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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1989
"THE FINAL OPTION IS TO DEVELOP DOWNWARDS,
IN ROCK CAVERNS,
PL
HE SAID.
IN JUNE LAST YEAR, UNDER THE IMPETUS OF THE METROPLAN, THE GOVERNMENT STARTED ANOTHER EXPLORATORY STUDY FOR CAVERN SITES.
MR BARNES VIEWED THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY ON THE POTENTIAL USE OF UNDERGROUND SPACE (SPUN) WITH CONSIDERABLE OPTIMISM. THEY SHOWED PROMISING RESULTS FOR THE WAREHOUSE, REFUSE TRANSFER STATION AND THE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT SCHEMES.
HE
"ALL SCHEMES WILL RELEASE VALUABLE LAND FOR OTHER USES, SAID,
"ALL THREE CAVERNS INCUR SIMILAR CAPITAL COSTS AS SURFACE ALTERNATIVES. THE SEWAGE TREATMENT AND REFUSE TRANSFER CAVERNS SHOW MARKED ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.
MR BARNES SAID THE CAVERN OPTION FOR OIL AND GAS STORAGE SAVED VALUABLE WATERFRONT LAND WHICH COULD BE RELEASED FOR OTHER USES AND THAT ACCORDING TO THE HAZARD EXPERTS. IT ALSO REDUCED POTENTIAL HAZARD.
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT ALSO LOOKED AT PROVIDING CONTAINER PORT BACK-UP FACILITIES IN CAVERNS.
"HERE AGAIN CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR A CONTAINER FREIGHT STATION ARE COMPARABLE WITH THE ABOVE GROUND ALTERNATIVE, AND, MORE EFFICIENT USE OF LAND LEADS TO A REDUCTION OF ROAD TRAFFIC.
THE TRIAL COMMERCIAL/GOVERNMENT/INSTITUTION AND COMMUNITY (GIC) FACILITY SCHEME BY THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY AT QUARRY BAY CONSISTED OF A HOTEL AND PURLIC OPEN SPACE ABOVE GROUND, LINKED TO A 200,000 SQUARE METRE SHOPPING AND LEISURE COMPLEX BELOW GROUND.
"SUCH A PROJECT IS LIKELY TO BE ATTRACTIVE ΤΟ THE PRIVATE DEVELOPER ONLY AS PART OF A MIXED DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING, SAY, RESIDENTIAL OR OFFICE SPACE. MR BARNES SAID.
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"IT IS ALSO FOUND THAT THE TIME TAKEN TO FORM THE CAVERN IS CRUCIAL TO PROJECT VIABILITY.
"
'SMALL SCHEMES ARE MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN LARGE CONSULTANTS THINK AS A RESULT SEPARATE PROVISION OF MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE.
ONES, AND OUR GIC FACILITIES
HE SAID THE DEVELOPER WOULD FIND TRAT THE GOVERNMENT'S DOOR WAS OPEN AND THAT REGULATORY DEPARTMENTS WERE READY TO TALK IN DETAIL.
"THE TECHNICAL REPORTS OF OUR SPUN STUDY WELL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO INTERESTED PARTIES BY THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE.
"MOREOVER WE INTEND IN 1990 TO PRODUCE AND PUBLISH A DRAFT CODE OF PRACTICE WHICH WILL GIVE GUIDANCE ON ALL REGULATORY ASPECTS OF CAVERN DEVELOPMENT." MR BARNES SAID.
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