9. Landscape and visual IMPACT assessment

9.1 General

9.1.1 The landscape and visual impact assessment shall be carried out in accordance with the requirements set out in the EIA study brief (No.: ESB-356/2022), in particular Appendix H, issued to the Highways Department on 14 July 2022. Key objectives of Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment stipulated in the EIA Study Brief are as follows:

• Review relevant outline development plan(s), outline zoning plan(s), development permission area plan(s), layout plan(s), other published land use plan(s), planning brief(s) and/or studies which may identify areas of high landscape value e.g. country park, conservation area, woodland areas.

• Review guidelines on landscape and urban design strategies and frameworks that may affect the appreciation of the Project

• Assess whether the Project can fit into the surrounding setting based on a comparison of the scenarios with and without the Project.

• Identify any conflicts of the Project with the statutory town plan(s) and published land use plans and recommend appropriate follow-up action.

• Assess the cumulative landscape and visual impacts of the Project with other existing, committed and planned developments in the assessment area.

9.1.2 The Project location and boundary is presented on FIGURE 9.1.

9.2 Environmental Legislation, Standards and Criteria

9.2.1 This Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment has been conducted with reference to the local legislation, guidelines, plans and relevant studies as follows:

Environmental Impact Assessment

• Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap.499);

• Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance - Technical Memorandum on EIA Process (EIAO-TM), particularly Annexes 10 and 18;

• Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance Guidance Note No.8/2010 – Preparation of Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance.

Ordinances, Planning and Development Control

• Town Planning Ordinance (Cap. 131);

• Country Parks Ordinance (Cap. 208);

• Forest and Countryside Ordinance (Cap. 96) and Forestry Regulations;

• Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586);

• Hong Kong Planning and Standards & Guidelines (HKPSG), particularly Chapters 4, 10, 11, and Section 7 of Chapter 12.

Tree, Landscape, Slope and Vegetation

• Study on Landscape Value Mapping of Hong Kong by the Planning Department (https://portal.csdi.gov.hk/geoportal/?datasetId=pland_rcd_1634259698832_46814), particularly the Landscape Character Map of Hong Kong.

• Development Bureau Technical Circular (Works) No. 4/2020 – Tree Preservation;

• Development Bureau Technical Circular (Works) No.5/2020 – Registration and Preservation of Old and Valuable Trees;

• Development Bureau Technical Circular (Works) No. 6/2015 – Maintenance of Vegetation and Hard Landscape Features;

• Development Bureau Technical Circular (Works) No.3/2012 – Site Coverage of Greenery for Government Building Projects;

• Development Bureau Technical Circular (Works) No.6/2011 – Maintenance of Man-made Slopes and Emergency Works to Deal with Landslides;

• GEO Publication No.1/2011 – Technical Guidelines on Landscape Treatment for Slopes;

• Guidelines promulgated by the Development Bureau at: https://www.greening.gov.hk/en/home/index.html;

• Guidelines on Aesthetic Design of Pumping Station Buildings promulgated by the Drainage Services Department in Oct 2006;

• Civil Engineering and Development Department Technical Circular No.06/2014 – Vetting Committee on Slope Appearance;

• Environment, Transport and Works Bureau Technical Circulars (Works)(ETWB TC(W)) No. 36/2004 The Advisory Committee on the Appearance of Bridges and Associated Structures (ACABAS).

• HK Plant Database of Hong Kong Herbarium, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (https://herbarium.gov.hk/en/home/index.html);

• Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Conservation Branch, Nature Conservation Practice Note No. 02/ June 2006 – Measurement of Diameter at Breast Height (DBH);

• Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department Publication: Checklist of Hong Kong Plants 2012;

• Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation department publication “Rare and precious plants of Hong Kong 2003”;

• Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Conservation Branch, Nature Conservation Practice Note No. 03 – The Use of Plant Names;

• Xing, et. al. (2000) Hong Kong Vascular Plants: Distribution and Status, Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society, No.23. The University of Hong Kong.

• Greening, Landscape and Tree Management Section, Development Bureau, Guidelines for Greening of Noise Barriers (April 2012).

• Greening, Landscape and Tree Management Section, Development Bureau, Guidelines for Tree Risk Assessment and Management Arrangement (9th edition (Rev.3), 26 January 2022)

9.3 Assessment Methodology

Landscape Impact Assessment Methodology

9.3.1 The Landscape Impact Assessment (LIA) was conducted to assess the potential landscape impacts arising from the Project, with reference to the EIAO Guidance Note No. 8/2010, relevant Annexes of the Technical Memorandum issued under EIAO and all other related prevailing technical circulars/ guidelines. The Landscape Impact Assessment Area covers all areas within 500m from the Project boundary (FIGURE 9.1).

Review of Planning and Development Control Framework

9.3.2 A review of existing planning studies and documents was undertaken as part of the baseline study to investigate the planned uses of land within the Landscape Assessment Area (FIGURES 9.2.1 to 9.2.6). Such information provides a basis to evaluate whether the Project would fit into the planned development framework and be compatible with the planning intention and future outlook of the area.

Identification and Examination of Landscape Resources and Landscape Character Areas

9.3.3 With reference to the most recently published EIA studies, literature, topographical maps and aerial photographs, available landscape resources (LRs) and landscape character areas (LCAs) within the Landscape Assessment Area were identified and mapped on plan based on the government base map.

9.3.4 Supplementary field surveys were conducted by walking along representative transect routes to verify the extent and conditions of the identified LRs and LCAs. Broad-brush vegetation surveys were conducted to survey key vegetation species of the identified LRs. LCAs are broader categorizations than LRs. Each LCA encompasses a number of adjoining LRs in an area which gives an overall impression of the landscape. LCAs in the Landscape Assessment Area were mapped with reference to the Landscape Character Map of Hong Kong and field verification.

9.3.5 Possible landscape resources include physical landscape resources which are natural components of landscape such as soil, vegetation, water bodies (hydrology), geological and topographical features. In urban areas, man-made landscape resources include human/cultural landscape features such as parks, landscaped gardens, recreation areas, open spaces and community spaces. Urbanised areas with densely packed buildings and development infrastructure also comprise landscape resources such as buildings, retaining walls and formed slopes.

Broad-brush Tree Survey

9.3.6 To facilitate the preparation of this LIA, a broad-brush tree survey was conducted to report the findings of preliminary tree survey and initially identify trees which will be potentially affected by the Project. The broad-brush tree survey also aims to identify important tree resources in the 500m Assessment Area, including Old and Valuable Trees (OVTs) and/or Trees of Particular Interest (TPIs) (defined in DevB’s TRAM Guidelines) and any tree species of conservation/ landscape significance. A detailed individual tree survey is being undertaken and the survey findings will be addressed in a Tree Preservation & Removal Proposal to be prepared at a later stage of the Project.

Assessment of Sensitivity of LRs/ LCAs

9.3.7 The sensitivity of LRs and LCAs is rated as ‘high’, ‘medium’ or ‘low’ and are influenced by rarity, importance, quality and maturity, statutory or regulatory limitations/ requirements which affect the significance of the change in local or regional context, and the ability of LRs and LCAs to accommodate change.

• High: The LRs or LCAs consist of or present a prominent degree of value and uniqueness, which would be sensitive to small changes.

• Medium: The value and/or characteristics of LRs or LCAs would be moderately sensitive to changes.

• Low: The value and/or characteristics of LRs or LCAs are generally tolerant to the changes.

Identification of Sources and Magnitude of Potential Landscape Impacts

9.3.8 Potential sources of landscape impacts could arise from both construction and operation of the Project. The magnitude of changes for assessing landscape impacts depends on the following criteria:

• Compatibility of the Project with surrounding landscapes;

• Duration of Impacts during construction and operation phases;

• Scale of development and the extent to which the LRs/ LCAs are impacted;

• Reversibility of landscape change.

9.3.9 The magnitude of landscape change is classified as follows:

• Large: the LRs or LCAs would suffer a major change;

• Medium: the LRs or LCAs would suffer a moderate change;

• Small: the LRs or LCAs would suffer slight or barely perceptible changes;

• Negligible: LRs or LCAs would suffer no discernible change.

Recommendation of Landscape Mitigation Measures

9.3.10 Possible landscape mitigation measures may include minimisation of extent and duration of construction works, adoption of alternative design, and compensatory measures such as provision of landscape planting/ vegetation.

9.3.11 The following approaches, in order of priority, are advocated:

• Avoidance approach: to avoid direct impacts;

• Minimisation approach: to minimise impacts if avoidance is not possible; and

• Compensation approach: to compensate for significant residual impacts when there is no other alternative available.

Significance of Residual Landscape Impacts

9.3.12 The significance of landscape impacts before and after implementation of mitigation and enhancement measures are defined as follows:

• Substantial: Adverse/ Beneficial impact where the proposal would cause significant deterioration or improvement in existing landscape quality;

• Moderate: Adverse/ Beneficial impact where the proposal would cause a noticeable deterioration or improvement in existing landscape quality;

• Slight: Adverse/ Beneficial impact where the proposal would cause a barely perceptible deterioration or improvement in existing landscape quality;

• Insubstantial: No discernible change in existing landscape quality.

9.3.13 The degree of significance of landscape impacts has been derived from the combination of the magnitude of change and the sensitivity/ tolerance of the sensitive receivers to change as shown in Table 9.1A below.

Table 9.1A Matrix of Significance of Landscape Impacts

Magnitude of Change	Large	Moderate	Moderate/ Substantial	Substantial
	Medium	Slight/Moderate	Moderate	Moderate/ Substantial
	Small	Slight	Slight/Moderate	Moderate
	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
Impact Significance		Low	Medium	High
		Sensitivity

Visual Impact Assessment Methodology

9.3.14 The Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) was conducted to assess potential visual impacts arising from the Project with reference to EIAO Guidance Note No. 8/2010, relevant Annexes of the Technical Memorandum issued under EIAO and all other related prevailing technical circulars/ guidelines. The Visual Assessment Area covers up to the visual envelope of the Project.

Identification and Examination of Visual Envelope (VE) and Visually Sensitive Receivers (VSRs)

9.3.15 A Visual Envelope (VE) is the viewshed formed by natural (e.g. ridgelines) or man-made features (e.g. building blocks). The VE within which the proposed scheme/ Project can be seen was initially broadly identified from the review of topographical map. The VE initially defines the limit of visibility of the Project based on the general topography of the Project site and its surrounding areas. However, the actual visibility of the proposed scheme/ Project will be affected by visual barriers/ obstruction from existing features or vegetation. The extent where visual impacts are considered to be perceptible by VSRs, i.e. the Zone of Visual Influence (ZVI) was then verified with field surveys.

9.3.16 In view of the limited scale of the Project (mainly consisting of widening works at the existing highway features), the VIA was prepared to focus on the Primary ZVI within which the Project can be potentially seen by local VSRs.

9.3.17 The local VSRs to be affected by the Project are categorized according to their locations and the types of activities they are engaged in as follows:

• Residential (R) VSRs who view the proposed Project from their homes;

• Leisure (L) VSRs who view the proposed Project when they are enjoying leisure, cultural or recreational activities;

• Functional (F) VSRs who view the proposed Project from their workplaces, institutional and educational buildings; and

• Transportation (T) VSRs who view the proposed Project when they are travelling on foot or vehicles.

Assessment of Sensitivity of VSRs

9.3.18 The sensitivity of VSRs to change is rated as ‘high’, ‘medium’ or ‘low’ as influenced by the value and quality of existing views, availability and amenity of alternative views, type and estimated population of VSRs, duration or frequency of view and degree of visibility.

• High: The VSRs are highly sensitive to changes in their view.

