Plan
for Review of Use of
New
Low Noise Road Surfacing Material(s)
for
Tung Chung New Town Extension (West)
(EP
No. EP-519/2016)
February 2026
1.
Project Description
The
development of Tung Chung New Town Extension (TCNTE), comprising Tung Chung
East (TCE) and Tung Chung West (TCW), is a mega-scale and complex project
aiming to provide land to meet the future housing economic and social
development needs of Hong Kong. Due to the fact that the proposed works are
geographically separated, the implementation of mega-scale Project is divided
into two packages, namely TCE and TCW respectively. In accordance with the
tight delivery programme, the Project will be implemented in phases under
separate contracts for the developments of TCE and TCW. This Plan only covers the details of the
use of new low noise road surfacing material(s) for Tung Chung West (TCW). For
the review in Tung Chung East (TCE) area, if applicable, it will be covered by
separate submission(s).
2. Scope
of Works for Tung Chung New Town Extension
The
Tung Chung New Town Extension project (the Project) comprises the following
elements:
(i)
reclamation of the seabed by a non-dredged
method at TCE to form a total of about 130 hectares of land;
(ii)
construction of about 4.9 kilometers
of seawalls, with an eco-shoreline, three drainage box culvert outfalls, three
circulation drains and a seawater intake at TCE;
(iii)
provision of infrastructure for Tung
Chung Area 58, including construction of a single two-lane road with a footpath
and the associated utility works;
(iv)
site formation works at TCW;
(v)
construction of the River Park
including a visitor centre at TCW;
(vi)
construction of proposed open space;
(vii)
construction of sustainable urban
drainage systems at TCW;
(viii)
construction of roads, footpaths,
cycle tracks and the associated junction / road improvement works;
(ix)
engineering infrastructure works
covering drainage, sewerage, waterworks (including a fresh water service
reservoir, a salt water service reservoir and a salt water pumping station),
common utility tunnels and landscaping works; and
(x)
implementation of environmental
mitigation measures and environmental monitoring and audit programme for the
works.
3. Implementation
Programme
The
Contract No NL/2020/05 – Tung Chung New Town Extension – Site Formation and
Infrastructure Works at Ma Wan Chung (i.e. Contract 5) at TCW has been awarded
in May 2021 and the
major construction work is scheduled for completion in 2025. The main
contractor for Contract No. NL/2020/05 is Build King – Richwell Civil Joint
Venture (BKRCJV).
The
Contract No NL/2020/06 – Tung Chung New Town Extension – Site Formation and
Infrastructure Works at Tung Chung Valley, Phase 1 (i.e. Contract 6) at TCW has
been awarded in May 2021 and the major construction work is scheduled for
completion in 2026.
The main contractor for Contract No. NL/2020/06 is China Railway Group Limited
(CREC).
The
Contract No. NL/2023/10 – Tung Chung New Town Extension – Infrastructure Works
at Tung Chung Valley, Yu Tung Road and Ma Wan Cheung (i.e. Contract 10) at TCW
has been awarded in October 2025 and is scheduled for completion in 2029. The
main contractor for Contract No. NL/2023/10 is CREC Joint Venture (CRECJV).
The Entrustment Agreement No.
ENT/TUE/001 – Construction of Infrastructure Works in the Tung Chung New Town
Extension Area (i.e. Entrusted Works) has been awarded in June 2025 and is
scheduled for completion in 2028. The main contractor for Entrusted Works is
Bouygues Dragages (1201) Joint Venture (BDJV).
4. Submission
under EP
In
view that only Contract 6 has construction of roadworks with the application of
low noise road surfacing materials in TCW, this submission is prepared based on
the latest information of Contract 6 according to the relevant requirements
contained in the EM&A Manual, EIA Report and EP. Please find the enclosed
Plan for Review of Use of New Low Noise Road Surfacing Material(s) below for
TCW.
CONTENTS
1.2 ENHANCEMENT OF DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY OF PUBLIC HOUSING SITES
2 Application of New LNRS Materials
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1 introduction
The Plan is prepared by China Railway Engineering Group Limited (known as CREC) in accordance with the Condition 2.23 of the Environmental Permit No. EP-519/2016 dated 09/08/2016.
This Plan only covers the details of the use of new low noise road surfacing material(s) (LNRS materials) for Tung Chung West (TCW). For the review in Tung Chung East (TCE) area, if applicable, it will be covered by separate submission(s).
