22 November 1993
Mr B G Marr
HM Treasury
Parliament Street
London SW1P 3AQ
HONG KONG: NEW CONSULATE-GENERAL
1.
Thank you for your letter of 22 July 1993 which approved
£3 million for the stages up to, but excluding the main works
contract.
2.
We have now completed our appraisals of the Final Sketch
Designs and Report. We conclude that the future Consulate General, as now designed, will satisfy all HMG's post 1997
needs and house them in a fitting building of quality that provides good value for money. The revised total estimate project cost now stands at £28,450,000, which compares with
the Treasury published Supply Estimates for 1993/94 which
state in table 1 that the cost of the project is £29m. The
difference between the current and previous cost estimates is
due mainly to fluctuations in Rate of Exchange; see item 22 of the attached Project Approval Proforma.
3.
I also enclose updated DCF appraisals of both this project and the only other realistic option i.e. renting. As stated
in para 3 of my letter to you of 7 June 1993 we fully appraised in 1989/90 other options and all those that included land cost elements remain relatively much more expensive in
comparison with building on the free Colvin House site.
reasons for discarding other possible options remain as
The
(t.marr.NATjoyce
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