• Medium: The VSRs are moderately sensitive to changes in their view.

• Low: The VSRs are least sensitive to changes in their view.

Identification of Sources and Magnitude of Potential Visual Impacts

9.3.19 Potential sources of visual impacts could arise from both construction and operational phases of the Project. Visual impact assessment shall identify and predict the type and extent of visual impacts relating to visual compatibility with surroundings, visual obstruction and improvement of visual quality. The magnitude of changes for assessing visual impacts includes:

• Compatibility of the Project with the surrounding landscape;

• Duration of impacts under construction and operation phases;

• Scale of development;

• Reversibility of change;

• Viewing distance; and

• Potential blockage of view.

9.3.20 The magnitude of visual change is classified as follows:

• Large: the VSRs would suffer a major change in their viewing experience;

• Medium: the VSRs would suffer a moderate change in their viewing experience;

• Small: the VSRs would suffer a small change in their viewing experience;

• Negligible: The VSRs would suffer no discernible change in their viewing experience.

Identification of Potential Visual Mitigation and Enhancement Measures

9.3.21 Possible visual mitigation measures will primarily take the form of adoption of alternative design/ orientation to avoid or minimize visual obstruction resulting from the Project. Aesthetic treatments to proposed structures and provision of greenery/ screen planting would also alleviate potential visual impacts from the Project.

9.3.22 Computer-generated photomontages were prepared based on photographs taken at selected viewpoints (VPs) to illustrate visual impacts on key VSRs at four stages (existing conditions, day 1 without mitigation measures, day 1 with mitigation measures and Year 10 with mitigation measures), to demonstrate the comparison of scenarios and the effectiveness of proposed mitigation measures over time.

Significance of Residual Visual Impact

9.3.23 The significance of residual visual impacts before and after implementation of mitigation and enhancement measures are defined as follows:

• Substantial: Adverse/ Beneficial impact where the proposal would cause significant deterioration or improvement in existing visual quality;

• Moderate: Adverse/ Beneficial impact where the proposal would cause a noticeable deterioration or improvement in existing visual quality;

• Slight: Adverse/ Beneficial impact where the proposal would cause a barely perceptible deterioration or improvement in existing visual quality;

• Insubstantial: No discernible change in existing visual quality.

9.3.24 The degree of significance of visual impacts were derived from the combination of the magnitude of change and the sensitivity of the visually sensitive receivers (Table 9.1 refers).

Table 9.1B Matrix of Significance of Visual Impacts

Magnitude of Change	Large	Moderate	Moderate/ Substantial	Substantial
	Medium	Slight/Moderate	Moderate	Moderate/ Substantial
	Small	Slight	Slight/Moderate	Moderate
	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
Impact Significance		Low	Medium	High
		Sensitivity

Overall Result of Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment

9.3.25 An overall assessment of the acceptability, or otherwise of the impacts according to the criteria in Annex 10 of the EIAO-TM has been conducted. The overall assessment has been made on the development based on the identified landscape and visual impacts described as follows:

• Beneficial: The impact is beneficial if the Project will complement the landscape and visual character of its setting, will comply with the relevant planning objectives and will improve overall landscape and visual quality

• Acceptable: The impact is acceptable if the assessment indicates that there will be no significant effects on the landscape, no significant visual effects caused by the appearance of the Project, or no interference with key views.

• Acceptable with Mitigation Measures: The impact is acceptable with mitigation measures if there will be adverse effects, but these can be eliminated, reduced or offset to a large extent by specific measures.

• Unacceptable: The impact is unacceptable if the adverse effects are considered too excessive and are unable to mitigate practically.

• Undetermined: The impact is underdetermined if significant adverse effects are likely, but the extent to which they may occur or may be mitigated cannot be determined from the study. Further detailed study will be required for the specific effects in question.

9.4 Review of Planning and Development Control Framework

9.4.1 A review of existing planning studies and documents has been undertaken as part of the baseline study to review the planned use(s) of the Project site, the assessment area for LIA and its landscape context. Such information provides the basis to evaluate whether the Project would fit into the development framework and be compatible with the planning intention and future outlook of the area. The layout of planned land use zones are presented on FIGURES 9.2.1 to 9.2.6.

9.4.2 The review mainly covers five gazette approved Outline Zoning Plans, namely S/YL/26 Draft Yuen Long Outline Landscape Plan, S/YL-PS/20 Approved Ping Shan Outline Landscape Plan, S/YL-TYST/14 Approved Tong Yan San Tsuen Outline Zoning Plan, S/HSK/2 Approved Hung Shui Kiu and Ha Tsuen Outline Zoning Plan, and S/TM-LTYY/12 Approved Lam Tei and Yick Yuen Outline Zoning Plan. The Project site falls within two Outline Zoning Plans, including S/TM-LTYY/12 Approved Lam Tei and Yick Yuen Outline Zoning Plan and S/YL-TYST/14 Approved Tong Yan San Tsuen Outline Zoning Plan.

9.4.3 Table 9.2 indicates the land use zones which will be potentially affected by the proposed widening of Yuen Long Highway. Potential change to the planned land use(s)/ OZP and anticipated future outlook of the area arising from the Project is also presented. Major Road and Junction (~12.96ha or 61.2% of the Project site) and Green Belt (GB) zone (~6.02ha or 28.4% of the Project site) are the largest zones affected by the Project.

9.4.4 All the affected zones are either located within the existing Yuen Long Highway or in the minor fringe areas adjoining the existing highway. The Project is not considered to result in any significant changes to the future outlook of these zones.

Table 9.2 Review of Planning and Development Control Framework
Land Use Zone(s)	Approx. Area within 500m Assessment Boundary	Approx. Area Affected (ha)	Percentage of Affected Land Use Zone(s)	Planning and Conservation Intention	Potential Change to the OZP and the Anticipated Future Outlook of the Area due to the Development
S/TM-LTYY/12
GB - Green Belt	28.66	1.14	4.0%	The planning intention of this zone is primarily for defining the limits of urban and sub-urban development areas by natural features and to contain urban sprawl as well as to provide passive recreational outlets. There is a general presumption against development within this zone.	A small portion of GB zone adjoining the existing Yuen Long Highway will be converted into public road infrastructure. The Project will slightly encroach upon the fringe of GB zone. The future outlook of the major GB zone is not significantly affected.
MRDJ - Major Road and Junction	3.38	0.62	18.3%	This zone is intended for transportation.	Significant change to the intended land use is not anticipated. The Project is compatible with the intended land use.
OU - Other Specific Uses	1.57	0.21	13.7%	This zone is intended primarily for the provision of refuse transfer station.	A very small portion of refuse transfer station will be converted into public road infrastructure. Potential change is considered compatible with the future outlook of the intended land use.

S/YL-TYST/14
G/IC - Government, Institution or Community	14.67	0.16	1.1%	This zone is intended primarily for the provision of Government, institution or community facilities serving the needs of the local residents and/or a wider district, region or the territory. It is also intended to provide land for uses directly related to or in support of the work of the Government, organizations providing social services to meet community needs, and other institutional establishments.	A small portion of the G/IC zone adjoining the existing Yuen Long Highway will be converted into public road infrastructure. The proposed structures (widened roads) are considered fairly compatible with the existing landscape and unlikely to result in any significant changes to the future outlook of the area.
GB - Green Belt	62.21	4.88	7.9%	The planning intention of this zone is primarily for defining the limits of urban and sub-urban development areas by natural features and to contain urban sprawl as well as to provide passive recreational outlets. There is a general presumption against development within this zone.	The fringe area of the GB zone along the west of the existing highway will be converted into public road infrastructure. Some plantation, brownfield sites, village areas are located within the GB zone. A portion of cycling tracks also falls within the affected area. According to the OZP, comprehensive pedestrian, cyclists, road and green transport networks should be devised to improve the existing connections to the YLS(Yuen Long South) area to facilitate YLS development*. The Project is considered to fulfil the planning intention of the area.
I - Industrial	14.8	0.07	0.5%	This zone is intended primarily for general industrial uses to ensure an adequate supply of industrial floor space to meet demand from production-oriented industries.	A very small fringe area of ‘I’ zone along the north side of the existing highway will be converted into public road infrastructure. No significant change to the future outlook of the I zone is anticipated.
MRDJ - Major Road and Junction	29.94	12.34	41.2%	This zone is intended for transportation.	Majority of works fall in this zone. The Project is considered compatible with the intended land use.
OS - Open Storage	5.58	0.22	3.9%	This zone is intended primarily for the provision of land for appropriate open storage uses and to regularize the already haphazard proliferation of open storage uses. It provides for the orderly development of land for open storage uses that cannot be accommodated in conventional godown premises.	A small portion of open storage will be changed to public road infrastructure. The Project is considered compatible with the existing landscape context of this zone. No significant change to the future outlook of the area is anticipated.
OU - Other Specific Uses	12.46	0.45	3.6%	This zone is intended primarily for the provision of petrol filling station serving the needs of local residents as well as the general public.	A small fringe area of ‘OU’ zone along the south side of the highway will be converted into public road infrastructure. No significant change to the major OU zone is anticipated.
R(A) - Residential (Group A)	20.4	0.42	2.0%	This zone is intended primarily for high-density residential developments. Commercial uses are always permitted on the lowest three floors of a building or in the purpose-designed non-residential portion of an existing building. The affected area falls within sub-area RA(2) at the south-west of the Project boundary. The development in this zone shall not result in excess of a maximum plot ratio of 6.5 and a maximum building height of 205mPD.	A small fringe area of R(A) zone will be converted into public road infrastructure. The Project is compatible with the urban landscape context and is not considered to result in any significant change to the future outlook of this R(A) zone.
R(D) - Residential (Group D)	24.0	0.05	0.2%	This zone is intended primarily for improvement and upgrading of existing temporary structures within the rural areas through redevelopment of existing temporary structures into permanent buildings. It is also intended for low-rise, low-density residential developments subject to planning permission from the Town Planning Board. The development/ redevelopment in this zone shall not result in excess of a maximum plot ratio of 0.2 and a maximum building height of 2 storeys (6m).	A very small portion of residential development will be changed to public road infrastructure. The Project is compatible with the urban landscape context and is not considered to result in any significant change to the future outlook of this R(D) zone.
V - Village Type Development	18.84	0.6	3.2%	The planning intention of this zone is to designate both existing recognized villages and areas of land considered suitable for village expansion. Land within this zone is primarily intended for development of Small Houses by indigenous villagers. It is also intended to concentrate village type development within this zone for a more orderly development pattern, efficient use of land and provision of infrastructures and services. The development in this zone shall not exceed a maximum height of 3 storeys (8.23m).	According to the OZP, since there are recognized villages in the area, sufficient land has to be reserved for the future expansion of these existing villages. The existing characters of the established rural settlements, as well as recognized cultural heritage, natural landscape resources and ecologically important features in the area should also be preserved as far as possible. Only a very small fringe area of this V zone (close to the village Fui Sha Wai) along the existing Yuen Long Highway will be converted into public road infrastructure. The V zone is only minimally encroached upon by the proposed works and its future outlook is not considered to be significantly impacted.
*Note: According to OZP: Under the “Planning and Engineering Study for Housing Sites in Yuen Long South – Investigation” (the YLS Study), the YLS area was confirmed as having potential for comprehensive development for housing and other uses with supporting infrastructure and community facilities, which would in turn improve the existing environment in the process. Through comprehensive planning and provision of new infrastructure, YLS would be transformed into an extension of Yuen Long New Town by providing land to meet the medium to long-term housing needs of Hong Kong. According to the Revised Recommended Outline Development Plan (Revised RODP), the YLS Development would be carried out in stages, and would be home to a total population of about 101,200 upon full completion.

