TNAG-0857-FCO40-1067-Legislation-for-piers-and-harbours-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 19

For discussion

22nd May 1979

RESTRICTED

XCR (79)113 Copy No

MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Foreshores and Sea Bed Ordinance

(Chapter 127)

Public Reclamations and Works Ordinance

(Chapter 113)

N

HONG KONG AND CHINA GAS COMPANY LIMITED APPLICATION FOR A GASHOLDER SITE

Annex A

.

The Hong Kong and China Gas Company's existing gasholder at Smithfield, Kennedy Town has a storage capacity of

million cubic feet which is inadequate to meet the expected i increase in the demand for town gas, The Smithfield site is considered to be unsuitable for further expansion and indeed for its present purpose, due to its location within a heavily populated area. The Company has therefore applied for a site to build a gasholder with a storage capacity of 1 million cubic feet in order to replace the one at Smithfield and to meet the increasing demand for town gas; particularly in the rapidly developing areas of Pok Fu Lam' 30 and Aberdeen where the Company is expected to service over 10, 000 new consumers in the next 5 years. Upon the completion of the new gasholder, the existing facility at Smithfield will be demolished and the site redeveloped for non-industrial purposes. (The lot,

(The lot, Inland Lot No 4098 originally held by the Company for a term of 75 years (renewable for a further term of 75 years) from 18th January 1935 under Conditions of Sale by Private Contract was virtually unrestricted as to user other than the usual offensive trade conditions. The old lot was surrendered to the Government in January this year by the Company in favour of an in-situ exchange involving surrender of a strip along Smithfield and permitting the Company to redevelop the site for non-industrial purposes after the removal of the gasholder to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Works. The new lot, Inland Lot No 8450 is situated within a commercial/residential zone in the departmental outline development plan for Kennedy Town).

2

A number of sites in Pokfulam and Aberdeen including that at Wong Chuk Hang Road, Nam Fung Road, Tai Shue Wan reclamation and Ap Lei Chau, have been examined but ruled out after detailed investigations on the grounds that they are either too close to existing or proposed development, or, if they are in remoter areas, there are technical problems in supplying them with electricity, fresh water and diesel oil which are essential for the operation of the holder station. Where such problems could be overcome the cost of provision would be prohibitively high to rule them out as viable propositions.