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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. SULKE (in English):-May I just point out that the two standards of measurements used are not compatible, they are quite different.
MR. HU (in English):—It's two different standards, but NC35 to a certain extent is close to DBA35. It's a different standard but the same kind of measurement.
MR. SULKE (in English): It is very important that we are told whether the noise level Government specifies for the helicopter is above ambient level, or is a noise level per se, I can't believe a helicopter only makes 40 DBA. My experience of helicopters especially within about a hundred metres is a noise level over 100 DBA.
MR. HU (in English):—Mr. Chairman, the noise level I have mentioned is inside the Hong Kong Coliseum because the Government has already studied the design of the Hong Kong Coliseum, and that the level I mentioned is not the noise level of the helicopter, but the noise level created inside the Coliseum because of the helicopter.
MR. LO (in English):-Mr. Chairman, a certain make of helicopters has been talked about for and a demonstration will be given using that particular model. Will the Council take into account the fact that in a few years' time, larger, more powerful and more noisy helicopters will come into service?
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, the helicopter which the Macau service will use at this stage is the Sikorsky model S-76 which is a two-engine single-rotor helicopter. Whether they will use bigger and more powerful helicopters will of course remain to be seen.
CHAIRMAN (in English):—You will keep the point raised by Mr. LO in mind?
MR. HU (in English):—Yes.
6. MR. WALTER M. SULKE asked the following question (in English): Why does this Council allow the Contractor now building a playground and carpark for this Council on the piece of land bounded by Sir Cecil's Ride and Wong Nai Chung Gap to use unsilenced equipment, and to use such unsilenced equipment on Sundays and holidays? Why does the Council not give an example to other developers and prohibit its contractors from using noisy equipment on all Sundays and holidays and makes sure that during weekdays only silenced equipment is used, especially in recreation areas like Sir Cecil's Ride which are surrounded by quiet residential areas. And did this Council and Department give permission to the developer at Sir Cecil's Ride, for the erection of a hideous and unnecessary fence which necessitated the felling of at least 50 living growing trees at the entrance to a country park?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
CHAIRMAN (in English):--The reply will be in two parts, firstly by Dr. Denny HUANG and secondly by Mr. Kenneth Lo.
DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-The question concerns the use of unsilenced equipment on a construction site at Sir Cecil's Ride and Wong Nai Chung Gap and the felling of trees in the vicinity.
The construction site in question is RBL1055 at Wong Nai Chung Gap on which a private developer is erecting residential blocks. The development itself is not an Urban Council project though it will include a car park and a playground for the Urban Council as one of the conditions for the development. All private building sites are subject to Section 13 of the Summary Offences Ordinance which prohibits generally the use of powered mechanical equipment between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. daily and on all public holidays and Sundays unless a special permit from the Government is obtained. The Buildings Ordinance Department has informed the Department that no permit has been issued for the Contractor at the site in question authorizing him to use powered mechanical equipment during the restricted hours. A complaint has been referred to the Police for investigation.
As regards the question of prohibiting contractors working on UC projects from using noisy equipment on Sundays and holidays, Members will recall that the general question of the use of properly silenced equipment on construction sites was discussed at the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee in July this year. At the meeting, Members agreed in principle that silenced equipment should be used at UC construction sites. However, it was noted that the main purpose of minimizing noise pollution would not be achieved if the Council unilaterally required the compulsory use of silenced equipment at UC construction sites at a time when this was not the general practice. The Council has therefore asked the Government to take steps to make the use of silenced equipment on construction sites mandatory as soon as possible.
The question of the felling of trees is not within the competence of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee and I therefore would be grateful if Mr. Lo would answer the second part of the question.
MR. KENNETH T. C. LO, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):—With regard to the erection of a fence and the felling of trees near the entrance to the country park, I understand that the project architect for the development of RBL1055 (which is not a UC project) has obtained approval from the Lands Department to erect hoardings along a short section of Sir Cecil's Ride, which is to be realigned, and to fell a number of trees where this is necessary for the development. These are not roadside trees and thus not under the jurisdiction of the Urban Council.
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