9.5 Baseline Study of Landscape Condition

Landscape Resources

9.5.1 Landscape Resources (LRs) within the Landscape Assessment Area (which covers areas within 500m from the Project boundary) have been identified below and shown in FIGURES 9.3.1 to 9.3.6. Representative photographs of LRs are presented in FIGURES 9.4.1 to 9.4.4.

• LR1 Village Settlement

• LR2 Heritage Buildings

• LR3 Brownfield Operation

• LR4 Major Vehicular Road

• LR5 Urban Development

• LR6 Roadside Vegetation

• LR7 Plantation

• LR8 Shrubland/ Grassland

• LR9 Public Open Space

• LR10 Agricultural Land

• LR11 Channelized Watercourse

• LR12 Natural Watercourse

• LR13 Pond

9.5.2 Descriptions of the Landscape Resources in the Assessment Area and the evaluation of the respective sensitivity of the LRs are presented in Table 9.3. The description of existing trees are presented in Appendix 9.2.

Landscape Character Areas

9.5.3 Landscape Character Areas (LCAs) within the Landscape Assessment Area have been identified. Locations of LCAs are indicated on FIGURES 9.5.1 to 9.5.6. The description of each LCA are presented in Appendix 9.2. Photographs of LCAs are presented in FIGURE 9.6. The baseline conditions and assessment of sensitivity of each LCA are described in Table 9.3. Below is a brief summary of the list of LCAs.

• LCA1 Yuen Long Miscellaneous Rural Fringe Landscape

• LCA2 Yuen Long Miscellaneous Urban Fringe Landscape

• LCA3 Kung Um Shan Settled Valley Landscape

• LCA4 Kung Um Shan Upland and Hillside Landscape

• LCA5 Yuen Long Residential Urban Landscape

• LCA6 Yuen Long Urban Park Landscape

Table 9.3 Baseline Conditions of Landscape Character Areas and Landscape Resources
LCA/LR				Description	Approximate area will be affected by the development (ha)	Condition	Sensitivity
LCA1	Yuen Long Miscellaneous Rural Fringe Landscape			This LCA is dominated by village development comprising low-rise village houses, agricultural areas, orchards, ponds, graves and very small portions of scattered brownfield sites. A total of six TPIs (TPI-9 Ficus elastica, TPI-11, TPI-12, TPI-24 and TPI-25 Ficus microcarpa, and TPI-26 Melia azedarach) and one OVT (OVT-1 Ficus microcarpa) are located within LCA1.	4.54	Quality: Low Maturity: Low Rarity: Medium Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Medium	Low
LCA2	Yuen Long Miscellaneous Urban Fringe Landscape			This LCA refers to the former agricultural land/ village development in Yuen Long gradually replaced by clusters of residential developments (building heights ranging from low to medium), industrial buildings and brownfield operations in recent decades. The distribution of brownfield sites are scattered across this LCA. The operation of brownfield sites are multiple, including open storage, parking lots, industrial factories and logistics centers. This LCA also comprises the elevated Yuen Long highway located closed to the foothill of Kum Um Shan. A total of nineteen TPIs (TPI-3 to TPI-8, TPI-10, TPI-14 to TPI-20 and TPI-27 of Ficus microcarpa, TPI-13 and TPI-23 of Bombax ceiba, TPI-21 Ficus virens and TPI-22 Ficus elastica) are located within LCA2.	16.34	Quality: Low Maturity: Low Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: High	Low
LCA3	Kung Um Shan Settled Valley Landscape			This LCA consists of the vegetated areas in governmental facilities, including Tan Kwai Tsuen Fresh Water Reservoir, Tan Kwai Tsuen Salt Water Reservoir, vehicular road, and engineering slope reinstated with plantation on the top.	0.23	Quality: Medium Maturity: Low Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Medium	Medium
LCA4	Kung Um Shan Upland and Hillside Landscape			This LCA is mainly covered by plantation and shrubland at height level approx. 40mPD to 300mPD of Kum Um Shan. A very small portion of plantation has been removed and replaced with occasional village houses and pylons.	0.04	Quality: Medium Maturity: Medium Rarity: Medium Significance: Regional Ability to accommodate change: Low	Medium
LCA5	Yuen Long Residential Urban Landscape			This LCA comprises medium to high-rise residential developments (e.g., Parkside Villa, Villa Art Deco and Hung Fuk Estate) and community facilities (e.g., South Yuen Long Government Primary School, Buddhist Chan Wing Kan Memorial School and Lutheran Academy) adjoining LCA1 or LCA2. The residential developments in this LCA consist of limited commercial activities. TPI-2 Ficus microcarpa is located within this LCA5.	Nil	Quality: Medium Maturity: Medium Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: High	Medium
LCA6	Yuen Long Urban Park Landscape			This LCA consists of district-scale parks predominated by landscapes that serve recreation and urban landscaping purposes such as sport courts and open lawn. This LCA comprises a wide variety of recreational features with designed landscape setting. TPI-1 Ficus microcarpa is located within this LCA6.	Nil	Quality: Medium Maturity: Medium Rarity: Medium Significance: Regional Ability to accommodate change: Medium	Medium
LR1	Village Settlement			This LR comprises low-rise village houses, squatter houses, small-scale agricultural land, vacant areas, open areas and footpaths. Village settlements of Fui Sha Wai and Lam Hau Tsuen were preserved intact. Many of the landscape elements of traditional villages, such as the layout of village houses, the ancestral temples and fung shui ponds at the entrance of the villages are still retained. Other villages within 500m assessment area, such as Tai Tao Tsuen and Tsoi Yuen Tsuen, were fragmented and segregated by brownfield sites or other urban developments. Typical village vegetation species within LR1 include the weedy trees Leucaena leucocephala, and village plantation trees such as Ficus elastica, Ficus microcarpa, Dimocarpus longan, Broussonetia papyrifera, Ficus variegata, Delonix regia and Macaranga tanarius var. tomentosa. A total of four TPIs (TPI-7, TPI-8, TPI-14 of Ficus microcarpa and TPI-26 Melia azedarach) are located within LR1.	1.58	Quality: Medium Maturity: Medium Rarity: Medium Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Medium	Medium
LR2	Heritage Buildings	LR2.1	Ping Shan House, Richmond Fellowship of Hong Kong 利民會屏山樓	This LR is graded as Grade 2 historical building.* It was built in 1922 as a government office, which represented the law and administrative control of the colonial government of the New Territories. In the several decades, the building provides accommodation to the Yuen Long District Office and is used as a halfway house for people to recover from mental illness.	Nil	Quality: Medium Maturity: High Rarity: High Significance: Regional Ability to accommodate change: Low	High
		LR2.2	Ying Hau Temple (Ping Shan) 楊侯古廟(屏山)	This LR is graded as a Grade 3 historical building.* It was built before 1711 for worship the god and bodhisattva. This temple provides accommodation to organize ceremony in the several decades.
		LR2.3	Shrine, Lam Hau Tsuen 欖口村神廳	This LR is graded as a Grade 3 historical building.* It was built in 1700 for worship a number of deities and the Wong ancestor (Family whose settled the village)
		LR2.4	Entrance Gate, Lam Hau Tsuen 欖口村圍門	This LR is graded as Grade 3 historical building.* It was built in 1700 in Qing dynasty to protect villagers reside in the village and guard against any intrusion. In present, villagers organize ceremony at the front of the gate.
		LR2.5	Yan Shau Tong 仁壽堂	This LR is graded as Grade 3 historical building.* It was built in 1924 as a family ancestral hall of Cheungs (Family who inhabited in the village) and school for educating children. This building is served as an important place to organize traditional ceremonies in the several decades.
LR3	Brownfield Operation			This LR refers to the former agricultural land which had been transformed to open storage, warehouses, recycling yards, parking lots, car-washing operations, logistics distribution centres or other industrial/ rural workshops in the recent decades. Fragmented, small patches of trees and vegetation grow around the brownfield lots where growing space is highly limited without regular maintenance. Some trees are attached to temporary structures such as vertical steel fencing. Most trees are in poor quality and condition. Typical tree species include Macaranga tanarius var. tomentosa, Leucaena leucocephala, and Broussonetia papyrifera. A total of four TPIs (TPI-13 and TPI-23 of Bombax Ceiba, TPI-21 Ficus virens and TPI-22 Ficus elastica) are located within LR3	2.35	Quality: Low Maturity: Low Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: High	Low
LR4	Vehicular Road			This LR comprises expressways, trunk roads, district roads and light rails. The landscape elements are mostly concrete/ paved structures with limited vegetation (mostly herbaceous weeds) at the road verges.	13.41	Quality: Low Maturity: Low Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: High	Low
LR5	Urban Development			This LR is identified by its highly developed building blocks, for example, residential buildings estates (height ranging from low to high-rise), industrial buildings between Castle Peak Road and Yuen Long Highway, governmental facilities such as reservoirs and construction sites. The soft landscape of this LR is divided into two types, which is either a well-designed landscape with regular maintenance located in private or public housing estates, or simple landscape with low-maintenance requirements at the governmental facilities or industrial buildings. Dominant tree species species include Aleurites moluccana, Terminalia mantaly, Senna siamea, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Syzygium jambos, Acacia confusa, Celtis sinensis, Casuarina equisetifolia. Two TPIs (TPI-9 Ficus elastica and TPI-10 Ficus microcarpa) are located within this LR5.	0.20	Quality: Medium Maturity: Medium Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Medium	Medium
LR6	Roadside Vegetation			This LR comprises major roadside vegetation along engineered slopes and raised planters on the two sides and central dividers of Highway/ New Territories Circular Road. These screen trees and greening vegetation are subject to relatively much less maintenance when compared with those within Urban Development. A total of nine TPIs of Ficus microcarpa (TPI-15 to TPI-20, TPI-24, TPI-25 and TPI-27) are located within this LR. Three of these (TPI-24, TPI-25 and TPI-27) are located within the Project boundary.	3.45	Quality: Medium Maturity: Low Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Medium	Medium
LR7	Plantation			This LR includes hillside plantation on Kum Um Shan and village plantation which are former farmland or abandon area closed to village area. The plantation on Kum Um Shan was dominated by common typical exotic plantation species for example, Litsea rotundifolia var. oblongifolia, Machilus chekiangensis, Schefflera heptaphylla, Miscanthus sinensis, Blechnum orientale, Indocalamus sinicus, Acacia confusa and Lophostemon confertus.	0.02	Quality: Medium Maturity: Medium Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Medium	Medium
LR8	Shrubland/ Grassland			This LR refers to shrubland/ grassland mosaic Kum Um Shan and abandoned grassy fields in the Assessment Area. In this LR, there are pylons and transmissions cables with no trees or tall construction underneath. The grassland was dominated by grasses Panicum maximum. Other species for example, Bidens alba, Paederia scandens, and Melia azedarach were observed.	0.01	Quality: Medium Maturity: Low Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Medium	Medium
LR9	Public Open Space	LR9.1	Yuen Long Park 元朗公園	This LR is a large-scale open space in urban area to serve territorial population. Park facilities include but not limited to aviary pagoda, open lawn, soccer pitch, gate ball court, and children play area. This LR also includes diverse landscaped scenery such as waterfall, ornamental lake, and fountain plaza. This LR comprises a wide range of well-maintained amenity planting comprising species such as Dypsis lutescens, Magnolia grandiflora, Delonix regia, Terminalia catappa, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Melaleuca bracteata and Lagerstroemia speciosa. One TPI, TPI-1 Ficus microcarpa is located within LR9.1 in the Assessment Area.	Nil	Quality: Medium Maturity: Medium Rarity: Medium Significance: Regional Ability to accommodate change: Low	Medium
		LR9.2	Tan Kwai Tsuen Road Garden丹桂村路花園	These LRs are public open spaces with mixed active/passive uses. Facilities include children playgrounds, benches, shelters, empty open spaces and amenity plantations. These LRs comprise amenity vegetation species including Ficus microcarpa, Albizia lebbeck, Livistona chinensis, Acacia confusa, Grevillea robusta, Roystonea regia and Archontophoenix alexandrae. A total of seven TPIs of Ficus microcarpa (TPI-2 to TPI-6, TPI-11 and TPI-12) and one OVT F. microcarpa (OVT-1) are located in these LRs.		Quality: Medium Maturity: Medium Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Low	Medium
		LR9.3	Fui Sha Wai Playground 灰沙圍遊樂場
		LR9.4	Ping Pak Lane Park 屏柏里公園
		LR9.5	Tong Yan San Tsuen Playground 唐人新村遊樂場
		LR9.6	Ping Shan Lane Garden 屏山里花園
		LR9.7	Fu Pui Garden 虎背花園
		LR9.8	Tong Yan San Tsuen Garden 唐人新村花園
		LR9.9	Town Park South Playground 市鎮公園南遊樂場
		LR9.10	Tan Kwai Tsuen Road Sitting-out Area 丹桂村路休憩處	These LRs are public open spaces primarily for passive use. Major facilities include pavilions and shelters with benches underneath. Elderly fitness facilities were found in Hung Tai Road Sitting-out Area. Some plants are observed in the small to medium size planters including Livistona chinensis, Cinnamomum burmannii, Cinnamomum camphora, Dimocarpus longan, Ixora chinensis, and Lagerstroemia speciosa.		Quality: Medium Maturity: Low Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Medium	Low
		LR9.11	Hung Tak Road Sitting-out Area 洪德路休憩處
		LR9.12	Hung Tai Road Sitting-out Area 洪堤路休憩處
LR10	Agricultural land			This LR includes scattered farmland and orchards which have been used for active cultivation.	0.11	Quality: Low Maturity: Low Rarity: Medium Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Medium	Medium
LR11	Channelized Watercourse			This LR includes the large, man-made channels passing through the plain within the landscape impact Assessment Area. Most of the channels are highly artificial with straightened and concrete riverbed with low water flow.	0.05	Quality: Low Maturity: Low Rarity: Low Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: High	Low
LR12	Natural Watercourse			This LR refers to the natural watercourse running from Hung Shui Hang Irrigation Reservoir on Kum Um Shan down to lowland areas closed to Tan Kwai Tsuen. Plantation was found along the sides of the river on the muddy soil riverbank. A minor portion of riverbank were reconstructed with concrete wall and handrail installed on top to ensure pedestrian safety.	Nil	Quality: Medium Maturity: Medium Rarity: Medium Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Low	Medium
LR13	Pond			This LR refers to the water ponds located within or closed to the village area, farmland or brownfield sites at the north east of the project boundary. Most the ponds are used for irrigation or other purposes such as fish culture. A pond located at the entrance of Fui Sha Wai was used for ornamental function.	Nil	Quality: Medium Maturity: Medium Rarity: Medium Significance: Local Ability to accommodate change: Low	Medium
*Note: The grading of historical building is presented based on the information from Antiquities Advisory Board.

