XN000022-1991-07-03 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 1991

LANTAU THE BEST OVERALL SITE FOR PADS

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THE

GOVERNMENT STILL MAINTAINS THAT THE PROPOSED PORT AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT ON NORTH LANTAU UNDER PORT AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (PADS) REPRESENTS THE BEST OVERALL PACKAGE TO SUIT THE LONG TERM STRATEGIC NEEDS OF HONG KONG AND THE PEARL DELTA REGION AS A WHOLE.

SITING THE NEW AIRPORT AT EITHER TOLO HARBOUR OR CLEAR WATER BAY WILL NECESSITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF TWO SEPARATE, AND EXPENSIVE, SETS OF SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE PORT AND AIRPORT. SUCH UNDUE DUPLICATION OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT IS CLEARLY NOT IN THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG.

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AN OFFICIAL RESPONSE TO THE REPORT OF THE STUDY GROUP ON INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT (SGID) ON "ALTERNATIVE SITES FOR HONG KONG'S REPLACEMENT AIRPORT

A PRE- FEASIBILITY STUDY" SUBMITTED TO GOVERNMENT EARLIER ON, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT TOLO HARBOUR AND CLEAR WATER BAY ARE SUITABLE FOR SITING THE NEW AIRPORT.

WHILST IT FULLY APPRECIATES THAT THE STUDY HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT WITH GOOD INTENTION WITHIN THE LIMITS OF RESOURCES, EXPERTISE AND TIME AVAILABLE TO THE SGID, THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS THE REPORT LACKING IN DETAILED TECHNICAL ANALYSES IN RESPECT OF ABRONAUTICS, TRAFFIC PROJECTIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, AND SO ON, WHICH ARE REQUIRED TO ENABLE A SCIENTIFIC AND SENSIBLE COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT TO BE MADE ON THE REPORT.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID: "FROM THE TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT POINT OF VIEW, SITING THE AIRPORT AT EITHER TOLO HARBOUR OR CLEAR WATER BAY IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY THE TERRITORY, PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO FUTURE PORT DEVELOPMENT.

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"ONE OF THE BASIC PLANNING PRINCIPLES EMBRACED IN PADS HAS BEEN THAT THE PLANNING FOR PORT AND THAT FOR AIRPORT SHOULD AS FAR AS POSSIBLE ACCOMMODATE EACH OTHER.

"ON THE PORT SIDE, FOLLOWING THE TERMINAL 8 AND SOUTHRAST TSING

COMMISSIONING OF CONTAINER CONTAINER TERMINAL 9 ON STONECUTTERS ISLAND AND YI RESPECTIVELY, THE FUTURE EXPANSION OF CONTAINER PORT FACILITIES IN THE LATTER HALF OF THE 1990'S AND BEYOND WOULD MAINLY BE PROVIDED FOR ON THE PROPOSED PORT PENINSULA ON NORTH

LANTAU, " HE SAID.

SITING THE NEW AIRPORT ON CHEK LAP KOK, APART FROM THE VARIOUS ADVANTAGES FOR AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT, WOULD ACHIEVE JOINT USAGE OF THE EXPENSIVE SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED FOR EFFICIENT OPERATION OF BOTH THE PORT AND AIRPORT, AND ENHANCE THE VIABILITY OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM AND THE PORT AND AIRPORT SCHEMES, THE SPOKESMAN

SAID.

/HE ALSO