XN000022-1986-11-28 — Page 18

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1986

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AIRPORT HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS REVISED

*****

AMENDMENTS TO AN ORDER GOVERNING HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS IN RESPECT OF AIRCRAFT USING HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WERE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE AMENDMENTS ARE CONTAINED IN THE HONG KONG AIRPORT (CONTROL OF OBSTRUCTIONS) (CONSOLIDATION) (AMENDMENT) ORDER 1986 WHICH EXTENDS THE PRESCRIBED AREAS, REDUCES THE MAXIMUM PERMITTED HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS IN SOME AREAS, AND INCREASES IT IN OTHER AREAS.

THE NEW ORDER WILL COME INTO OPERATION NEXT MONDAY (DECEMBER

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SAID THE HONG KONG AIRPORT (CONTROL OF OBSTRUCTIONS) ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED IN 1957 TO PROVIDE FOR RESTRICTIONS ON BUILDING HEIGHTS REQUIRED FOR AIRCRAFT SAFETY,

1).

THE ORDINANCE WAS AMENDED IN 1966 AND 1967 AND IN 1982. IT WAS CONSOLIDATED INTO THE HONG KONG AIRPORT (CONTROL OF OBSTRUCTIONS) (CONSOLIDATION) ORDER.

THE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS PRESCRIBED HAVE BEEN BROADLY BASED ON INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANISATION (ICAO) STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES, BUT ALSO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION TOPOGRAPHY AND EXISTING BUILDINGS. REVISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE FROM TIME TO TIME AS NECESSARY TO MEET CHANGING SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.

IN 1982 THE ICAO GUIDANCE MATERIAL ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLIGHT PROCEDURES WAS EXTENSIVELY REVISED.

+THIS, COUPLED WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS THE NEED TO DETERMINE HEIGHT LIMITS FOR NEWLY RECLAIMED LAND AND THE NEED TO BRING INTO EFFECT RESTRICTIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF NEW RADIO-NAVIGATIONAL AIDS, INITIATED AN OVERALL REVIEW OF AIRPORT HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

+ ANY BUILDING WHICH EXISTED, OR PLANS FOR WHICH HAD BEEN APPROVED BEFORE DECEMBER 1, WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY EXEMPTED,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE AMENDMENTS WILL MEAN THAT NEW LIMITS ARE MORE STRINGENT FOR PARTS OF SAI WAN HO, SHAU KEI WAN AND CHA KWO LING. DEVELOPMENT OR RE-DEVELOPMENT TAKES PLACE IN THESE AREAS,

WHEN NEW CAPACITY WILL OBVIOUSLY BE REDUCED.

THE

HOWEVER, IN SOME OTHER AREAS INCLUDING CHAI WAN, SIU SAI WAN AND LEI YUE MUN THE REVISED LIMITS WILL MEAN A RELAXATION AND GREATER DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.

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