TNAG-2663-FCO40-3859-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General.-With-photogra-1992 — Page 57

RESTRICTED

FM BTC HONG KONG

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 345

OF 100645Z DECEMBER 92

RESTRICTED

201

153023

MDLIAN 1224

ра

TOP COPY pa Q DIST? Future

NEW CONSULATE GENERAL: LOCAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE.

1.

THE COMMITTEE MET ON 7 DECEMBER TO REVIEW PROGRESS.

THE BUILDING

2.

са

STC REVIEWED TWO DAYS OF USEFUL DISCUSSION WITH OED IN SEPTEMBER. ALL OF HIS MAJOR CONCERNS (ACCESS, THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE INTERNAL MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE) HAD BEEN FULLY MET AND HE FELT THE OUTCOME WAS VERY SATISFACTORY. HAVING VISITED FARRELL IN LONDON, STC WAS IMPRESSED WITH THEM AS A GROUP.

3.

MR.WHITTLE, OED PROJECT ARCHITECT, GAVE A PROGRESS REPORT. WIDNELL HAD BEEN APPOINTED AS QUANTITY SURVEYORS AND OVE ARUP AS STRUCTURAL AND SERVICE ENGINEERS. THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE COSTS GAVE AN INDICATION THAT THERE WAS AN UNACCEPTABLE INCREASE OVER THE BUDGET PROPOSED BY FARRELL. A LARGE PORTION COULD BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE FALL IN THE VALUE OF THE POUND BUT THERE WAS A NEED TO KEEP TO THE BUDGET AND HE AND GEOFF RIDING, OED QUANTITY SURVEYOR, WERE NOW IN HONG KONG TO DISCUSS WITH SWIRES, FARRELL AND WIDNELL KEEPING COSTS WITHIN BUDGET. THE COMMITTEE WAS REASSURED BY MR.WHITTLE, AND BY MR.NEWEY OF OED IN HIS FAX TO STC OF 30 NOVEMBER, THAT AT THIS STAGE IT IS NOT ENVISAGED THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER REDUCING THE SCOPE OF THE BUILDING.

4.

(NOTE: AT THE END OF HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG, MR.WHITTLE

BRIEFED THE BTC ON THE OUTCOME OF HIS TALKS. CONSIDERABLE

PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE AND THE OUTCOME WAS CONSIDERED VERY

SATISFACTORY BY THE BTC).

THE BRITISH COUNCIL EXPRESSED GROWING ANXIETY AT THE PROBLEMS OF RUNNING/MAINTENANCE COSTS AND THE NEED FOR FIGURES TO PLAN THEIR ACTIVITIES. MR.DAY SUGGESTED THAT THIS WAS OUTSIDE THE REMIT OF THE COMMITTEE: IT WAS AGREED THE MATTER SHOULD BE

PURSUED SEPARATELY.

5. THE FINAL SKETCH PLANS SHOULD BE READY BY END OF JANUARY AND