TNAG-1175-FCO40-1477-Proposed-replacement-airport-for-Hong-Kong-at-Deep-Bay-or-Ch-1982 — Page 158

4. NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE SHORT STUDY DID NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES OF VIEW ON THE RELATIVE MERITS OF CHEK LAP KOK AND DEEP BAY. BROADLY SPEAKING THOSE CONCERNED WITH CIVIL AVIATION POLICY ARE CONVINCED THAT

HEK LAP KOK IS THE MORE SUITABLE SITE. THE MAIN CONCERNS ABOUT

DEEP BAY ARE THAT:

A. ITS MAXIMUM CAPACITY WOULD BE LOWER THAN THAT OF CHEK LAP KOK

(ASSUMING SCHEME A WAS CHOSEN)

B. THE NEED TO LIMIT NOISE OVER POPULATED AREAS AND TO

RESTRICT NIGHT FLYING WOULD BE SERIOUS CONSTRAINTS.

C. BECAUSE OF (B), AND THE NEED FOR FLIGHTPATHS TO BE DISTORTED SO AS TO AVOID OVER-FLYING CHINESE TERRITORY THE

AIRPORT WOULD BE LESS EFFICIENT THAT CHEK LAP KOK.

D. THERE WOULD BE PROBLEMS OVER BIRD STRIKE (THE AIRPORT WOULD BE IN THE VICINITY OF THE MAI PO MARSHES).

E. THE OPERATIONS OF MILITARY AIRCRAFT AND HELICOPTERS IN THE

BORDER AREA WOULD BE AFFECTED.

F. A DEEP BAY AIPORT AND ASSOCIATED GROUND/SEA ACCESS COULD BE MORE DIFFICULT AND THEREFORE MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUILD: AND

G. THE POLITICAL PROBLEMS (SEE PARAS 7 - 9 BELOW) COULD

AFFECT USER ACCEPTABILITY.

5. THE DEVELOPMENT ARGUMENTS TEND TO POINT THE OTHER WAY. THEY ARE, IN BRIEF, THATS

1. EXISITING, PLANNED AND POTENTIAL COMMITMENTS IN THE NORTH WEST NEW TERRITORIES COULD GIVE THE AREA A POPULATION OF OVER

ONE MILLION BY THE MID 1990'S.

11. PART OF THE NECESSARY WORK FORCE FOR THE AIRPORT COULD BE FOUND FROM WITHIN THIS POPULATION, AND MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE INDUSTRIES COULD BE CONVENIENTLY ESTABLISHED IN THE AREA.

111. THE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO MEET THE DEMAND OF THIS POPULATION WOULD BE BROADLY SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AIRPORT AS WELL.

IV. BY CONTRAST, THE INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN AN AIRPORT AT CHEK LAP KOK AND THE ASSOCIATED URBAN DEVELOPMENT WOULD MEAN IN EFFECT TRANFERRING DEVELOPMENT TO NORTH LANTAU.

V. HONG KONG MAY NOT NEED, OR BE ABLE TO AFFORD, MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH LANTAU AS WELL AS OTHER EXPENSIVE COMMITMENTS

ELSEWHERE.