XN000022-1981-12-18 — Page 6

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1981

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TELEGRAPH BAY RECLAMATION MOD IF IED

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FOLLOWING CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF OBJECTIONS AND CLAIMS LODGED AFTER THE GAZETTING LAST JUNE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO RECLAIM 30 HECTARES OF FORESHORE AND SEA BED IN TELEGRAPH BAY, MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE PROJECT.

THE RECLAMATION HAS BEEN AUTHORISED BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL AND NOTICE OF THIS IS PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE IMMEDIATE PURPOSE OF GOING AHEAD WITH THE RECLAMATION LAY IN THE URGENT NEED TO PROVIDE A SUITABLE SITE FOR ACCOMMODATING SURPLUS SPOIL WHICH WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE SHORTLY FROM A HOUSING AUTHORITY BUILDING PROJECT NEARBY ON AP LEI CHAU. WHEN COMPLETED IN 1988–89, LEI TUNG ESTATE_WILL HAVE MORE THAN 10 000 FLATS, PROVIDING HOUSING FOR 42 700 PEOPLE.

+FAILURE TO AUTHORISE THE RECLAMATION WOULD HAVE LED TO THE NEED TO DEFER THE LETTING OF THE CONTRACT FOR THIS IMPORTANT HOUSING PROJECT, IN TURN CAUSING AN UNACCEPTABLE DELAY TO THE OVERALL HOUSING PROGRAMME, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED.

MAJOR SITE FORMATION WORKS FOR THE HOUSING ESTATE WILL GENERATE SOME 2.1 MILLION CUBIC METRES OF SURPLUS SPOIL.

+HAVING DECIDED THAT THE EXCAVATED MATERIAL SHOULD NOT BE LOST TO THE COMMUNITY BY BEING DUMPED AT SEA, THE GOVERNMENT CONDUCTED A FEASIBILITY STUDY WHICH IDENTIFIED TELEGRAPH BAY AS THE BEST SITE WHERE PROFITABLE USE COULD BE MADE OF THE SURPLUS SPOIL, WHICH IN HONG KONG IS A SCARCE NATURAL RESOURCE,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID IN RESPONSE TO OBJECTIONS FROM PEOPLE LIVING IN THE TELEGRAPH BAY AREA, THE PLAN FOR THE RECLAMATION WORKS HAD BEEN REVISED TO ENSURE THE MINIMUM DISRUPTION TO THOSE RESIDENTS.

THE FILLING MATERIAL WILL NOW BE DEPOSITED DIRECTLY INTO THE BAY FROM BARGES AND AS THE SPOIL WILL REMAIN BELOW THE WATER LEVEL, THERE WILL BE NO NUISANCE FROM DUST. THIS APPROACH WILL ALSO ELIMINATE NOISE POLLUTION THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE CREATED IF THE MATERIAL WAS TO BE TRANSPORTED FROM AP LE! CHAU BY ROAD.+

IT IS UNLIKELY THAT ANY SPOIL WILL BE DUMPED IN THE BAY BEFORE THE END OF NEXT YEAR. THE SECOND PHASE OF THE RECLAMATION WORKS CANNOT BE INITIATED UNTIL THE SEAWALL IS CONSTRUCTED, WHICH WILL PROBABLY NOT BE BEFORE 1984.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE FUTURE USE OF THE RECLAIMED LAND WAS UNDERWAY AND BEFORE REACHING A FINAL DECISION, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE VIEWS ALREADY EXPRESSED BY THOSE LIVING IN THE VICINITY OF TELEGRAPH BAY.

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