Board-brush Tree Survey Finding

9.5.4 A preliminary tree survey was conducted from February to May 2023 to identify impacts on existing trees arising from the Project. Existing trees within or adjacent to the Project boundary were surveyed and assessed. The survey also aims to identify important tree resources in 500m Assessment Area from the Project boundary, including Old and Valuable Trees (OVTs) and/or Trees of Particular Interest (TPIs) (defined in DevB’s TRAM Guidelines) and any tree species of conservation/ landscape significance. No species of conservation importance is found. TPIs/ OVTs were surveyed and assessed individually. Detailed findings of the broad-brush tree survey is presented in the Broad-brush Tree Survey Report in Appendix 9.1. Based on the initial tree survey findings and the latest Project design, approximately 1401 numbers of trees fall within the project boundary of the proposed road widening works. Approximately 1013 trees are located within the proposed works footprints which will be affected (including two TPIs, TPI-24 and TPI-25 Ficus microcarpa) by the proposed road widening works for which tree transplantation or removal will be carefully considered subject to further checking in the design of the proposed works. These two TPIs will be preserved as far as practicable, and if affected, transplanting will be considered subject to the detailed tree assessment. The remaining 388 trees unaffected by the works will be retained. Results of the broad-brush tree survey are provided in the Broad-brush Tree Survey Report in Appendix 9.1. A detailed individual tree survey is being conducted and the detailed tree conditions and recommendations for existing trees will be provided separately in the Tree Survey Report and Tree Preservation and Removal Proposal at a later stage of the Study.

Table 9.4 Summary of tree treatment

No. of trees surveyed	No. of trees to be retained	No. of trees to be transplanted	No. of trees to be felled	No. of compensatory tree planting
1401	388	2 (Transplantation of 2 affected TPIs (TPI-24 and TPI-25) will be considered subject to the detailed tree assessment.)	1011	1011

9.5.5 A total of 27 nos. of Trees of Particular Interests (TPIs) (trees with trunk diameter ≥1m) are identified within 500m Assessment Area. The condition of TPIs are broadly reviewed and provided in Appendix 9.1. One registered Old and Valuable Tree (OVT) (Registration no. LCSD YL/1), Ficus microcarpa, is identified in Fui Sha Wai Playground, which is within 500m Assessment Area and outside the Project limit.

9.5.6 Locations of OVT and TPIs are indicated in FIGURES 9.3.1 to 9.3.6. Two numbers of TPIs (both are Ficus microcarpa) are located within or closed to the Project footprint and will be preserved as far as practicable, and if affected, transplanting will be considered following the prevailing technical circular promulgated by DevB. The condition of affected TPIs and mitigation/ transplantation/ compensatory plantings for affected trees will be further reviewed in Tree Preservation and Removal Proposal.

9.6 Baseline Study of Visual Conditions

Visual Envelope

9.6.1 A Visual Envelope (VE) within which the proposed works can be seen was identified through topographical analysis. VE initially defines the limit of visibility of the Project based on the general topography of the site and its surrounding areas.

9.6.2 The actual visibility of the proposed works was assessed in the Zone of Visual Influence (ZVI) which was defined by taking account of any localized visual barriers/ obstruction of building blocks, vegetation and other existing features. The extent of ZVI within which visual impacts are considered to be perceptible by VSRs was then verified with field surveys. The ZVI consists of both impacted areas of construction phase and operation phase of the Project. The approximate extent of VE and primary ZVI of Project are shown in FIGURES 9.7.1 to 9.7.10 respectively.

Visual Resources

9.6.3 The key visual resources which are visually attractive to VSRs include:

• Mountain Kum Um Shan with height higher than 300mPD at the south-east side. The mountain is covered with vegetation.

• Yuen Long Highway which is elevated and could be observed by VSRs at a lower level.

• Traditional village areas with heritage buildings, farmland/orchids or large trees with Fung Shui function which dispersed in the plain area from the foothill of Kum Um Shan.

• Well-managed public open space including Tong Yan Shan Tsuen Garden which planted with attractive flowering trees and shrubs.

Visually Sensitive Receivers (VSRs)

9.6.4 Existing key visually sensitive receivers (VSRs) were identified within the primary ZVI and categorized into the following groups according to their viewing locations and the activities they are engaged in. Locations of VSRs and representative viewpoints (VPs) are shown in FIGURES 9.7.1 to 9.7.10. Baseline conditions of the visual quality and assessment of sensitivity of the VSRs and Future VSRs are described below (Tables 9.5 to 9.9) and also summarized in Table 9.10. Future key VSRs were also identified from known concurrent projects/ planned studies (approximate locations of concurrent projects in the Assessment Area are shown in FIGURE 9.11). Locations of potential/ future VSRs are shown in FIGURE 9.8.1 to 9.8.5.

Existing VSRs

Residential VSRs

9.6.5 Residential VSRs are viewers who view the Project site from their homes and are generally considered potentially more sensitive due to high potential of intrusion on their home environment and their perception of quality of life. A total of six key groups of Residential VSRs were identified within the primary ZVI as follows:

Table 9.5 Baseline Visual Conditions of Residential VSRs

ID.	Residential VSRs	Description of view towards the project	Representative VPs	Sensitivity
R01	Residents in the buildings of Tin Yiu Estate and Ping Yan Court	This VSR refers to the residents at high level but located very distant from the Project site. R01 can glimpse a portion of the Project at a long distance. That the viewers would pay very limit attention on the Project.	Similar to VP4, but the viewpoint is at lower level. As R01 located farther than VP4, the Project would occupy much smaller portion of the view of R01. At the same time the view of the Project would be screened off by the tall buildings closed to R01.	Low
R02	Residents in the buildings of Park Villa, Park Signature, Emerald Green, the Eldorado, Kisland Villa, Park Hillcrest and Marbella Gardens	This VSR refers to the residents at high level located distant from the Project. R02 can glimpse a portion of the Project at a long distance.	VP1	Low
R03	Residents in Hung Fuk Estate	This VSR is located at a higher level that the Project will always occupy the lowest portion of the view. R03 can glimpse a small portion of the Project site from a long distance.	Similar to VP1, but R03 would observe the Project at higher level.	Low
R04	Residents in Tong Yan San Tsuen, Sha Tsueng Tsuen, San Hei Tsuen, the Woodsville, Manor Parc and Casa Regalia	R04 can glimpse the Project through the existing vegetation and buildings in the view.	VP1, VP2, VP7	Low
R05	Residents in Fui Sha Wai, Tai Tao Tsuen, Tan Kwai Tusen, Le Regent, Jasper Court, and Wo Ping San Tsuen	Located very close to/ within the Project limit. This VSR may notice the immediate changes at the Project site. Their existing view towards the Project site is largely occupied by highway structures and/or adjacent brownfield sites.	VP3, VP6, VP7	Medium
R06	Residents in buildings of Uptown	The VSR represents the residents living in the high-rise buildings. This VSR, especially the residents at the same level of elevated Yuen Long Highway could notice the project immediately.	Similar to VP6, but R06 would observe the Project at a higher level.	Medium

Leisure VSRs

9.6.6 Leisure VSRs are viewers who are enjoying leisure, cultural, recreational activities and their views could be easily distracted by the immediately adjacent amenity landscapes or the activities they are engaged in. Four Leisure VSRs were identified within the primary ZVI:

Table 9.6 Baseline Visual Conditions of Leisure VSRs

ID.	Leisure VSRs	Description of view towards the project	Representative VPs	Sensitivity
L01	Cyclers on cycling track closed to Yuen Long Highway	A portion of this VSR when they are coming close to the Project boundary can notice the immediate changes at the Project site. View of this VSR is transient.	VP6	Medium
L02	Recreational Users in Tong Yan San Tsuen Garden	L02 can glimpse the Project site which will be largely screened off by the brownfield sites and vegetation nearby.	VP1	Low
L03	Cyclers on cycling track closed to Hung Tin Road	View of L03 is currently occupied by the Hung Tin Road elevated highway. The view will be screened off by the elevated highway and buildings/vegetation closed to the Project.	VP7	Low
L04	Hikers on Kung Um Shan	L04 located at a higher level of Kung Um Shan may notice a portion of Project across a long distance. The view towards the Project is not the major view of this VSR. L04 can enjoy the board-view towards Yuen Tau Shan and overall semi-rural landscape of Hung Shui Kiu is much open and visually attractive to this VSR.	VP4	Low

