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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
1992, (i.e. a month after the old Stadium was demolished and construction work had commenced) EPD gave their comments on the report to HOK. The proposed changes of design include repositioning the stage from north end to south end. However, as the construction of the new Stadium had commenced, it was considered too late to change the design to accommodate EPD's advice. Meanwhile the architects agreed to ask their consultant to consider other measures to reduce the possible noise nuisance. A series of discussions among the various parties were held in the following months with a view to resolving the issue. In April 1993, the Wembley International (HK) Ltd. was appointed as manager of the Stadium and they were immediately tasked to take up the matter with EPD.
Several meetings were held between Wembley International (HK) Ltd. and EPD with a view to resolving the matter. In December 1993, an Environmental Noise Assessment Report was produced by a consultant commissioned by Wembley and the report was promptly passed to EPD for comments. The report concluded that on the whole the new Stadium would be suitable for staging large-scale concerts after introducing some noise abatement measures. In February 1994, EPD, after studying the report, still had reservations on the proposed mitigating measures to abate noise nuisance being generated by concerts. Nevertheless, EPD undertook to monitor the noise level in the first three months of the opening of the Stadium, i.e. March-June 1994, in order to verify the predictions of the noise level projected by the consultant in the report. The Stadium Board of Governors instructed the Stadium Manager to work closely together with EPD on various noise abatement measures. I now come to the last part of Ms. Anna TANG's question. As a responsible public body, this Council realised that the noise generated by amplified concerts had caused concern to nearby residents. The Board of Governors (BOG) at its meeting on 24 March 1994 considered various options to deal with the noise problem. As a result, the BOG decided to take a series of noise abatement measures at the Stadium with effect from 30 March 1994. These measures broadly fall into two groups: administrative and technical remedials.
First, the administrative Remedial Measures
(a) All future contracts with hirers will require them to comply with, among other things, noise levels which are acceptable to the Noise Control Authority. Promoters who are unable to make such promises will not be allowed to hire the Stadium.
(b) Where possible, pop concerts staged at the Stadium will be scheduled for the weekends. Concert promoters will be encouraged to stage such concerts before 7.00 p.m. For example, day shows during 2.00 p.m.-5.30 p.m., or early evening shows during 4.30 p.m.-7.00 p.m. Concerts staged at night must end at 10.30 p.m., and this will be written into all future hiring contracts.
(c) As far as possible, shows at the Stadium will not clash with other major events in the area (e.g. horse racing events at Happy Valley) to minimise traffic congestion.
(d) The Stadium's housekeeping (operational) plans will be tightened up e.g. activities such as setting up/dismantling of stage, rehearsals, making announcements through the public address system and advertising through the Diamond Vision, will as far as practicable comply with Noise Control Authority requirements at all times.
These measures will be reviewed regularly by the Board of Governors. Adjustments will be made as necessary in the light of actual operational experience.
I shall now elaborate on the various Technical Remedial Measures. The acoustics expert engaged by Wembley has identified a package of technical measures to abate the noise nuisance. These measures were partly implemented by 9 April, and joint monitoring were conducted by the acoustics expert and EPD for the Stadium events on 9 and 10 April to ascertain their effectiveness. The overall results indicate considerable improvement on noise abatement. These technical measures include:
(a) The concert Sound System will be tilted at least 20 degrees from vertical towards the audience seated on the pitch. The system will be designed to provide coverage to the front to middle area of the pitch only.
(b) A small delay tower speaker system will be located at the rear of the mixer position to provide coverage to the rear area of the pitch/seating.
(c) Sound coverage to the West and East Stands is to be provided through the Stadium house system. Each speaker cluster will be delayed in time with respect to the concert system.
(d) The LAeq noise level measures at the mixer position over any 15 minutes period of the concert will not exceed 90 dB(A). This may be modified following the sound propagation tests carried out prior to the start of the event, and with the advice of the EPD.
(e) The noise barrier erected by the parapet wall at the northeast corner of the Stadium (in the direction of the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital) will be constructed to a height of at least 4.5 m above the floor level at that location, subject to constructural constraints. It will have a superficial mass of at least 10 Kg/m2 (e.g. minimum 12 mm chipboard).
(f) If possible, the stage will be repositioned in the centre of the pitch or at the south end (instead of the existing north end) of the Stadium so that the noise from the stage will not aim directly at the residential blocks in the vicinity of the Stadium.
We believed that these measures will assist compliance with the Noise Abatement Notice and will minimise the number of complaints on noise in future.
The Stadium Manager has also been asked to develop better communication with neighbouring residents' groups to receive their comments and suggestions on these noise abatement measures.
