CONFIDENTIAL # *
8.
(e) the only possible site close to the
border would involve flying over fairly
heavily populated areas of Hong Kong and
China and so would probably not be suitable
for use 24 hours a day (though how much
weight the CPG would attach to the problem
of noise is debatable). There would also
be obstructions that could reduce the
capacity of the airport. The best site
from the point of view of freedom from
environmental constraints seems to be some
25 miles north of the border close to the
Pearl River estuary. But it would not be
practicable in terms of its distance
(f)
from urban Hong Kong. Even for the sites
closer to the border, access would be a
problem. The distance would be greater
than to Chek Lap Kok; and to build adequate
highways would be expensive in financial
terms.
However, without a proper
survey it is difficult to be specific
about how great the problems connected
with sites in China would be;
in
it is most unlikely that agreement could
be reached with China and an airport
constructed in anything like the time
it would take to build an airport at
Chek Lap Kok;
1
1..
G.F. 326
CONFIDENTIAL **