Functional VSRs

9.6.7 Functional VSRs generally refer to those viewers who view the Project from their workplaces, institutional and educational buildings. These viewers are generally more concentrated on the working or educational activities they are engaged with and are considered to be relatively less sensitive to visual change compared to Residential VSRs. A total of six Functional VSRs were identified within the primary ZVI:

Table 9.7 Baseline Visual Conditions of Functional VSRs

ID.	Functional VSRs	Description of view towards the project	Representative VPs	Sensitivity
F01	Occupants in brownfield, governmental facilities or factories located close to or next to Yuen Long Highway.	F01 can notice the Project at a very close distance. Some of these VSRs may notice trees removed due to the Project.	VP1, VP2, VP3, VP6, VP7	Medium
F02	Occupants on Tan Kwai Tsuen North and South Service Reservoir	F02 can glimpse a portion of Project at a higher level. Their views are screened off by the vegetation surrounding the VSR.	Similar to VP4, but F02 would observe the Project at a lower level.	Low
F03	Occupants on Yuen Long Fresh Water Reservoir, at H.K.W.W. Yuen Long R.G. Filter and Satellite Positioning Reference Station	This VSR is located away from the Project limit. Their views were screened off by the vegetation and brownfield sites.	VP4	Low
F04	Occupants inside the medium-rise industrial buildings.	F04 may notice a portion of the Project from their workplace.	Similar to VP1 and VP7, but F04 would observe the project at higher level.	Low

Transportation VSRs

9.6.8 Transportation VSRs are those pedestrians or vehicular travellers who view the Project site when travelling on foot or on vehicles. Views of travelers are usually highly transient. Sensitivity of travelers are usually lower than static viewers as travelers are expected to be heading to their own destinations and seldom stop by to focus their view on the Project elements. A total of four key groups of travelling VSRs were identified within the primary ZVI:

Table 9.8 Baseline Visual Conditions of Transportation VSRs

ID.	Residential VSRs	Description of view towards the project	Representative VPs	Sensitivity
T01	Travelers along Yuen Long Highway, Tong Tai Road, Fui Sha Wai South Road, Hung Tin Road, Tai To Tsuen Road and Shui Fu Road.	This VSR is located within the Project limit and can notice the Project immediately.	VP5	Medium
T02	Travelers along Tong Yan San Tsuen Interchange	T02 can glimpse the Project which will be screened off by the existing vegetation in the view. This VSR tends to pay attention to road safety rather than the view.	Similar to VP5, but no proposed noise barrier would be observed for T02.	Low
T03	Travelers along Tong Yan San Tsuen Road and Shun Tat Street	This VSR can glimpse the Project which will be screened off by the brownfield sites and vegetation in the front of Yuen Long Highway. The view towards the Yuen Long Highway would be the major view of this VSR.	VP1	Low
T04	Travelers along Castle Peak Road – Hung Shui Kiu	T04 can glimpse the Project at a lower level. A portion of Project would be screened off by the elevated highway of Hung Tin Road.	VP7	Low

Future VSRs

9.6.9 Potential future VSRs have been identified from known concurrent projects (Table 2.4 of EIA Report) as follows:

Future Residential VSRs:

• F-R01: Future residents in Yuen Long Areas 13 &14 Housing Development (Potential)

• F-R02: Future residents in Public Housing Site at Long Bin (Planned)

• F-R03: Future residents in Public Housing Site at Yuen Long South (Planned)

• F-R04: Future residents in Public Housing Site near Tan Kwai Tsuen (Planned)

• F-R05: Future residents in Public Housing Site at Ping Shan South, Lam Tei North and Nai Wai (Planned)

• F-R06: Future residents at social welfare facility (residential elderly home) (Planned)

Future Leisure VSRs:

• F-L01: Future recreational users at open spaces in Yuen Long South (Planned)

• F-L02: Future recreational users at open spaces in the southern external area of Yuen Long New Town (Planned)

Future Functional VSRs:

• F-F01: Future occupants at industrial buildings in Yuen Long South (Planned)

9.6.10 Based on the known construction programmes, the proposed developments at Long Bin (i.e. F-R02) and near Tan Kwai Tsuen (F-R04) will be completed in 2026 and 2027 respectively. The construction and operation phases of the proposed widening of Yuen Long Highway are expected to be visible to these future occupants/ VSRs at these locations. The details of sensitivity of view towards the Project of F-R02 and F-R04 are presented in Table 9.8.

Table 9.9 Baseline Visual Conditions of Future VSRs

ID.	Residential VSRs	Description of view towards the project	Sensitivity
F-R02	Future residents in Public Housing Site at Long Bin (Planned)	This future VSR is located at an elevated level and close to the Project boundary. This VSR would glimpse a portion of the Project which will be significantly screened off by the existing buildings or vegetation at the front of the VSR.	Low
F-R04	Future residents in Public Housing Site near Tan Kwai Tsuen (Planned)	This future VSR located at an elevated level and could notice a portion of the Project.	Medium

9.6.11 The remaining (potential) future VSRs are expected to view only the completed widening works as they will become occupants of the concurrent project sites after completion of the Project. The view towards the Project area of F-L02 are expected to be screened off by the existing Yuen Long Highway outside the Project Limit. The Project is not considered to result in any visual change to these (potential) future VSRs.

Table 9.10 Baseline Conditions of Visual Quality and Sensitivity of Visually Sensitive Receivers (VSRs)

ID	Visually Sensitive Receivers (VSRs)	Type of Existing View			Value and Quality of Existing View (Good/ Fair/ Poor)	Availability and Amenity of Alternative Views (Good/ Fair/ Poor)	Type of Receiver Population (Residential/ Leisure/ Functional/ Travelling)	Estimated Number of Receiver Population (Few/ Typical/ Many)	Duration of View (Long/ Medium/ Short)	Degree of Visibility (Full/ Partial/ Glimpse/ Invisible)	Sensitivity (High/ Medium/ Low)
		RURAL/ DEVELOPED	OPEN/ RESTRICTED	STATIC/ TRANSIENT
R01	Residents in the buildings of Tin Yiu Estate and Ping Yan Court	Developed	Open	Static	Fair	Fair	Residential	Typical	Medium	Glimpse	Low
R02	Residents in the buildings of Park Villa, Park Signature, Emerald Green, The Eldorado, Kisland Villa, Park Hillcrest and Marbella Gardens	Rural	Open	Static	Fair	Fair	Residential	Typical	Medium	Glimpse	Low
R03	Residents in Hung Fuk Estate	Developed	Open	Static	Fair	Fair	Residential	Typical	Medium	Glimpse	Low
R04	Residents in Tong Yan San Tsuen, Sha Tseng Tsuen, San Hei Tsuen, San Hei Tsuen, the Woodsville, Manor Parc and Casa Regalia	Rural	Restricted	Static	Fair	Fair	Residential	Few	Medium	Glimpse	Low
R05	Residents in Fui Sha Wai, Tai Tao Tsuen, Tan Kwai Tusen, Le Regent, Jasper Court, and Wo Ping San Tsuen	Rural	Restricted	Static	Poor	Poor	Residential	Few	Medium	Partial	Medium
R06	Residents in buildings of Uptown	Rural	Restricted	Static	Fair	Fair	Residential	Few	Medium	Partial	Medium
L01	Cyclers on cycling track closed to Yuen Long Highway	Rural	Restricted	Transient	Poor	Poor	Leisure	Typical	Short	Partial	Medium
L02	Recreational Users in Tong Yan San Tsuen Garden	Rural	Restricted	Static	Poor	Fair	Leisure	Few	Medium	Glimpse	Low
L03	Cyclers on cycling track closed to Hung Tin Road	Rural	Restricted	Transient	Fair	Fair	Leisure	Typical	Short	Glimpse	Low
L04	Hikers on Kung Um Shan	Rural	Open	Transient	Fair	Fair	Leisure	Typical	Short	Partial	Low
F01	Occupants in brownfield, governmental facilities or factories located close to or next to Yuen Long Highway.	Rural	Restricted	Static	Poor	Poor	Functional	Few	Short	Partial	Medium
F02	Occupants on Tan Kwai Tsuen North and South Service Reservoir	Rural	Restricted	Static	Fair	Fair	Functional	Few	Short	Glimpse	Low
F03	Occupants on Yuen Long Fresh Water Reservoir, at H.K.W.W. Yuen Long R.G. Filter and Satellite Positioning Reference Station	Rural	Restricted	Static	Fair	Fair	Functional	Few	Short	Glimpse	Low
F04	Occupants inside the medium-rise industrial buildings.	Rural	Restricted	Static	Poor	Poor	Functional	Few	Short	Partial	Low
T01	Travelers along Yuen Long Highway, Tong Tai Road, Fui Sha Wai South Road, Hung Tin Road, Tai To Tsuen Road and Shui Fu Road.	Developed	Restricted	Transient	Fair	Fair	Transportation	Many	Short	Partial	Medium
T02	Travelers along Tong Yan San Tsuen Interchange	Developed	Restricted	Transient	Fair	Fair	Transportation	Typical	Short	Glimpse	Low
T03	Travelers along Tong Yan San Tsuen Road and Shun Tat Street	Rural	Restricted	Transient	Fair	Fair	Transportation	Typical	Short	Glimpse	Low
T04	Travelers along Castle Peak Road – Hung Shui Kiu	Developed	Restricted	Transient	Poor	Fair	Transportation	Typical	Short	Glimpse	Low
F-R02	Future residents in Public Housing Site at Long Bin (Planned)	Rural	Restricted	Static	Fair	Fair	Residential	Many	Medium	Glimpse	Low
F-R04	Future residents in Public Housing Site near Tan Kwai Tsuen (Planned)	Rural	Open	Static	Fair	Fair	Residential	Many	Medium	Partial	Medium

9.7 Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment

9.7.1 Key development components as described in Section 2 of this EIA include:

· Widening of an approximately 1000-metre-long at-grade road section (with 20m long x 8m wide bridge deck at Shui Fu Road) of YLH between Lam Tei Quarry Interchange (LTQI) and Tin Shui Wai West Interchange (TSWWI) (the road levels at about +24 to +37 mPD) from existing dual-three lane to dual-four lane (additional 7.3m width carriageway) at eastbound and one side of the existing YLH supported by slope works, and existing central divider will be adjusted toward south between LTQI and future Ping Shan South Housing Development (PSS), and toward north between PSS and TSWWI;

· Widening of an approximately 600-metre-long at-grade road section of YLH between Tin Shui Wai West Interchange and Tong Yan San Tsuen Interchange (the road levels at about +14 to +19 mPD) from existing dual-three lane to dual-four lane (additional 7.3m width carriageway) at westbound and one side of the YLH support by retaining structures, and existing central divider will be adjusted toward south between TSWWI and TYSYI;

· Widening of an approximately 300-metre-long at-grade slip road connecting Hung Tin Road (southbound) to Yuen Long Highway (eastbound) (the road levels at about +13 to +14 mPD) from existing one lane to two lanes (additional 3.65m width carriageway) support by retaining structures;

· Associated works including civil, geotechnical, slope, road drainage, waterworks, utilities, public lighting, landscaping works, sign gantries modification, noise barrier upgrading/re-provisioning works due to the widening of Yuen Long Highway, traffic control and surveillance system, re-provisioning of facilities affected by the proposed road works and environmental mitigation measures; and

· The interfacing works with other projects including
- Proposed waterworks along YLH eastbound (between Tan Kwai Tsuen Road and Hung Tin Road) under Agreement No. CE 71/2020 (CE) - Hung Shui Kiu / Ha Tsuen New Development Area

- Proposed roadworks along YLH westbound (between TYSYI and TSWWI) under Agreement Nos. CE 58/2019(CE) & CE 16/2022(CE) for Yuen Long South Development

- Proposed roadworks at TSWWI and at slip road connecting Hung Tin Road (northbound) under Agreement No. CE 16/2022(CE) for Yuen Long South Development

- Proposed roadworks along YLH eastbound (between Tai To Tsuen Road and TSWWI) under Agreement No. CE 16/2022(CE) for Yuen Long South Development

9.7.2 During the construction phase of the Project landscape and visual impacts can be resulted from the following sources of impacts:

• Construction activities and their impacts on the existing site:

· Site clearance / removal of or disturbance to existing vegetation

· Site formation and excavation works

· Presence of construction site offices, parking and yards

· Presence of construction equipment, machinery and plant

· Temporary construction storage

· Temporary works hoardings, barriers and enclosures, etc.

