15.1.1
This chapter summarises the overall environmental
outcomes due to the developments at San Hing Road and Hong Po Road, which
comprises a total area of 37.5 ha. It can be seen from Sections 1 to 3 that environmental considerations have been the key
consideration throughout the planning of the proposed land use as illustrated
in the proposed development plan. Alternative options for designs and
construction methodologies have been duly considered. All the options
considered have ensured that environmental impacts could be avoided or
minimised where practicable and mitigated by implementing suitable mitigation
measures to fulfil all the statutory requirements. The technical assessments
conducted (see Section 4 to Section 13)
have demonstrated that all the statutory requirements in EIA Study Brief (No.
ESB-299/2017) and Technical Memorandum on Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIAO-TM) have been complied with.
15.1.2
The following sections summarise the approaches
that have been adopted to either avoid or minimise various environmental
impacts throughout the design process, and the associated environmental
enhancement and compensation plans.
15.2.1
Avoidance of environmental impacts is one of
the key considerations throughout the entire project development and design.
For those impacts that could not be avoided, due considerations have been given
to minimise those impacts as much as practicable so that all the mitigated
environmental impacts would comply with the statutory requirements. For the
proposed development in particular, given the views collated from general public
and green groups, much emphasis has been given to address the natural resources
such as woodland, ecologically sensitive semi-natural stream R1f at HPR Site, crabs species and plant species of conservation interest, etc.
The following approaches to avoid environmental impacts have been suitably
incorporated into the layout plan of the proposed development.
·
Avoidance of encroachment onto recognised sites of
conservation interest;
·
Avoidance of direct impact on crab species and plants
of conservation interest; and
·
Avoidance of direct impact on
watercourses of higher ecological value.
Avoidance of encroachment onto Recognised Sites of
Conservation Interest
Avoidance of Direct
Impact on Crab Species and Plants of Conservation Interest
15.3.1
Other than initiatives to avoid environmental
impacts as summarised in Section 15.2,
efforts have been exercised to minimise those inevitable impacts. The need for any environmental designs
required to mitigate the associated impacts has also been identified and will
be implemented as appropriate. A summary of these approaches is given below:
·
Provision of pedestrian walkways and cycle tracks
for encouraging green commuting within and beyond the PDA;
·
Provision of Covered PTIs;
·
Provision of noise mitigation measures;
·
Provision of sewerage system within PDA and sewage
pumping station; and
·
Provision of ecological
enhancement measures at the retained semi-natural streams for identified species
of conservation interests.
Provision of pedestrian walkways and cycle tracks for encouraging green
commuting within and beyond the PDA
15.3.2
As discussed in Section 1.6, pedestrian walkways and
cycle tracks will be constructed along the proposed Road L7 and the re-aligned
Hong Po Road to promote green commuting. The proposed cycle tracks will be
connected to the nearby residential areas e.g. Tuen
Mun New Town and public transport facilities such as Lam Tei
LRT Station and Sui Hong WRL/LRT Interchange Station where practicable. Upgrading/modification
works to existing footbridge at Ng Lau Road and associated covered walkway are
proposed to improve the walking environment and promote green commuting. All
these measures are proposed to facilitate walking and cycling across the PDA
and in the wider community. These would also in turn help to reduce road-based
traffic and hence their associated vehicular noise and air pollutants emission.
Provision of Covered
PTIs
15.3.3
Two PTIs proposed within the
PDA will be covered to minimise the operational noise to existing and planned
noise sensitive receivers (NSRs).
Providing Noise
Mitigation Measures
15.3.4
A road traffic noise assessment (see Section 5) has been conducted for the
existing and planned NSRs (including residential units, schools, etc.) within
the 300m assessment area of the PDA and the associated infrastructure
works.
The current planning of building block layout has allowed
setback distances as much as practicable. To mitigate the road traffic noise
impact on the existing and planned NSRs within and near the PDA, a combination
of noise mitigation measures have been recommended, including i) application of low noise road surfacing
material along some sections of Project roads (e.g. realigned Hong Po Road) and
other roads, ii) construction of roadside noise barriers along some sections of Project roads, iii) provision of
acoustic windows for the proposed public housing buildings, iv) construction
of boundary wall for the proposed welfare facilities, v) implementation
of on-site noise mitigation measures at TM Area 54 Site 5 by Hong Kong Housing
Authority and vi) restriction on locating the more noise sensitive welfare uses
at façade facing the realigned Hong Po Road and access road in HPR Site. More detailed
description of those direct noise mitigation measures are given in Section 5.7.
