The Civil Engineering Department will start consulting the public early next month on the preferred option of the land formation and infrastructure works for a new prison complex at Hei Ling Chau.

The preferred option has been drawn up after the department and its consultant balanced the merits and demerits of a set of preliminary options and took into account the public views received in the earlier round of public consultation.

The department said the preferred option comprised reclaiming about 80 hectares of land within the Hei Ling Chau Typhoon Shelter, a 2.2-km bridge linking Hei Ling Chau and Mui Wo, and a 350m bypass around the Mui Wo town. New breakwaters would be constructed for reprovisioning the anchorage area affected by the reclamation.

The preferred option will accommodate the new prison complex within the existing typhoon shelter.

The department commissioned the consultant in September 2003 to conduct a two-stage study to examine the engineering feasibility of the land formation and infrastructure works for a new prison complex at Hei Ling Chau.

Since then, the consultant has carried out technical assessments on eight preliminary land formation options and four preliminary fixed-crossing options based on a set of criteria covering landscape and visual impact, ecology and other environmental impacts, land use, transport, social issues, engineering and cost.

Preferred option has minimal visual impact

The key advantages of the preferred option are less visual impact on the surrounding areas due to effective screening of the prison facilities by the existing topography, minimal impact on the marine and terrestrial ecology, and minimal impact on tidal flow and water quality. 

Since the impact on the natural topography and vegetation on Hei Ling Chau will be minimal, the conservation potential of Hei Ling Chau and the nearby Sunshine Island will not be affected.

The bridge will run from the northwest corner of Hei Ling Chau to the eastern end of Mui Wo Ferry Pier Road at Mui Wo. 

The key advantages are minimal impact on the existing and planned land uses at Mui Wo, minimal impact on the Lantau South Country Park, and minimal impact on the marine and terrestrial ecology. 

Operational traffic can bypass Mui Wo

The existing archaeological sites at Mui Wo will not be affected, it said.

Also, with a bypass around Mui Wo town, the operational traffic of the prison development can directly gain access to South Lantau Road without going through Mui Wo town, it added. 

However, the bridge would have potential visual impact, particularly for the residents of Mui Wo. The consultant will examine various mitigation measures in stage 2 of the feasibility study.

Department will consult the public widely

Starting from early June 2004, the department will meet representatives from local communities, environmental groups and other interest groups to gauge their views on the preferred option. 

The views will form a valuable input for the further assessment and refinement of the preferred option, it said.

A consultation digest and related information have been uploaded on the department's website.