• Modification of the existing landform to accommodate the Project;

• Construction of roads including carriageways, cycle tracks, footpaths and noise barriers;

• Construction traffic in the vicinity of the Project Limit;

• Potential night-time glare arising from the lighting of construction activities

• Construction dust and waste materials;

• Landscaping works; and

• Temporary traffic arrangement.

9.7.3 During the operation phase of the Project landscape and visual impacts can be resulted from the following sources of impacts:

• Introduction of new extension of the existing road structures, additional bridge structures in viaduct section;

• Increased traffic and road lighting from the operation of the widened road corridor including carriageways, cycle tracks, footpaths and noise barriers.

• Loss of visual amenity previously present at the Project site – these will include loss of some roadside vegetation and trees from site clearance.

Magnitude of Change of Landscape Quality without Mitigation

9.7.4 Based on the initial review of existing trees within the Project limit, approximately 1013 out of 1401 trees (including two TPIs, TPI-24 and TPI-25 Ficus microcarpa of trunk diameters greater than 1m) will be affected by the proposed road widening works for which tree transplantation or removal will be carefully considered subject to further checking in the design of the proposed works. These two TPIs will be preserved as far as practicable, and if affected, transplanting will be considered subject to the detailed tree assessment. Most of the affected trees are located in LR1 Village Settlement (including approximate 20% of affected trees), LR3 Brownfield Operation (including approximate 13% of affected trees), LR6 Roadside Vegetation (including approximate 67% of affected trees), LCA 1 Yuen Long Miscellaneous Rural Fringe (including approximate 60% of affected trees) and LCA2 Yuen Long Miscellaneous Urban Fringe (including approximate 40% of affected trees). Two affected TPIs, TPI-24 and TPI-25, are in LR6 Roadside Vegetation. Any unavoidably removal or transplanting of trees of particular interest shall be fully justified in accordance with DEVB TC(W) No. 4/2020 and Guidelines for Tree Risk Assessment and Management Arrangement issued by DEVB.

9.7.5 The Project will encroach upon the LRs including LR1 Village Settlement, LR3 Brownfield Operation, LR4 Vehicular Road, LR5 Urban Development, LR6 Roadside Vegetation, LR7 Plantation, LR8 Shrubland/ Grassland, LR10 Agricultural Land and LR11 Channelised Watercourse.

9.7.6 LR1 Village Settlement (~1.58ha), LR3 Brownfield Operation (~2.35ha) are considered to suffer a small magnitude of change given the relatively small areas and/or quantities of trees to be affected by the Project. LR4 Vehicular Road (~13.44ha) and LR6 Roadside Vegetation (~3.45ha, 2 nos. TPIs) are considered to suffer a medium level of landscape change from potential site clearance/ tree removal due to the Project.

9.7.7 For the remaining affected LRs, namely LR5 Urban Development, LR7 Plantation, LR8 Shrubland/ Grassland and LR10 Agricultural Land, only minor fringe areas adjoining the highway will be affected and the magnitude of change is considered to be negligible. All the heritage buildings (LR2) will not be affected by the Project. Except for the two TPIs at LR6 mentioned above, all the remaining TPIs and OVT identified within the 500m Assessment Area are away from the Project site and will not be affected.

9.7.8 The mostly impacted LCAs are LCA1 Yuen Long Miscellaneous Rural Fringe (~4.54ha) and LCA2 Yuen Long Miscellaneous Urban Fringe (~16.34ha). However, the extent of impacts are considered to result in small changes in these LCAs in the overall the Assessment Area. Very minor fringe areas of LCA3 Kung Um Shan Settled Valley Landscape (~0.23ha) and LCA4 Kung Um Shan Upland Hillside Landscape (~0.04ha) will be impacted by the Project.

9.7.9 During the construction phase, the Project is anticipated to result in a Medium level of landscape change in LR4, LR6 and LCA2, Small changes to LR1, LR3 and LCA1, and Negligible changes to the remaining LRs and LCAs without mitigation.

9.7.10 Upon completion of the Project, potential landscape changes to most of the affected LRs and LCAs will become smaller, except for LR6 Roadside Vegetation which is expected to suffer a Medium level of landscape changes from removal of trees/ vegetation if no mitigation measures are to be implemented.

9.7.11 Magnitude of change to landscape resources (LRs) and landscape character areas (LCAs) without mitigation are summarised in Table 9.11 below.

Table 9.11 Magnitude of Change of Landscape Quality without Mitigation

ID	LRs/ LCAs			Source of Impacts	Scale of Development (Large/ Medium/ Small/ Negligible)	Extent of Areas Affected (ha)	Compatibility of Surrounding Landscape (Good/ Fair/ Poor)		Duration of Impacts (Tempoary/ Permanent)		Reversibility of Change (Reversible/ Irreversible)		Magnitude of Change (Large/ Medium/ Small/ Negligible)
							CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.
LR1	Village Settlement			Road widening works; including approximate 20% of affected trees	Medium	1.58	Poor	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Small	Small
LR2	Heritage Buildings	LR2.1	Ping Shan House, Richmond Fellowship of Hong Kong 利民會屏山樓	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR2.2	Ying Hau Temple (Ping Shan) 楊侯古廟(屏山)	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR2.3	Shrine, Lam Hau Tsuen 欖口村神廳	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR2.4	Entrance Gate, Lam Hau Tsuen 欖口村圍門	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR2.5	Yan Shau Tong 仁壽堂	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
LR3	Brownfield Operation			Road widening works; including approximate 13% of affected trees	Medium	2.35	Poor	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Small	Small
LR4	Vehicular Road			Road widening works	Medium	13.41	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Medium	Small
LR5	Urban Development			Road widening works	Medium	0.20	Poor	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Negligible	Negligible
LR6	Roadside Vegetation			Road widening works; including approximate 67% of affected trees and 2 nos. TPIs	Medium	3.45	Poor	Poor	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Medium	Medium
LR7	Plantation			Road widening works	Medium	0.02	Poor	Poor	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Negligible	Negligible
LR8	Shrubland/ Grassland			Road widening works	Medium	0.01	Poor	Poor	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Negligible	Negligible
LR9	Public Open Space	LR9.1	Yuen Long Park 元朗公園	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.2	Tan Kwai Tsuen Road Garden丹桂村路花園	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.3	Fui Sha Wai Playground 灰沙圍遊樂場	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.4	Ping Pak Lane Park 屏柏里公園	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.5	Tong Yan San Tsuen Playground 唐人新村遊樂場	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.6	Ping Shan Lane Garden 屏山里花園	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.7	Fu Pui Garden 虎背花園	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.8	Tong Yan San Tsuen Garden 唐人新村花園	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.9	Town Park South Playground 市鎮公園南遊樂場	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.10	Tan Kwai Tsuen Road Sitting-out Area 丹桂村路休憩處	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.11	Hung Tak Road Sitting-out Area 洪德路休憩處	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
		LR9.12	Hung Tai Road Sitting-out Area 洪堤路休憩處	Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
LR10	Agricultural land			Road widening works	Medium	0.11	Poor	Poor	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Negligible	Negligible
LR11	Channelized Watercourse			Road widening works	Medium	0.05	Poor	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Negligible	Negligible
LR12	Natural Watercourse			Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
LR13	Pond			Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
LCA1	Yuen Long Miscellaneous Rural Fringe Landscape			Road widening works; including approximate 60% of affected trees	Medium	4.54	Poor	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Small	Small
LCA2	Yuen Long Miscellaneous Urban Fringe Landscape			Road widening works; including approximate 40% of affected trees	Medium	16.34	Poor	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Medium	Small
LCA3	Kung Um Shan Settled Valley Landscape			Road widening works	Medium	0.23	Poor	Poor	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Negligible	Negligible
LCA4	Kung Um Shan Upland and Hillside Landscape			Road widening works	Medium	0.04	Poor	Poor	Temporary	Permanent	Irreversible	Irreversible	Negligible	Negligible
LCA5	Yuen Long Residential Urban Landscape			Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible
LCA6	Yuen Long Urban Park Landscape			Road widening works	Medium	0	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	N.A.	Negligible	Negligible

Magnitude of Change of Visual Quality without Mitigation

9.7.12 During the construction phase without mitigation, the Project is considered poorly compatible with the existing views of the VSRs (including R04, R05, R06 and F01) located close to the Project site.

9.7.13 Upon completion of the Project/ during operation phase, the Project is considered to be fairly compatible with the existing views of almost all the VSRs except for R05 and R06 for which the Project elements remain poorly compatible with their views without mitigation.

9.7.14 The Project is considered to result in a Medium level of visual changes to R05, R06, L01 and F01, Small changes for R04 and T01, and Negligible visual changes to the remaining VSRs during project construction and operation without mitigation. The Project is considered to result in Small visual changes to future VSR F-R04, and Negligible visual changes to the F-R02 during project construction and operation without mitigation.

9.7.15 Table 9.12 summarises magnitude of change in visual quality of VSRs before mitigation.

Table 9.12 Magnitude of Change of Visual Quality without Mitigation

ID	Visually Sensitive Receivers (VSRs)	Compatibility of Surrounding Landscape/ Visual Resources (Good/ Fair/ Poor)		Duration of Impacts (Temporary/ Permanent)		Scale of Development (Large/ Medium/ Small/ Negligible)		Reversibility of Change (Reversible/ Irreversible)		Minimum Viewing Distance (m)	Potential Blockage of View (Full/ Partial/ Nil)		Magnitude of Change (Large/ Medium/ Small/ Negligible)
		CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.		CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.
R01	Residents in the buildings of Tin Yiu Estate and Ping Yan Court	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	954.49	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
R02	Residents in the buildings of Park Signature, Emerald Green, The Eldorado, Kisland Villa, Park Hillcrest and Marbella Gardens	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	126.46	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
R03	Residents in Hung Fuk Estate	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	322.55	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
R04	Residents in Tong Yan San Tsuen, Sha Tseng Tsuen, San Hei Tsuen, the Woodsville, Manor Parc and Casa Regalia	Poor	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	83.00	Nil	Nil	Small	Small
R05	Residents in Fui Sha Wai, Tai Tao Tsuen, Tan Kwai Tusen, Le Regent, Jasper Court, and Wo Ping San Tsuen	Poor	Poor	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	0.00	Partial	Partial	Medium	Medium
R06	Residents in buildings of Uptown	Poor	Poor	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	10.56	Partial	Nil	Medium	Medium
L01	Cyclers on cycling track closed to Yuen Long Highway	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	0.00	Partial	Partial	Medium	Medium
L02	Recreational Users in Tong Yan San Tsuen Garden	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	76.04	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
L03	Cyclers on cycling track closed to Hung Tin Road	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	67.18	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
L04	Hikers on Kung Um Shan	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	367.11	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
F01	Occupants in brownfield, governmental facilities or factories located close to or next to Yuen Long Highway.	Poor	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	0.00	Partial	Partial	Medium	Medium
F02	Occupants on Tan Kwai Tsuen North and South Service Reservoir	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	121.97	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
F03	Occupants on Yuen Long Fresh Water Reservoir, at H.K.W.W. Yuen Long R.G. Filter and Satellite Positioning Reference Station	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	311.36	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
F04	Occupants inside the medium-rise industrial buildings.	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	58.46	Partial	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
T01	Travelers along Yuen Long Highway, Tong Tai Road, Fui Sha Wai South Road, Hung Tin Road, Tai To Tsuen Road and Shui Fu Road.	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	0.00	Partial	Partial	Small	Small
T02	Travelers along Tong Yan San Tsuen Interchange	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	119.51	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
T03	Travelers along Tong Yan San Tsuen Road and Shun Tat Street	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	0.00	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
T04	Travelers along Castle Peak Road – Hung Shui Kiu	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	24.96	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
F-R02	Future residents in Public Housing Site at Long Bin (Planned)	Fair	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	97.00	Nil	Nil	Negligible	Negligible
F-R04	Future residents in Public Housing Site near Tan Kwai Tsuen (Planned)	Poor	Fair	Temporary	Permanent	Medium	Medium	Irreversible	Irreversible	74.00	Partial	Partial	Small	Small

Significance of Landscape Impacts without Mitigation

9.7.16 The degree of significance of landscape impacts before implementation of mitigation measures has been derived from the combination of the magnitude of change and the sensitivity/ tolerance of the sensitive receivers to change in accordance with Table 9.1A above and presented in Table 9.11.

