LCQ16: Long-term development for sites of the quarries which have ceased or will cease operation shortly
16.1.2019

Following is a question by the Hon Tony Tse and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, in the Legislative Council today (January 16): Question: The quarries in Shek O and Lam Tei as well as that on Lamma Island have ceased or will cease operation shortly. Regarding the long-term development for the sites of those quarries, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the (i) area, (ii) boundary (marked on a map) and (iii) planned use of the Shek O Quarry site; (2) given that the Shek O Quarry site is currently used as a casting yard for immersed tube tunnel units for the Shatin to Central Link railway project and the Route 6 - Trunk Road T2 works project, of the expected time when the Government can resume the site for long-term development; (3) of the (i) area, (ii) boundary (marked on a map) and (iii) planned use of the Lam Tei Quarry site, and (iv) the expected time when the Government can resume the site for long-term development; given the proximity of the site to Tuen Mun town, whether the Government will consider using the site for housing development; and (4) of the (i) area, (ii) boundary (marked on a map), (iii) planned use and (iv) existing use (if any) of the Lamma Quarry site, and (v) the expected time when the Government can resume the site for long-term development; as the Government has commenced a study on the future development of the site, and conducted a two-stage public consultation on this between 2012 and 2014, of the outcome of the consultation and the study? Reply: President: The Government has been adopting the multi-pronged land supply strategy, including the use of the ex-quarry sites for short term or long term use. In view of its close proximity to the urban core and accessible location, the ex-Anderson Road Quarry site has been rezoned for residential development. As for the way forward of other quarry sites, the Government will, taking into account factors including viable land uses, technical feasibility, site implementation mechanism and cost effectiveness etc, formulate the implementation priority and take forward the relevant planning and follow-up works. My reply to various parts of the question is as follows: (1) and (2) The area of the ex-Shek O Quarry site is about 34.5 hectares (ha), including 22 ha of land (mostly man-made slopes) and 12.5 ha of man-made lake (site boundary at Plan 1 in Annex). The Quarry operation ceased in 2011 and the site has been used as a casting basin of immersed tube tunnel units for the Shatin to Central Link railway project since end-2014. The relevant immersed tube project has been completed. Upon the demolition, removal and reinstatement of the site, the relevant land is expected to be handed over to the Lands Department by end-2019. The site is zoned "Undetermined" on the approved Tai Tam and Shek O Outline Zoning Plan, and the Government will review the long-term use of the site in due course. Pending the formulation of the long-term use, the Government has earlier received a short-term tenancy application for the use of the ex-Shek O Quarry site for water sports purposes. The Lands Department is processing the application in accordance with the established mechanism. (3) Lam Tei Quarry, with an area of about 30 ha, is still in operation with its operating contract to be expired in 2022/23 (site boundary at Plan 2 in Annex). In June 2016, the Planning Department (PlanD) and the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) commissioned the Preliminary Land Use Study for Lam Tei Quarry and the Adjoining Areas, with an objective to carry out preliminary planning study and technical assessment for the future land uses of the quarry and its adjoining areas, as well as recommend follow-up studies for the next stage. The preliminary study is targeted for completion within 2019. (4) The area of the ex-Lamma Quarry site is about 34 ha, including a 20-ha platform and a 5-ha man-made lake (site boundary at Plan 3 in Annex). The site is zoned "Undetermined" on the approved Lamma Island Outline Zoning Plan. In 2012, PlanD and CEDD commissioned the planning and engineering study on the ex-Lamma Quarry, having prepared the Recommended Outline Development Plan and formulated the land use plan based on a theme of tourism and housing. The reports and information digests of the two stages of Community Engagement have been uploaded to the study website for public viewing. To gauge the market sentiment of developing the site and to explore the feasibility of implementing the development plan, the market sounding out exercise was conducted earlier. Taking into account the findings of the exercise and views collected in the previous Community Engagement, the Government is comprehensively considering the land use planning, implementation arrangement of infrastructure and the site, as well as cost-effectiveness of the development, so as to formulate the way forward of the ex-Lamma Quarry development and the associated follow-up actions. To optimise the use of the site, pending the long term development, the ex-Lamma Quarry site has been leased to a non-Government organisation under a Short Term Tenancy for non-profit making environmental education and wildlife learning centre and associated facilities since 2011.