TNAG-0962-FCO40-1181-Possible-new-airport-for-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 57

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8.

(e) the only possible site close to the

border would involve flying over fairly

heavily populated areas of Hong Kong and

China and so would probably not be suitable

for use 24 hours a day (though how much

weight the CPG would attach to the problem

of noise is debatable). There would also

be obstructions that could reduce the

capacity of the airport. The best site

from the point of view of freedom from

environmental constraints seems to be some

25 miles north of the border close to the

Pearl River estuary. But it would not be

practicable in terms of its distance

(f)

from urban Hong Kong. Even for the sites

closer to the border, access would be a

problem. The distance would be greater

than to Chek Lap Kok; and to build adequate

highways would be expensive in financial

terms.

However, without a proper

survey it is difficult to be specific

about how great the problems connected

with sites in China would be;

in

it is most unlikely that agreement could

be reached with China and an airport

constructed in anything like the time

it would take to build an airport at

Chek Lap Kok;

1

1..

G.F. 326

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