Provision of
Sewerage System within PDA and Sewage Pumping Station
Provision of Ecological
Enhancement Measures at the Retained Semi-Natural Streams for Identified
Species of Conservation Interests
Table 15.1 Key
Environmental Problems Avoided and Sensitive Areas Protected
|
Designed Approaches |
Key Environmental
Problems Avoided and Sensitive Areas Protected |
|
Avoidance of encroachment
onto recognised sites of conservation interest |
·
Woodland W2 and the
Conservation Area zone at Chung Shan have been avoided and
will not be encroached by any developments under the Project. |
|
Avoidance of direct
impact on crab species and plants of conservation interest |
·
The upper section of the semi-natural
stream R1f of about 208m long, adjacent
to HPR site, with
totally 4 recorded localities of crab species of
conservation interest , is proposed to be retained
with minimum 6m buffer zone at the southern bank. ·
In order to preserve
in-situ the offsite Aquilaria sinensis along the
proposed Road
L7, L-shaped/bored pile
retaining wall is proposed which has a smaller works
area and can avoid the removal of the plants of conservation interest. |
|
Direct
Impact on Watercourses of Higher Ecological Value |
·
Direct encroachment on natural
streams R1a-e and R1k are avoided. In addition, the refinement of PDA boundary and drainage alignment have been considered to preserve the semi-natural stream at HPR Site
during the planning of the development. |
|
Provision
of pedestrian walkways and cycling tracks for encouraging
green commuting within and beyond PDA |
·
Pedestrian roads and
cycling tracks are planned within the PDA to promote green commuting.
Besides that, this can also reduce road-based traffic and the associated
environmental issues. |
|
Provision
of covered PTIs |
·
Operation noise impacts from proposed PTIs to NSRs
are avoided/minimised. |
|
Provision of noise mitigation
measures |
·
All noise sensitive
receivers within and in the vicinity of the PDA are protected to achieve the
statutory traffic noise criterion. |
|
Provision
of sewerage system within PDA and sewage pumping station |
·
All the areas within
the PDA boundary will be provided with public sewers that convey the sewage to the proposed
SPS. Watercourses within the PDA and in the
vicinity are anticipated to have potential benefits from the improvement in
water quality. |
|
Minimising
Direct Impact on Plants of Conservation Interests |
·
Adjustment of the
alignment of Road L7 to minimise the impact has been considered. |
|
Provision of ecological enhancement measures at the retained semi-natural
streams for identified species of conservation interests |
·
Ecological enhancement
of the retained stream section at HPR Site
is recommended, which will include reinstatement of the disturbed stream
bank by demolition of all existing artificial structures
and provision of buffer zone, followed by planting
of native plants along the reinstated bank and buffer zone. |
Table 15‑2 Key Recommended
Mitigation Measures and Associated Benefits
|
EIA Aspects |
Key Recommended
Mitigation Measures |
Associated Benefits |
|
Air
Quality |
Construction
Dust ·
Implementing relevant control measures as
required in the Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation to
minimise dust generation; and ·
Watering once per hour on exposed worksites and
haul road. Odour ·
Potential odour sources associated with the
proposed sewage pumping station should be enclosed inside reinforced concrete
structure. The foul air will be ventilated to a deodouriser
with odour removal efficiency of 99.5% for treatment before discharge. The ventilation outlet should be located
away from the nearby air sensitive receivers (ASRs) as far as practicable.
The ventilation system shall also maintain a negative pressure within the
facility. ·
For the planned refuse collection points (RCPs)
within the proposed housing sites, the siting should be away from the nearby
ASRs as far as possible. The design of
the planned RCPs should incorporate proper ventilation, deodourisng
and exhaust system to minimize the potential odour nuisance on the nearby
ASRs. |
To minimize the dust nuisance on ASRs during construction phase
and odour impact on ASRs during operation phase. |
|
Noise
Impact |
Construction Noise ·
Use of quiet powered
mechanical plants with lower sound power level, movable barriers, noise insulating fabric and noise enclosures
during the construction phase; ·
Implement recommended
minimum separation distance between critical construction activities and NSRs
(schools during exam period); and ·
Adoption of quieter
construction method for site clearance works. Road Traffic Noise ·
Use
of low noise road surfacing material along some sections of project roads and
other roads;
·
Use of roadside
noise barriers along some sections of project roads; ·
Provision
of acoustic windows for the proposed public housing buildings; ·
Use of boundary
wall for the proposed welfare facilities; ·
Provision of on-site noise mitigation
measures at TM Area 54 Site 5 by Hong Kong Housing Authority; and ·
Restriction
on locating the more noise sensitive welfare uses at façade facing the
realigned Hong Po Road and access road in HPR Site. Rail Noise ·
Provision of acoustic windows for the
proposed public housing buildings to mitigate the rail noise. Fixed Noise Sources ·
PTIs to be decked and avoid direct line of
sight to NSRs Adopt recommended maximum sound power level of the ventilation
fans installed at PTIs. ·
Openings of ventilation system located and
oriented away from NSRs. ·
Installation of silencer/acoustic louvre
for exhaust of ventilation system. ·
Pumps and noisy plants located inside
