1                    Introduction

1.1                 General

1.1.1.1              BMT Asia Pacific Limited (BMT) was appointed by the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) for the Consultancy Agreement Ref. No. 2OC469 – Application for an Environmental Permit under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Ordinance (Cap. 499) for a Rooftop Helipad at the Proposed New Block at Queen Mary Hospital (QMH).

1.1.1.2            EIA study has been conducted only for the construction and operation of the rooftop helipad (hereafter as “Proposed Helipad” or “the Project”) at the proposed new block (hereafter as “New Block”) at QMH; and for seeking approval of the EIA report under the EIAO and the Technical Memorandum on behalf of the Food and Health Bureau (hereafter as “the Applicant”).  Figure 1.1 shows the location of the Proposed Helipad and its environs.

1.1.1.3       The construction and operation of the New Block will proceed independently while the final decision on whether or not to proceed with the construction and operation of the Proposed Helipad at the rooftop is contingent upon whether or not an Environmental Permit for the helipad can be obtained under the EIAO. Hence, the Proposed Helipad does not form an integral part of the New Block.

1.1.1.4                The environmental study for the demolition of existing structures and construction of the New Block shall be conducted separately in the Preliminary Environmental Review (PER) under the Public Works Programme (PWP).  

1.1.1.5                This EIA Report is prepared in accordance with the EIA Study Brief (No. ESB-284/2015) and the Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment Process (TM-EIAO).

1.2                 Project Background

1.2.1.1           QMH is a major acute hospital with over 1,600 beds in the Hong Kong West Cluster (HKWC) of the Hospital Authority (HA), serving a population of over 531,000 in the Central and Western, and Southern Districts as well as treating many patients in other geographical districts in Hong Kong.  It provides a full range of acute and tertiary services, including 24-hour Accident and Emergency (A&E) services, in-patient service, ambulatory care and rehabilitation services, as well as specialist services covering a wide range of specialties and subspecialties.

1.2.1.2           Being the teaching hospital of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong, QMH is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and is responsible for providing professional clinical training, pioneering innovative technology, and conducting clinical trials for new treatment modalities.  In addition, QMH serves as a tertiary and quaternary referral centre for many complex and advanced services such as organ transplant, neonatal intensive care, coronary care, burns and reconstructive surgery and neurosurgery for the entire territory. Since July 2003, QMH has become the only designated liver transplant centre in Hong Kong to provide world-class standard liver transplant service.  The A&E Department of QMH has been designated as one of the five trauma centres in the territory.

1.2.1.3           At present, public hospitals under HA provided with helipad facilities are only at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH), and Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH).  Figure 1.2 shows the locations of the helipads of PYNEH and TMH.  For the air transportation, the patients who are classified as Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) A+/ Search and Rescue (SAR) Case (life-threatening condition) would be delivered to hospital directly for appropriate treatment.  Emergency patients and casualties are mainly landed at PYNEH as landing at TMH is restricted to day time operation due to safety consideration.  Therefore, an additional helipad is required to upgrade the existing Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) in Hong Kong and maintain the speedy transfer of patients to hospital.

1.2.1.4           There is no helipad facilities in QMH.  For any patient who requires transportation to QMH through air transportation, helicopter landings will take place at Wan Chai Heliport for onward transfer the patient to QMH by ambulance.  Figure 1.2 shows the location of Wan Chai Heliport.  With the provision of the Proposed Helipad at QMH, it would enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of HEMS, enabling point-to-point direct and speedy transfer of patients / survivors from outlying islands and remote areas that require special care by the hospital.  The Proposed Helipad will be installed on the rooftop of the New Block.  It would be an essential provision to enable transfer of patients / transport of organs to QMH promptly during an emergency situation.  The helipad is used for life saving missions, i.e. both A+ and SAR Cases, and is not for commercial use.

1.2.1.5           ArchSD is the works agent for the Project.  Construction works are to be completed by contractors under ArchSD’s supervision.  ArchSD will hand over the helipad to QMH via the HA for management upon its commissioning.

