considering
memorandum
XCC (89) 136 the Council ADVISED and the Governor ORDERED, inter alia, that
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(a)
(b)
carried
-
the Chek Lap Kok Replacement Airport Strategy option should be selected as the long-term planning and development framework for port, airport and related infrastructural facilities for Hong Kong; and
the aim should be to commission the first runway of the Chek Lap Kok Replacement Airport as early in 1997 as possible, in association with which there will need to be provision of new road passenger railway links.
Extensive studies of the Chek Lap Kok site were out in 1982. These proposed that the airport should consist of two runways with at least 900 metres separation. Over 600 hectares of reclamation of foreshore and sea-bed was envisaged at that time.
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A New Master Plan Study commissioned by the Provisional Airport Authority started in July 1990 to prepare a new layout for the airport. The reclamation of the foreshore and seabed might be increased to over 1,000 hectares to accommodate two runways at wider separation. The final runway configuration and area of reclamation will not be confirmed by the Master Plan Study until November 1990. In order to permit work to start on schedule, the project has had to be gazetted this year. The area gazetted has had to be large enough to accommodate the final layout anticipated from the Master Plan Study, and is shown edged, hatched and cross-hatched black on the plan at Annex A. The area of reclamation recommended in 1982 is also indicated by broken black line for reference.
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The time available for the construction of the new airport is extremely short. To enable reclamation works to commence in early 1991 and avoid delay to the target opening date of the new airport, Government gazetted the proposals to dredge and reclaim land in the vicinity of Chek Lap Kok Island on 9 February 1990. Earth moving and reclamation works in respect of the advance works area (the plan at Annex A refers) must commence in January 1991 to facilitate the commencement of major site formation and reclamation works in January In order to meet the extremely tight implementation programme for the new airport, the initial contract for the advance works must be tendered in October 1990; this is dependent on authorisation of the reclamation by the Governor in Council in September 1990.
1992.