enclosed SPS building. ·
Proper selection of quiet plant with lower
tonality. |
To
minimize the construction noise on NSRs during construction phase. During the
operation phase, the road traffic noise, noise from fixed noise source and
rail noise on NSRs could be reduced. |
|
Water
Quality |
·
Implementing the mitigation measures recommended
for control of suspended solids release. ·
Implementing site practices as outlined in
ProPECC Note PN 1/94 to control and minimise site
runoff and drainage. ·
Provision of adequate portable chemical
toilets during construction. ·
Install and maintain roadside gullies and
oil/grease interceptors for removal of pollutants from storm water. ·
Develop a contingency plan to deal with
emergency discharge from the sewage pumping station. |
To
minimise the potential water pollution to the nearby water sensitive
receivers (WSRs), thus, the WSRs could be protected in construction and
operation phases. |
|
Sewerage
and Sewage Treatment |
·
Propose new sewerage system for the
unsewered area and sewage pumping station within PDA to ensure proper handling
of sewage flow. |
To
minimise the potential water pollution to the nearby WSRs (i.e. watercourses) by conveying the sewage to downstream
treatment facilities before disposal. |
|
Ecology |
·
The proposed PDA boundary has avoided
direct encroachment on sites of ecological importance, namely woodland W2 and
Conservation Area at Chung Shan, and major natural streams with presence of
species of conservation interest. ·
Direct encroachment on most of the plant
species of conservation interest is avoided. Amongst the 3 individuals of the
affected Aquilaria sinensis,
2 of them (1 seedling and 1 sapling) will be preserved by transplanting. ·
All the recorded localities of the crab species of conservation
interest Somanniathelphusa zanklon
that recorded at the semi-natural stream section R1f are avoided from direct
impact by refinement of the proposed PDA boundary. ·
The unavoidably
affected crab species (One locality
of Cryptopotamon anacoluthon) is recommended to be preserved by translocation at suitable
undisturbed stream habitat. ·
Ecological enhancement for retained
section of the semi-natural stream R1f by reinstating the disturbed stream
bank and the provision of 6m buffer zone by demolition of all artificial
structures, following by planting of native plants is recommended. |
To
avoid the disturbance of ecologically sensitive areas, minimise the impacts
to the floral and faunal species of conservation interest and enhance the
naturalness of the ecologically sensitive semi-natural stream. |
|
Landscape
and Visual |
·
Careful design of proposed Road L7 and to
minimise the impacts to mixed woodland W3 and floral species of conservation
interests. ·
Applying the naturalistic finishing
materials for the proposed housing building blocks. ·
Providing of colour
scheme of chromatic alternation to façade materials and avoiding usage of
monotonous colour that could improve the visual
appearance of building. ·
Implement greening measures, including
roadsides greening and screen planting where practical to improve the
landscape and visual aesthetics. ·
Enhancement by planting of native tree
species and transplantation of affected trees. ·
Applying the green roof and corresponding
landscape work such as planting of climbers, shrubs and bamboo to SPS,
service reservoirs and proposed PTIs area. |
To
provide a disguising effect that merge proposed buildings to surrounding
context visually; while the overall greenery coverage shall be increased. |
|
Waste
Management |
·
Good waste management and control
practices to avoid generation of excessive amount of waste materials. ·
Good site practices to alleviate impacts
related to waste management such as dust, odour and noise. ·
Implementation of a trip-ticket system
promulgated under DEVB TC(W) No. 6/2010 to monitor off-site delivery of
surplus inert construction and demolition (C&D) materials. ·
Handling of chemical wastes in accordance
with the Code of Practice on the Packaging, Labelling and Storage of Chemical
Wastes, and disposal of chemical wastes at licensed chemical waste recycling/
treatment facilities. ·
Employ reputable licensed waste collectors
for disposal of general refuse. |
Implementation
of good waste management to avoid, reuse and recycle the waste materials as
far as practical and fully utilize the waste resources during the construction
and operation. |
|
Land
Contamination |
·
Carry out suitable remediation measures
according to the results from future Site Investigation prior to construction
after land resumption. |
To
provide opportunity to clean up the contaminated land and reduce the potential
risk to health and the environment. |
|
Cultural
Heritage |
·
Declared monument and graded buildings are
avoided. ·
San Hing Tsuen SAI might be impacted by
construction works. Prior to the construction phase, a programme
of archaeological field survey is
recommended to be implemented for the development in northern part upon land resumption and clearance of structures and prior to the
construction phase. If significant deposits or features are
present, follow up mitigation should be recommended. The scope and programme of the archaeological fieldwork would be agreed
with AMO prior to implementation. ·
For the areas with low or no
archaeological potential, works should cease and AMO should be informed
immediately in case of discovery of antiquities or supposed antiquities in
the course of the construction works. Agreement from AMO would be sought on
the follow-up actions if required. |
The
resources on cultural heritage shall be protected. |
END OF
TEXT