1.2.1.6           As the Project involves the construction and operation of helipad at QMH, it has been classified as a Designated Project under Item B.2, Schedule 2 of the EIA Ordinance by virtue of being: “A helipad within 300m of existing or planned residential development”.  Hence, the project has to prepare an EIA study for applying an Environmental Permit.

1.2.1.7           A full description of the Project is presented in Section 2 of the Report.

1.3                 Purpose and Approach of the EIA Study

1.3.1.1           The purpose of this EIA Study is to provide information on the nature and extent of environmental impacts arising from the Project and other concurrent works.  This information will contribute to decisions by the Director of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) on:

·         The overall acceptability of any adverse environmental consequences that are likely to arise as a result of the Project and associate works, and their staged implementation;

·         The conditions and requirements for the detailed design, construction and operation of the Project to mitigate adverse environmental consequences; and

·         The acceptability of residual impacts after the proposed mitigation measures are implemented.

 

1.3.1.2           Satisfying the aims of the EIA Study has been managed by achieving a number of more specific objectives as listed in the EIA Study Brief.  The objectives of the EIA study are to:

                          i.          Describe the Project and associated works together with the requirements and environmental benefits for carrying out the Project;

                         ii.          Identify and describe elements of community and environment likely to be affected by the Project and / or likely to cause adverse impacts to the Project, including natural and man-made environment and the associated environmental constraints;

                        iii.          Provide information on the consideration of alternative siting, design, layout and configuration / orientation of the helipad, flight paths, and alternative types of helicopters, management measures diverting patients under different levels of emergencyto alternative hospitals with a view to avoiding or minimizing potential environmental impacts on environmentally sensitive area and sensitive uses;  Compare the environmental benefits and dis-benefits of different options;  Provide reasons for selecting the preferred option(s) and to describe the part that environmental factors played in the selection of preferred option(s);

                        iv.          Identify and quantify emission sources and determine the significance of impacts on sensitive receivers and potential affected uses;

                         v.          Identify and quantify any potential losses or damage to flora, fauna and natural habitats, if found;

                        vi.          Identify and systematically evaluate any potential visual impact from lighting during night time operation of the Project and to propose mitigate these impacts;

                       vii.          Propose the provision of infrastructure or mitigation measures so as to minimise pollution, environmental disturbance and nuisance during construction and operation of the Project;

                      viii.          Investigate the feasibility, practicability, effectiveness and implications of the proposed mitigation measures;

                        ix.          Identify, predict and evaluate the residual environmental impacts (i.e. after practicable mitigation) and the cumulative effects expected to arise during the construction and operation phases of the Project in relation to the sensitive receivers and potential affected uses;

                         x.          Identify, assess and specify methods, measures and standards to be included in the detailed design, construction and operation of the Project which are necessary to mitigate these environmental impacts and cumulative effects and reduce them to acceptable levels;

                        xi.          Investigate the extent of the secondary environmental impacts that may arise from the proposed mitigation measures and to identify constraints associated with the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA study, as well as the provision of any necessary modification; and

                       xii.          Design and specify environmental monitoring and audit requirements to ensure the effective implementation of the recommended environmental protection and pollution control measures.

1.3.1.3           The project information and operation requirements provided by relevant government departments are provided in Appendix 1.1.

1.4                 Structure of this EIA Study Report

1.4.1.1           The EIA Report is divided into a total of 10 sections.  Following this Section 1, Introduction, the Report is organized as follows:

·         Section 2 – Project Description

·         Section 3 – Air Quality

·         Section 4 – Noise Impact

·         Section 5 – Waste Management

·         Section 6 – Ecological Impact – Terrestrial

·         Section 7 – Visual Impact

·         Section 8 – Environmental Monitoring and Audit Requirements

·         Section 9 – Conclusion

·         Section 10 – Implementation Schedule