road together with the noise barrier will reduce the
noise impact to the development sites.
It is considered that the proposed final scheme is avoid and minimize
potential environmental impacts to sensitive uses. With the more detailed environmental
assessments as covered in this report, the scheme was refined and mitigation
measures were proposed.
2.7
Construction Methods and Engineering Requirements
2.7.1
The
construction of the Project mainly involves earthworks excavation, laying /
diversion of drainage and utilities, backfilling, road pavement and landscape
works. Noise mitigation measures, where appropriate, will be provided and
installed. No dredging or reclamation is required.
2.7.2
With
regard to the construction sequence, temporary walling for excavation support
and foundation for noise mitigation measures will first be installed from
ground level. Traffic and underground utilities will be diverted where
necessary. Excavation will then follow until the formation level is reached.
The underground road structure such as underpass box structures, retaining
walls, and substructure for noise mitigation measures will then be constructed.
Where applicable, backfilling will be required to attain the designed ground
level. Laying of utilities, construction of road pavement, streetscape and
noise mitigation measures will then be carried out. The above construction
sequence is the conventional approach for cut and cover method and there is no
other feasible alternative construction sequence for this method.
2.7.3
As
there is no other construction method or sequence of works found feasible for
the Project, and therefore it is not possible to compare different construction
methods and sequence of works for the selection of the preferred construction
method and sequence of works
2.8.1
The
construction of the Project is tentatively scheduled to commence in 2014 and
complete by 2016.
2.9.1
Concurrent
projects with likely interaction with this Project are identified as below. The
status of these concurrent projects is based on the available information at
the time of the submission of this Report. It should be noted that the
implementation of individual projects would be subject to the on-going review
by relevant project proponents.
2.9.2
There
are a number of concurrent projects as listed below which will be implemented within
or in the vicinity of the proposed Roads D3A & D4A.
• Cruise
Terminal Phase II Berth
• Runway
Park Phase 1
• Trunk
Road T2
• District
Cooling System
Cruise Terminal Phase II Berth
2.9.3
The
cruise terminal phase II berth is proposed at the Tourism and Leisure Hub,
which will be the second phase of the major anchor project to attract local and
overseas visitors. The phase II berth of the cruise terminal will be
commissioned after 2015. Development of the phase II berth would require
dredging the seabed fronting the berth structure to provide necessary
manoeuvring basin.
Runway Park
2.9.4
Runway
Park Phase 1 is proposed at the tip of the former runway as for early public
enjoyment of the harbourfront upon commissioning of the Cruise Terminal
Building in 2013. The Runway Park Phase 1 will include a waterfront promenade
at the runway tip facing Lei Yue Mun and along the waterfront facing Kwun Tong
with a continuous traffic-free pedestrian green walkway, a large lawn and
extensive landscaped area with sitting-out facilities and extensive soft
landscape plantings and provision of toilets and ancillary facilities.
Trunk Road T2
2.9.5
This
is a strategic road linking Central Kowloon Route at Kowloon Bay to Tseung Kwan
O – Lam Tin Tunnel at Cha Kwo Ling. The Trunk Road T2 is expected to start
construction by end of 2015. The works for Trunk Road T2 in KTD includes
construction of dual three lanes carriageway in form of immersed tunnel and
associated dredging works in Kowloon Bay and depressed road at South Apron.
District Cooling System
2.9.6
EMSD
is currently implementing a District Cooling System serving for KTD. A district
cooling system plant and a seawater pump house are located at runway with
tentative schedule of completion in 2013. The associated pipeworks serving
runway and south apron in KTD are implemented to tie in the implementation
programme of KTD.