CONFIDENTIAL
2.7
In broad terms, it appears that the costs of reclaiming land for airport construction in Deep Bay are of a similar order to the costs of Chek Lap Kok airport reclamation.. Costs for reclamation are conservatively estimated, in view of the lack of hard data, and are of the order of HK$3,700 million. This may be compared directly to similar costs for CLK of HK$3,200 million, (both figures in 1979 dollars). If marine sand were to be used to construct any part of the reclamation, there are indications that the costs would be higher, but uncertainties surrounding the factors affecting sand importation and use preclude quantification for that case.
Two factors concerning source of materials are important to the engineering considerations: 1) availability of onshore borrow from within Castle Peak Firing Range or other sources; and, 2) source and cost of marine sand, if used.
Preliminary design requires development of additional geotechnical and oceanographic information to have credance.
EFFECTS ON DEVELOPMENT
The effects of an airport at Deep Bay upon employment generation will be substantial. The Base Strategy developed in the recent Northwest New Territories Study is unlikely, as it stands, to provide sufficient population to provide this workforce. A strategy for major growth
(including a re-assessed Base Strategy) will have more guarantees of success in terms of achieving rapid growth and balanced development.
The effects upon existing development are very much dependent upon airport operational factors which create very considerable variation in the noise effects of the airport. The Mai Po marshes present a potential bird strike hazard, and measures would in all probability need to be taken to "manage" the habitat to reduce its attractiveness to resident and migratory birds.
The adverse effects of an airport on the Base Strategy as currently proposed are fortuitously small. The proposal for San Tin as "rural centre", however, would probably need re-examination. The proposal to enhance the Mai Po marshes as a nature reserve and wild fowl park would need to be abandoned.
The major growth strategy will need fairly radical reappraisal as result of the airport proposal. The whole of phase II, and a portion of Phase I (affecting the Tin Shui Wai site) are affected by noise and height restrictions. Three options for re-locating this displaced development present themselves, none of which are likely to perform less well in planning terms than the preferred strategy as set out in the Northwest New Territories study.
2-4
CONFIDENTIAL