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5
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
1992, (i.e. a month after the old Stadium was demolished and construction work had commenced) EPD gave their comments on the report to HOK. The proposed changes of design include repositioning the stage from north end to south end. However, as the construction of the new Stadium had commenced, it was considered too late to change the design to accommodate EPD's advice. Meanwhile the architects agreed to ask their consultant to consider other measures to reduce the possible noise nuisance. A series of discussions among the various parties were held in the following months with a view to resolving the issue. In April 1993, the Wembley International (HK) Ltd. was appointed as manager of the Stadium and they were immediately tasked to take up the matter with EPD.
Several meetings were held between Wembley International (HK) Ltd. and EPD with a view to resolving the matter. In December 1993, an Environmental Noise Assessment Report was produced by a consultant commissioned by Wembley and the report was promptly passed to EPD for comments. The report concluded that on the whole the new Stadium would be suitable for staging large-scale concerts after introducing some noise abatement measures. In February 1994, EPD, after studying the report, still had reservations on the proposed mitigating measures to abate noise nuisance being generated by concerts. Nevertheless, EPD undertook to monitor the noise level in the first three months of the opening of the Stadium, i.e. March-June 1994, in order to verify the predictions of the noise level projected by the consultant in the report. The Stadium Board of Governors instructed the Stadium Manager to work closely together with EPD on various noise abatement measures. I now come to the last part of Ms. Anna TANG's question. As a responsible public body, this Council realised that the noise generated by amplified concerts had caused concern to nearby residents. The Board of Governors (BOG) at its meeting on 24 March 1994 considered various options to deal with the noise problem. As a result, the BOG decided to take a series of noise abatement measures at the Stadium with effect from 30 March 1994. These measures broadly fall into two groups: administrative and technical remedials.
First, the administrative Remedial Measures
(a) All future contracts with hirers will require them to comply with, among other things, noise levels which are acceptable to the Noise Control Authority. Promoters who are unable to make such promises will not be allowed to hire the Stadium.
(b) Where possible, pop concerts staged at the Stadium will be scheduled for the weekends. Concert promoters will be encouraged to stage such concerts before 7.00 p.m. For example, day shows during 2.00 p.m.-5.30 p.m., or early evening shows during 4.30 p.m.-7.00 p.m. Concerts staged at night must end at 10.30 p.m., and this will be written into all future hiring contracts.
(c) As far as possible, shows at the Stadium will not clash with other major events in the area (e.g. horse racing events at Happy Valley) to minimise traffic congestion.
Page 3 of 115
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(d) The Stadium's housekeeping (operational) plans will be tightened up e.g. activities such as setting up/dismantling of stage, rehearsals, making announcements through the public address system and advertising through the Diamond Vision, will as far as practicable comply with Noise Control Authority requirements at all times.
These measures will be reviewed regularly by the Board of Governors. Adjustments will be made as necessary in the light of actual operational experience.
I shall now elaborate on the various Technical Remedial Measures. The acoustics expert engaged by Wembley has identified a package of technical measures to abate the noise nuisance. These measures were partly implemented by 9 April, and joint monitoring were conducted by the acoustics expert and EPD for the Stadium events on 9 and 10 April to ascertain their effectiveness. The overall results indicate considerable improvement on noise abatement. These technical measures include:
(a) The concert Sound System will be tilted at least 20 degrees from vertical towards the audience seated on the pitch. The system will be designed to provide coverage to the front to middle area of the pitch only.
(b) A small delay tower speaker system will be located at the rear of the
mixer position to provide coverage to the rear area of the pitch/seating. (c) Sound coverage to the West and East Stands is to be provided through the Stadium house system. Each speaker cluster will be delayed in time with respect to the concert system.
(d) The LAeq noise level measures at the mixer position over any 15 minutes period of the concert will not exceed 90 dB(A). This may be modified following the sound propagation tests carried out prior to the start of the event, and with the advice of the EPD.
(e) The noise barrier erected by the parapet wall at the northeast corner of the Stadium (in the direction of the Tung Wah Eastern Hospital) will be constructed to a height of at least 4.5 m above the floor level at that location, subject to constructural constraints. It will have a superficial mass of at least 10 Kg/m2 (e.g. minimum 12 m chipboard).
(f) If possible, the stage will be repositioned in the centre of the pitch or at the south end (instead of the existing north end) of the Stadium so that the noise from the stage will not aim directly at the residential blocks in the vicinity of the Stadium.
We believed that these measures will assist compliance with the Noise Abatement Notice and will minimise the number of complaints on noise in future.
The Stadium Manager has also been asked to develop better communication with neighbouring residents' groups to receive their comments and suggestions on these noise abatement measures.
Page 3 of 115
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