9.7.17 The Project will result in loss of approximately 1013 nos. of trees under unmitigated scenario (the exact number of trees requiring tree transplantation or removal will be determined upon completion of the detailed tree survey and will be presented in the Tree Survey Report and Tree Preservation and Removal Proposal to be prepared at a later stage of the Project).

9.7.18 During the construction phase without mitigation, the Project is considered to result in Moderately Adverse impacts to LR6 Roadside Vegetation and LCA2 Yuen Long Miscellaneous Urban Fringe, mainly due to loss of vegetation/ trees. LR1 Village Settlement, LR3 Brownfield Operation, LR4 Vehicular Road and LCA1 Yuen Long Miscellaneous Rural Fringe are expected to experience Slightly Adverse impacts during the construction phase without mitigation. The remaining LRs or LCAs will only experience Insubstantial impacts without mitigation.

9.7.19 During project operation, only LR6 Roadside Vegetation will be Moderately Adversely impacted from loss of trees/ vegetation without mitigation. The remaining LRs and LCAs will experience Slight to Insubstantial impacts without mitigation.

Significance of Visual Impacts without Mitigation

9.7.20 During the construction phase and operation phase without mitigation, the Project is considered to result in Moderately Adverse impacts to R05, R06, L01 and F01 who are located within or very close to the Project site. R04 and T01 located further away are expected to experience Slightly Adverse visual impacts without mitigation. The remaining existing VSRs will experience Insubstantial visual impacts during construction phase and operation phase without mitigation.

9.7.21 Future VSR F-R04 are considered to experience Slightly adverse visual impact, at the same time, VSR F-R02 are considered to experience Insubstantial adverse impact during construction and operation phase.

9.7.22 The degree of significance of visual impacts before implementation of mitigation measures are presented in Table 9.12.

9.8 Mitigation Measures

9.8.1 Mitigation measures follow the principle of Mitigation Hierarchy such that measures are taken to prioritize avoidance of adverse impacts, then to minimise the duration, intensity and/or extent of impacts and finally to mitigate or compensate for the unavoidable impacts.

9.8.2 Proposed landscape and visual mitigation measures are described in Table 9.13 and indicated in the Landscape and Visual Mitigation Plan (LVMP) (FIGURES 9.10.1 to 9.10.4). The construction phase mitigation measures listed below shall be implemented as early as possible to minimise the landscape impacts in the construction stage. The operation phase mitigation measures listed below shall be adopted during the detailed design and be built as part of the construction works at the last stage of the construction period so that they are in place at the date of commissioning of the Project.

9.8.3 Upon completion of the individual tree survey, a detailed compensatory planting proposal will be formulated in the Tree Preservation and Removal Proposal to identify planting locations, quantity and species of compensatory trees to compensate for the potential tree loss due to the Project. Tree compensatory planting should follow DEVB TC(W) No. 4/2020 “Tree Preservation” at a ratio of not less than 1:1 in terms of tree numbers will be required.

Table 9.13 Proposed Landscape and Visual Mitigation Measures

Code	Description	Funding Agency	Implementation Agency	Maintenance/ Management Agency in Operation Phase
Construction Phase
CM1	Careful Site Planning and Management Careful planning of construction site layout to avoid encroachment and minimize disturbance impacts to sensitive landscape and visual receivers, and water bodies such as watercourse. The details of measures for protection of watercourse should be referenced to ETWB TCW No. 5/2005 "Protection of natural streams/rivers from adverse impacts arising from construction works”.	HyD	HyD (via Contractor)	N/A
CM2A	Tree Preservation and Inspection of Tree Works All the existing trees to be retained and not to be affected by the Project shall be carefully protected during construction accordance with DEVB TCW No. 4/2020 - Tree Preservation and the latest Guidelines on Tree Preservation during Development issued by GLTM Section of DevB. Any existing vegetation in landscaped areas and natural terrain not to be affected by the Project shall be carefully preserved. To implement proper tree protection measures, conduct regular tree monitoring and inspection of tree works.	HyD	HyD (via Contractor)	N/A
CM2B	Transplantation of Affected Trees The affected two TPIs (TPI-24 and TPI-25) will be preserved as far as practicable, and if affected, transplanting will be considered subject to the detailed tree assessment.	HyD	HyD (via Contractor)	N/A
CM3	Provision of Decorative Site Hoarding To minimize the visual impact to the VSRs closed the project boundary, decorative site hoarding (which is compatible with the surrounding settings) should be installed around the construction site used to cover the unsightly construction site. Greening measure such as planting of peripheral screening plants/vertical green along hoarding shall be explored.	HyD	HyD (via Contractor)	N/A
CM4	Minimisation of Light Impact To control night time lighting during construction phase, the lighting installation should follow “Guidelines on Industry Best Practices for External Lighting Installations” promulgated by ENB.	HyD	HyD (via Contractor)	N/A
CM5	Reinstatement of Temporarily Disturbed Areas To reinstate disturbed grounds/ landscaped area(s) through revegetation and/or re-provision of pavements/ concrete surfaces	HyD	HyD (via Contractor)	N/A
Operation Phase
OM1	Landscape and Compensatory Planting To provide aesthetic plantings and maximize the greening effect at the Project site, trees, shrubs and ground cover species will be planted at planting areas (as illustrated in the LVMP). The compensatory planting should follow the compensation requirements, including the compensatory ratio, in accordance with DevB TCW No. 4/2020 - Tree Preservation. The size of compensatory trees at their maturity should be appropriate to the location and function in reference to Appendix C of DevB TCW No. 4/2020. For trees to be compensated on slopes, the guidelines for tree planting stipulated in GEO Publication No. 1/2011 should be followed. Number of compensatory trees should refer to Table 9.4.	HyD	HyD (via Contractor)	LCSD / HyD as per DEVB TC(W) No. 6/2015
OM2	Slope Greening and Compensatory Planting To maximize greening opportunities on all newly created slope features/ areas subject to slope improvement works through hydroseeding and/or shrub/ tree planting on slopes. Number of compensatory trees in planting areas should refer to Table 9.4.	HyD	HyD (via Contractor)	Allocatee of the SIMAR slopes as per DEVB TC(W) No. 6/2015
OM3	Provision of Aesthetically Pleasing Design of Noise Barrier To provide responsive design to enhance permeability and appearance of the proposed noise barrier to minimize visual obstruction to key public viewing points. The detail design of noise barriers shall make reference to "Guidelines on Greening of Noise Barriers" published by EPD and HyD in appropriate locations, subject to the agreement of future maintenance departments.	HyD	HyD (via Contractor)	HyD
OM4	Provision of Sensitively Designed Highway Structures The appearance of proposed highway structures will be tally with the existing Yuen Long Highway to minimize the visual changes to VSRs. Greening measures such as climbers along highway structures shall be explored in design stage.	HyD	HyD (via Contractor)	HyD

Predicted Effectiveness of Proposed Mitigation Measures

9.8.4 To illustrate the predicted effectiveness of the proposed landscape and visual mitigation measures, a series of computer-generated photomontages (Figure Nos. FIGURE 9.9.1 to 9.9.8) were prepared at 8 nos. of representative viewpoints (VPs) to provide comparison between the existing views, proposals on day 1 of operation without mitigation, on day 1 of operation after mitigation, and in year 10 after mitigation. The location of VPs are presented in FIGURES 9.7.1 to 9.7.10.

VP1 Tong Yan San Tsuen Garden

9.8.5 VP1 mainly represents the view of L02 Recreational Users in Tong Yan San Tsuen Garden looking north towards the Project site. The viewers can glimpse a small portion the existing highway through the vegetation/ buildings in front of the garden. Upon completion of the Project, the reinstated highway section visible to the viewers appear to be very similar to the existing condition. The viewers are not expected to notice any significant changes from Day 1 of Project operation.

VP2 Park Hillcrest

9.8.6 VP2 is located on the access road immediately next to Park Hillcrest. It mainly represents the view of nearby residents (R02). The Project site only forms a very tiny portion in the middle of the existing view. The viewers are unlikely to percept any discernible changes upon completion of the Project.

VP3 Tai Tao Tsuen Village Road

9.8.7 VP3 mainly represents the views of R05 and F02 the nearby residents or occupants in the brownfield sites who are located immediately next to or within the Project site. The viewers may notice the loss of vegetation/ trees from the Project. However, with implementation of mitigation measures, the proposed road section will become fairly compatible with the existing view at Day 1 and Year 10 operation.

VP4 Public viewpoint at Kung Um Shan

9.8.8 VP4 mainly represents the views of hikers at Kung Um Shan at higher elevation. The Project site is largely screened off by existing trees and appears to be a minor element in the lower portion of the existing view. At the operation phase (Day 1 with mitigation), the Project will appear to be very similar to the existing condition. The Project is expected to be largely screened off by the plantation trees over time as illustrated from the photomontage in Year 10 with mitigation.

VP5 Yuen Long Highway

9.8.9 VP5 represents the view of travellers at Yuen Long Highway. The travellers may notice the proposed noise barriers and changes from the widening of the highway. Views of vehicular travellers are highly transient and the travellers are expected to notice only small visual changes when driving along the road, under either unmitigated or mitigated scenarios.

VP6 Cycling track near Ping Tong Street South and Fui Sha Wai South Road

9.8.10 VP6 represents the view of cyclers travelling along the cycle track. The existing view from VP6 is restricted with existing highway structure. Upon completion of the Project, this section of cycle track will become partially underneath the widened highway. The resulting visual changes are considered to be small given the views of cyclers are highly transient.

VP7 Fui Sha Wai

9.8.11 This VP represents the residential VSR at Fui Sai Wai. A small portion of the highway structure is visible to viewers at VP7. The appearance of the proposed widened road will become very similar to the existing road. The resulting visual impact is considered to be slight.

VP8 Shan Ha Road

9.8.12 This VP represents the view of future recreational VSR F-L02. The Project is expected to be screened off by the existing Yuen Long Highway outside the Project Limit and the Project elements would be invisible to F-L02 at location of VP8. No residual visual impact on VP8 is anticipated.