This submission has been updated to reflect the change from PMSMA6 to HMSMA6, a new generation of LNRS material promulgated in the latest Guidance Notes on Low Noise Road Surfacing on Local Roads (RD/GN/011E, April 2025). HMSMA6, developed as an enhancement of PMSMA6 (Agreement No. Hy(S)Q/024/2016) with highly modified bitumen, has been confirmed through site trials on 18 local road sections since November 2023 and laboratory tests with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University to provide superior performance, particularly in durability.
1.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND
1.1.1 An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Tung Chung New Town Extension (TCNTE) was prepared during the P&E (Planning and Engineering) Study and submitted under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) in December 2015, and was subsequently approved in April 2016 (AEIAR-196/2016). An Environmental Permit (EP) was also issued by Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) in August 2016 (EP-519/2016). Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) has then appointed Arup to undertake the Tung Chung New Town Extension (West) – Design and Construction under the Agreement No. CE 70/2015 (CE) (hereafter named as the Project).
1.1.2 According to the approved EIA Report (AEIAR-196/2016) (Section 4.5.4), the mitigation measures for road traffic noise for Tung Chung West (TCW) is given in Appendix A. Those mitigation measures include the following.
· Some residential buildings at Area 60 with façade with no openable window;
· Some residential buildings at Area 60 with architectural fins of about 1.5m long;
· Residential building at Area 42 with façade with no openable window;
· Low Noise Road Surfacing (LNRS) materials along Chung Mun Road of approx. 210m long, Road L29 (i.e. Road L24 as stated in the EIA Report) of approx. 160m long and Road L30 of approx. 160m long;
· 4m high school boundary wall of approx. 50m long for the school at Mun Tung Estate; and
· 5m high vertical barrier of approx. 120m long with 3m cantilevered arm at 45° at the junction between Chung Mun Road and Road L29.
The finalised mitigation measures at the noise sensitive receivers shall be subject to further review by relevant authorities and future developers under prevailing planning mechanism.
1.1.3 The approved EIA Report had recommended road traffic noise mitigation measures along Chung Mun Road, Road L29 and Road L30. During the detailed design of the Project, a review on the traffic noise mitigation measures recommended in the approved EIA Report has been conducted. After the discussion on the LNRS materials maintenance arrangement during the road traffic noise assessment and meetings among CEDD, EPD, HyD & Planning Department (PlanD) on 25 March 2020, a conclusion was made that full extent of LNRS materials along Chung Mun Road and an exclusion of 30m LNRS materials at the run-in/out to Area 42 at Road L30 would be adopted (Please refer to Figure 1.1). A separate noise assessment conducted with the exclusion of 30m LNRS materials at the run-in/out to Area 42 at Road L30 and the same extent of LNRS materials along Chung Mun Road and Road L29 stated in the approved EIA demonstrated that road traffic noise levels at noise sensitive receivers would comply with relevant noise criteria.
1.1.4 According to the approved EIA Report, Chung Mun Road as a district distributor road is a designated project under Item A.1 of Schedule 2 (Part I) under the EIAO. According to the EP’s condition 2.33, the road traffic noise mitigation measures on Chung Mun Road are given in Figure 2 of that EP as given in Appendix B.
1.1.5 It should be noted that the approved EIA Report had recommended road traffic noise mitigation measures along Road L29 and Road L30 as well. However, since Road L29 and Road L30 are not district distributors and hence they are not DP, the mitigation measures for Road L29 and Road L30 are not included in the EP. Nevertheless, those mitigation measures would still need to be implemented.
1.2 ENHANCEMENT OF DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY OF PUBLIC HOUSING SITES
1.2.1 An increase of the Gross Floor Area (GFA), flat number and population of public housing sites (Areas 23, 42 & 46) was proposed by Housing Department (HD) according to the requirements on the Legislative Council Brief "Enhancement of the Development Intensity of Public Housing Sites". According to the planning parameter provided in July 2019, the total population for TCW housing sites (Areas 23, 42 & 46) of Scenario 2 (B2) and Scenario 3 (L) are 27,828 and 31,454 respectively.
1.2.2 Following the Executive Council’s approval, the Government would enhance the development intensity of public housing sites such that their maximum domestic plot ratio will be allowed to increase beyond the current 20% cap by up to 10% points (i.e. maximum 30% in total) where their technical feasibility permits and with the approval of the Town Planning Board as appropriate.
1.2.3 In accordance with the prevailing policy on enhancing the development intensity of public housing sites, CEDD has explored the feasibility to suitably increase the development intensity of the TCNTE to meet the increasing pressure to address the public housing shortage. Having considered the existing development characters and intensities in TCNTE, a scenario to increase the development intensity of public housing sites is proposed ("Scenario 2 (B2)"), in which the development intensity of public housing sites (Areas 23, 42 & 46) is to be increased based on full utilisation of site area, the permitted plot ratio (P/R), site area, domestic and non-domestic GFA permitted on the approved OZP, reduced average flat size, population-per-flat, flat number, population proposed by Housing Department (HD).
