(b)
(c)
-
26
the infrastructure support required to meet the increase in cargo volume moved by road together with the estimated capital cost of such infrastructure support; and
the estimated area of land required for efficient container back-up movements and container storage?
Reply:
Mr President,
The answers to the three parts of this question are as follows:
(a)
(b)
(c)
The acceptability of the port development proposals in environmental terms was addressed in the original Port and Airport Development Strategy (PADS) studies. Although the Port Development Strategy Review did not itself examine the detailed environmental implications of the projected increase in port throughput, this will be the subject of a separate study by the Environmental Protection and Planning Departments of the environmental implications of the projected increase in port and airport throughput. The aim will be to assess all the key issues associated with further economic development in Hong Kong and evaluate their cumulative environmental impacts. This will assist the formulation of plans to achieve a sustainable development pattern for Hong Kong. Full public consultation will be part of this process.
The projected increase in freight traffic will require the provision of new transport infrastructure. A number of projects are planned for this purpose which will not only serve the port, but the whole of Hong Kong. A list of these projects is annexed.
Based on the findings of the 'Study on Port Back-up Land and Open Storage Requirements' published by the Planning Department in 1994, we estimate that a total of about 500 hectares of port back-up land will be required by 2011.