XN000022-1995-11-22 — Page 24

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Piling works at Ma On Shan site

Following is a question by the Hon Choy Kan-pui and a reply by the Secretary for Housing, Mr Dominic Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

The discovery of underground marble caverns at a public housing site in Area 90 of Ma On Shan has aroused the concern of the existing and prospective residents in that area. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether piling works at that site will cause the ground nearby to collapse, thereby affecting the structural safety of neighbouring buildings;

(b) if the answer to (a) is in the affirmative, whether the responsibility for causing such a danger will rest with the Housing Authority or the building contractor concerned; and

(c) whether there will be potential danger to the structure of the public housing blocks already built above the caverns; if so, what measures the Housing Authority will take to ensure the structural safety of these buildings?

Answer:

Mr President,

Before I actually answer the question and in order to avoid misunderstanding, it would be useful if I give the background on procedures relating to public housing construction in Ma On Shan Area 90. Because it is located in an area designated by the Building Authority in 1993 as a Scheduled Area under the Buildings Ordinance, owing to the existence of underground marble cavities, the design of permanent foundation works is, like other public housing construction in Scheduled Areas, subject to detailed ground investigation, assessment of geological conditions and careful design by qualified professionals in the Housing Department and its consultants. These details must be submitted to the Civil Engineering Department's Geotechnical Engineering Office for checking before the construction work actually begins.