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THE ENVIRONMENT
It is not always possible to follow this pattern because the demand for land for development in Hong Kong is so high that the government sometimes has to consider temporary (or even permanent) land use which does not conform to the ideal embodied in statutory or outline development plans. In such cases the risk of environmental conflict is high. Such uses are all reviewed carefully, however, and EPD staff now participate in a number of boards and committees for this purpose.
Two recent cases illustrate the need for care. Both concern the redevelopment of industrial land for housing in Tsuen Wan. Both would have placed housing within a few metres of severely polluting industries in one case a cement plant and in the other a building housing many factories. In both cases the planning review was able to identify a number of measures, such as redistribution of the residential tower blocks on the site, noise barriers and so on, without which conditions for residents would probably have been intolerable. The solution in neither case was ideal, and had circumstances permitted it would have been better to develop the housing elsewhere or to redevelop the adjacent industrial lots.
The review procedure, however, has produced real improvements. In future this sort of case should be less common because the government's planners are now able to give more careful consideration to environmental issues.
In strategic planning for Hong Kong's future development, both the need and the opportunity to apply sound environmental policies are even greater. Again, the principle of preventing future problems applies. Major new strategic developments can also serve to redress long-standing environmental problems in the older urban areas. The Port and Airport Development (PADS) study, which was initiated during the year, will provide good opportunities for environmental improvement and detailed mathematical and physical models are being devised to aid strategic planning. These will be used to investigate the complex movements of water in the Victoria Harbour area.
In addition to the proposed massive development around Victoria Harbour, the urbanisation of parts of the New Territories has caused significant environmental prob- lems. In both Tolo Harbour and Deep Bay, the movement of the air and water is limited by the topography of the surrounding land. Pollutants are readily trapped in these areas and the amount of pollution that can safely be absorbed is severely limited. Such areas therefore require special attention, as witnessed by the declining trend of water quality in Tolo Harbour despite the construction of two secondary sewage treatment works. The special requirements of such areas are now being addressed through the formulation and implementation of comprehensive environmental management plans, such as the Tolo Harbour Action Plan described in a later section.
In planning at all levels, the EPD is now equipped to provide detailed assessment and advice on environmental issues. The department uses a suite of computer models to predict air and water dispersion, and acoustic and mathematical models for noise impacts from industry, commerce and transport on sensitive receivers like housing, schools and hospitals.
Legislation and Pollution Control
The Environmental Protection Department is responsible for the implementation of most of the measures contained in the principal environmental protection ordinances.
Water Pollution
Under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO) and subsidiary legislation, Tolo Harbour and Channel have been declared a Water Control Zone (WCZ). Water Quality Objectives have been set based on the beneficial uses of the waters within this zone.