9.9 Residual Impacts

9.9.1 With implementation of the recommended mitigation measures (Table 9.13 and FIGURES 9.10.1 to 9.10.4) and compensatory tree planting (to be addressed in the Tree Preservation and Removal Proposal), the Project is considered to result in Moderately Adverse landscape impacts to LR6 Roadside Vegetation, Slightly Adverse impacts to LR4 Vehicular Road and LCA2 Yuen Long Miscellaneous Urban Fringe, and Insubstantial impacts to the remaining LRs and LCAs during project construction. LR6 will experience Slightly Adverse impacts at Day 1 Operation with newly planted vegetation/ compensatory trees. The residual landscape impact on LR6 will become Insubstantial when the planted vegetation reach maturity at Year 10. The remaining LRs and LCAs are expected to experience Insubstantial impacts during operation phase after implementation of mitigation measures.

9.9.2 R05, R06, T01, F01 and L01 located within or very close to the Project site will experience Slightly Adverse impacts during construction and operation phases after mitigation. R04 will experience Slightly Adverse impacts during construction phase and the visual impacts will be further reduced to Insubstantial impacts during operation phase. The remaining VSRs will only experience Insubstantial impacts from the Project. Future VSR F-R04 will experience Slightly Adverse impacts during construction phase and will be further reduced to Insubstantial impacts during operation phase. VSR F-R02 will only experience Insubstantial impacts from the Project.

9.9.3 The overall landscape and visual impacts are considered to be Acceptable with full implementation of mitigation measures and compensatory tree planting.

Table 9.14 Significance of Residual Landscape Impacts

ID	LRs/ LCAs			Sensitivity (High/ Medium/ Low)	Magnitude of Change (Large/ Medium/ Small/ Negligible)		Impact Significance without Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/ Slight/ Insubstantial)		Mitigation Measures		Significance of Residual Impacts with Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/ Slight/ Insubstantial)
					CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.	CON.	OP. DAY 1	OP. YEAR 10
LR1	Village Settlement			Medium	Small	Small	Slight	Slight	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR2	Heritage Buildings	LR2.1	Ping Shan House, Richmond Fellowship of Hong Kong 利民會屏山樓	High	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR2.2	Ying Hau Temple (Ping Shan) 楊侯古廟(屏山)		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR2.3	Shrine, Lam Hau Tsuen 欖口村神廳		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR2.4	Entrance Gate, Lam Hau Tsuen 欖口村圍門		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR2.5	Yan Shau Tong 仁壽堂		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR3	Brownfield Operation			Low	Small	Small	Slight	Slight	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR4	Vehicular Road			Low	Medium	Small	Slight	Slight	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4	Slight	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR5	Urban Development			Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR6	Roadside Vegetation			Medium	Medium	Medium	Moderate	Moderate	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4	Moderate	Slight	Insubstantial
LR7	Plantation			Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR8	Shrubland/ Grassland			Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR9	Public Open Space	LR9.1	Yuen Long Park 元朗公園	Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.2	Tan Kwai Tsuen Road Garden丹桂村路花園	Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.3	Fui Sha Wai Playground 灰沙圍遊樂場		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.4	Ping Pak Lane Park 屏柏里公園		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.5	Tong Yan San Tsuen Playground 唐人新村遊樂場		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.6	Ping Shan Lane Garden 屏山里花園		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.7	Fu Pui Garden 虎背花園		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.8	Tong Yan San Tsuen Garden 唐人新村花園		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.9	Town Park South Playground 市鎮公園南遊樂場		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.10	Tan Kwai Tsuen Road Sitting-out Area 丹桂村路休憩處	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.11	Hung Tak Road Sitting-out Area 洪德路休憩處		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
		LR9.12	Hung Tai Road Sitting-out Area 洪堤路休憩處		Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR10	Agricultural land			Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR11	Channelized Watercourse			Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR12	Natural Watercourse			Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LR13	Pond			Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LCA1	Yuen Long Miscellaneous Rural Fringe			Low	Small	Small	Slight	Slight	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LCA2	Yuen Long Miscellaneous Urban Fringe			Low	Medium	Small	Moderate	Slight	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4	Slight	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LCA3	Kung Um Shan Settled Valley			Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LCA4	Kung Um Shan Upland and Hillside			Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LCA5	Yuen Long Residential Urban			Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
LCA6	Yuen Long Urban Park			Medium	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial

*Remarks: “Con.” refers to Construction Phase; “Op.” refers to Operation Phase. All the impacts (except for insubstantial impacts) indicated in the table are adverse impacts unless otherwise specified.

Table 9.15 Significance of Residual Visual Impacts

ID	Visually Sensitive Receivers (VSRs)	Sensitivity (High/ Medium/ Low)	Magnitude of Change (Large/ Medium/ Small/ Negligible)		Impact Significance without Mitigation		Recommended Mitigation Measures		Impact Significance with Mitigation (Substantial/ Moderate/ Slight/ Insubstantial)
			CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.	CON.	OP.	CON.	OP. DAY 1	OP. Year10
R01	Residents in the buildings of Tin Yiu Estateand Ping Yan Court	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
R02	Residents in the buildings of Park Signature, Emerald Green, The Eldorado, Kisland Villa, Park Hillcrest and Marbella Gardens	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
R03	Residents in Hung Fuk Estate	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
R04	Residents in Tong Yan San Tsuen, Sha Tseng Tsuen, San Hei Tsuen, The Woodsville, Manor Parc and Casa Regalia	Low	Small	Small	Slight	Slight	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1,OM3, OM4	Slight	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
R05	Residents in Fui Sha Wai, Tai Tao Tsuen, Tan Kwai Tsuen, Le Regent, Jasper Court and Wo Ping San Tsuen	Medium	Medium	Medium	Moderate	Moderate	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1,OM3, OM4	Slight	Slight	Slight
R06	Residents in buildings of Uptown	Medium	Medium	Medium	Moderate	Moderate	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1,OM3, OM4	Slight	Slight	Slight
L01	Cyclers on cycling track closed to Yuen Long Highway	Medium	Medium	Medium	Moderate	Moderate	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4	Slight	Slight	Slight
L02	Recreational Users in Tong Yan San Tsuen Garden	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
L03	Cyclers on cycling track closed to Hung Tin Road	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
L04	Hikers on Kung Um Shan	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
F01	Occupants in brownfield, governmental facilities or factories located close to or next to Yuen Long Highway.	Medium	Medium	Medium	Moderate	Moderate	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4	Slight	Slight	Slight
F02	Occupants on Tan Kwai Tsuen North and South Service Reservoir	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
F03	Occupants on Yuen Long Fresh Water Reservoir, at H.K.W.W. Yuen Long R.G. Filter and Satellite Positioning Reference Station	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
F04	Occupants inside the medium-rise industrial buildings.	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
T01	Travelers along Yuen Long Highway, Tong Tai Road, Fui Sha Wai South Road, Hung Tin Road, Tai To Tsuen Road and Shui Fu Road.	Medium	Small	Small	Slight	Slight	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4	Slight	Slight	Slight
T02	Travelers along Tong Yan San Tsuen Interchange	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
T03	Travelers along Tong Yan San Tsuen Road and Shun Tat Street	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
T04	Travelers along Castle Peak Road – Hung Shui Kiu	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
F-R02	Future residents in Public Housing Site at Long Bin (Planned)	Low	Negligible	Negligible	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Not Required	Not Required	Insubstantial	Insubstantial	Insubstantial
F-R04	Future residents in Public Housing Site near Tan Kwai Tsuen (Planned)	Medium	Small	Small	Slight	Slight	CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5	OM3, OM4	Slight	Insubstantial	Insubstantial

*Remarks: “Con.” refers to Construction Phase; “Op.” refers to Operation Phase. All the impacts (except for insubstantial impacts) indicated in the table are adverse impacts unless otherwise specified.

9.10 Cumulative Impacts

9.10.1 Concurrent projects located close to and along the Project Area would have potential cumulative impact with the Project. The concurrent projects include road-works and transport system for Route 11 (section Yuen Long and Lantau) and Environmentally-Friendly Transport Services in Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area and Adjacent Areas; and Site formation, infrastructure works for public housing, and development plan at Long Bin, near Tan Kwai Tsuen, Ping Shan South, Yuen Long Lam Tei North, Nai Wai, Yuen North South, Hung Shui Kiu/ Ha Tsuen, Yuen Long Areas 13 and 14.

9.10.2 This Project involves modification and widening of an existing highway structure and is relatively smaller in scale compared to the concurrent projects. With full implementation of the recommended mitigation measures and adequate tree compensation measures, the Project is unlikely to result in significant impacts to the existing landscape and visual context. Considering the scale of road-widening works is small and with the implementation of mitigation measures recommended, no unacceptable cumulative landscape and visual impact is anticipated.

9.11 Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A)

9.11.1 The proposed landscape and visual mitigation measures recommended in Section 9.8 should be fully implemented upon the commission of the Project.

9.11.2 Baseline monitoring prior to the commencement of the construction works should be conducted to review the baseline condition of LRs, LCAs and VSRs within the zone of visual influence.

9.11.3 Implementation of the recommended mitigation measures would be regularly audited during construction phase. Details of environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) requirement are discussed in the separate EM&A Manual.

9.12 Summary

9.12.1 A Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment has been conducted in accordance with the requirements set out in the EIA study brief (No.: ESB-356/2022). Based on this study, landscape resources including LR4 Vehicular Road (~13.41ha), LR6 Roadside Vegetation (~3.45ha) and LR3 Brownfield Operation (~2.35ha) are mostly impacted by the Project. No heritage buildings or Old and Valuable Trees will be impacted.

9.12.2 Based on the preliminary tree survey findings, approximately 1401 nos. of trees are located within the Project Limit, of these approximately 1013 nos. of trees will be affected and tree transplantation or removal will be required. These also include two Trees of Particular Interests (TPIs) of trunk diameters greater than 1m. These TPIs will be affected by the proposed road widening works for which tree transplantation or removal will be carefully considered subject to further checking in the design of the proposed works. These two TPIs will be preserved as far as practicable, and if affected, transplanting will be considered subject to the detailed tree assessment. A detailed tree survey is being undertaken and a compensatory tree planting proposal in terms of 1:1 ratio will be formulated and presented in the Tree Preservation and Removal Proposal at a later stage of the Study.

9.12.3 Landscape and visual mitigation measures are proposed to minimize the impact arising from the Project, for example, careful planning and protection to avoid disturbance to sensitive resources and trees, and provision of temporary screening for sensitive VSRs during construction stage. During operation phase, greening opportunities will be maximized, and sensitively design of highway structure will be adopted.

9.12.4 During the construction phase and without mitigation, the Project is considered poorly compatible with the existing views of four VSRs (including R05, R06, L01 and F01) located close to the Project site. These viewers are expected to experience Medium level of visual changes at Project construction.

9.12.5 R05, R06, L01, F01 and T01 located within or very close to the Project site will experience Slightly Adverse impacts during construction and operation phases after mitigation. R04 will experience Slightly Adverse impacts during construction phase and the visual impacts will be further reduced to Insubstantial impacts during operation phase. The remaining VSRs will only experience Insubstantial impacts from the Project. Future VSR F-R04 will experience Slightly Adverse impacts during construction phase and will be further reduced to Insubstantial impacts during operation phase. VSR F-R02 will only experience Insubstantial impacts from the Project.

9.12.6 Upon full implementation of all proposed mitigation measures and adequate tree compensation, the residual landscape or visual impacts from the Project are almost Insubstantial to most of the affected landscape resources and sensitive receivers, although for some resources, e.g., LR6 Roadside Vegetation, the residual impacts may remain Slightly Adverse during the early operation stages of the Project. Overall, the residual Landscape and Visual Impacts from the Project is considered to be Acceptable with mitigation.