XN000022-1991-11-20 — Page 11

10

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1991

MR

ENTIRELY OURSELVES, WE

CONTAINER SEVERAL SURE

FOR CONTAINER

PRESIDENT, DEPUTY

OUR INTENTION TO CONSTRUCT TERMINAL FACILITIES AT TSING YI HAS BEEN PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE FOR YEARS. SINCE IT IS OBVIOUSLY RIGHT THAT WE SHOULD BE THAT NO POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE EXISTS BEFORE COMMITTING ARE

AGAIN BOTH THE TIMING AND SITING REVIEWING YET TERMINAL 9. WE EXPECT TO MAKE A DECISION VERY SHORTLY.

THANK YOU MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT.

0

SITING OF CONTAINER TERMINAL EXPLAINED

* *

* *

THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR GRAHAM BARNES, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT SOUTH EAST TSING YI WAS ALWAYS THE ONLY PLACE THAT WAS FEASIBLE FOR THE SITING OF CONTAINER TERMINAL 9 (CT9) TO MEET THE TIMING AND LOCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS STIPULATED UNDER THE CURRENT PORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

IN WINDING UP THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE, ON THE SUBJECT, MR BARNES SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION OF CHOOSING THAT PART OF THE ISLAND FOR CONSTRUCTION OF CT9 WAS MADE AS THERE WERE EXTREMELY FEW SITES IN HONG KONG WHICH COULD HAVE THE DEPTH, THE ACCESS TO SEA SHIPPING ROUTES, AND BY ROAD TO THE ORIGINS AND DESTINATIONS OF THE CONTAINERS.

MOREOVER, HE ALSO NOTED THAT IT WAS ALSO NECESSARY TO BRING THE TERMINAL INTO OPERATION BEFORE THE FIXED CROSSING ΤΟ LANTAU WAS COMPLETE.

THE COMMENTING ON THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE ISLAND, MR BARNES SAID STRETCH OF THE EASTERN COASTLINE SOUTHWARDS FROM THE SOUTHERN TSING YI BRIDGE DOWN TO THE SOUTH EAST CORNER IS OCCUPIED MORE OR LESS UP TO THE FOOTHILLS BY OIL TERMINALS AND INDUSTRY BUILT ON RECLAMATIONS SERVED BY A SINGLE ROAD BEHIND THE LOTS.

THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SOME CONFLICTING FEATURES" IN THE PLANNING BETWEEN THE SOUTHERNMOST SECTOR OF CHEUNG CHING PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE AND MAYFAIR GARDENS AND SOME OF THESE USES, AND, INDEPENDENTLY OF THE PLANS FOR CONTAINER USE AT SOUTH EAST TSING YI.

TO ALLAY FEARS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, HE NOTED THE GOVERNMENT WAS SEEKING TO EFFECT THE REMOVAL OF ALL THE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS INSTALLATIONS IN THIS AREA. THE RECLAMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEABED FOR CONTAINER USES WOULD INVOLVE A COMPLETE CHANGE IN THE ROAD PATTERN OF SOUTH TSING YI TO TAKE

AND CONTAINER EXISTING INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC AWAY FROM THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.

THAT

HOWEVER,

HE DISCLOSED THAT THE CONTAINER TERMINAL WOULD NECESSITATE THE ΤΟ KWAI CONSTRUCTION OF FOUR EXTRA LANES OF TRAFFIC ON A NEW BRIDGE

WHICH WOULD LEAD DIRECTLY INTO A NEW ROAD BETWEEN THE NEW TERMINALS AND THE LAND PRESENTLY OCCUPIED BY THE OIL

CHUNG CONTAINER TERMINALS.

/HE SAID