The Customs & Excise Department has proposed building its new headquarters at North Point to centralise its offices in one location by 2010, the Security Bureau says.

In a paper to Legislative Council's Security Panel today, the bureau said a site of about 2,944 square metres at the junction of Java Road and Tin Chiu Street had been identified for the purpose.

The proposed building will have 32 storeys with a floor area of about 65,200 square metres to accommodate offices, general and special facilities and a car park.

With a net operating office area of 27,567 square metres, the building will accommodate some 1,850 staff of 25 administrative and operational sections, and provide common facilities for use by all Customs staff.

New facilities

New facilities provided in the proposed headquarters include:

* an indoor firing range offering an all-weather venue that allows a minimum of 355 firearms training days a year for over 4,000 staff;

* a radio command control centre with upgraded facilities to enhance enforcement capability;

* an identification parade room;

* an up-to-standard information technology centre to house the information technology systems, and other ancillary and back-up facilities;

* a multi-purpose auditorium for holding large-scale events;

* barracks for officers who need to work long hours in the investigation branch, or who perform overnight or standby duties during contingency situations; and

* an exhibition centre to promote the department's enforcement experiences and services.

Project costs $1.07b

The bureau said the estimated total capital cost of the project was $1.07 billion.

Proposed in 1998, the project received the support of the LegCo's Commerce & Industry Panel in 2002, and the Eastern District Council last year, the bureau said.