1.2.4 Subject to the technical feasibility of development parameters under "Scenario 2 (B2)", further increase in domestic plot ratio for public housing development in Areas 23, 42 & 46, GFA, flat number and population of public housing sites proposed by HD in accordance with the 2018 ExCo Policy on "Enhancement of the Development Intensity of Public Housing Sites", i.e. the maximum domestic PR of the public housing sites will be allowed to increase beyond the current 20% cap by up to 10% points (maximum 30% in total or percentage allowed to increase), might be explored. This further increase in domestic PR is defined as "Scenario 3 (L)".
1.2.5 Arup conducted additional services in 2019 to investigate the feasibility to enhance the development intensity of public housing sites in TCW.
The feasibility study adopted a scenario to increase the development intensity (i.e. maximum domestic plot ratio 30% in total or percentage allowed to increase) for public housing sites in Area 23, 42 and 46.
For the road traffic noise impact assessment under this scenario, the recommended additional mitigation measure included the installation of acoustic windows for public housing sites and the implementation of EIA revised mitigation measures, i.e. installation of 210m LNRS at Chung Mun Road, 160m at Road L29 and 130m at Road L30, omission of 30m LNRS at Road L30. The proposed extent of LNRS in Contract No. NL/2020/06 is fully compliant with the at-source mitigation measures recommended in the road traffic noise impact assessment in the feasibility study, and the implementation of acoustic windows for public housing sites will be carried out by the Housing Department.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN
1.3.1 The purpose of this Plan is to review the use of new low noise road surfacing material(s) as a noise mitigation measure in TCW in accordance with Condition 2.23 of the Environmental Permit No. EP-519/2016 taking into consideration of the development in the area as mentioned in the EIA Report.
1.3.2 According to Condition 2.23 of EP, this Plan should include at least the following information:
· the environmental benefits, including but not limited to reduction of traffic noise impacts, of adopting the new low noise road surfacing material(s) as an alternative noise mitigation measure to the material(s) currently in use;
· the extent and locations of providing the new road surfacing material(s) for the roadworks covered by this Permit with justifications; and
· reduction
in traffic noise impacts at specific sensitive receivers and minimization of
the extent of noise barriers for the roadworks covered by this Permit as a
resulting of applying the new road surfacing material(s).
2 Application of New LNRS Materials
2.1 GENERAL
2.1.1 According to the "Interim Report on the Use of 6mm Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size Polymer Modified Stone Mastic Asphalt (PMSMA6) on Local Roads in Hong Kong" issued by Highways Department (HyD) in June 2021, both overseas and local experiences revealed that Polymer Modified Friction Course (PMFC), attributed to its porous nature, is susceptible to wear and tear making it not sufficiently durable as LNRS materials for many situations to sustain the local road conditions. Therefore, PMFC is not taken as a structural layer and its application on local roads will require laying on top of wearing course ("WC") instead of base course ("BC").
2.1.2 The latest Guidance Notes on Low Noise Road Surfacing on Local Roads (RD/GN/011E, April 2025) issued by the Highways Department supersede the previous version RD/GN/011D. In this updated guidance, the binder of the polymer modified stone mastic asphalt with 6mm nominal maximum aggregate size (PMSMA6) has been upgraded with highly modified bitumen. With this enhancement, the highly modified stone mastic asphalt with 6mm nominal maximum aggregate size (HMSMA6) is designated as the new generation of Low Noise Road Surfacing (LNRS) material for local roads in Hong Kong.
2.1.3 A new generation of LNRS material, namely the Highly Modified Stone Mastic Asphalt with 6mm nominal maximum aggregate size (HMSMA6), has been promulgated in the latest Guidance Notes on Low Noise Road Surfacing on Local Roads (RD/GN/011E, April 2025). HMSMA6 is an enhancement of the previously tested PMSMA6 (Agreement No. Hy(S)Q/024/2016), in which the binder has been upgraded to highly modified bitumen. Site trials on 18 local road sections commencing in November 2023, together with laboratory tests conducted in collaboration with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, confirmed that HMSMA6 provides superior overall performance compared with PMSMA6, particularly in terms of durability.
2.2 OUTCOMES
2.2.1 The environmental benefits, including but not limited to reduction of traffic noise impacts, of adopting the new low noise road surfacing material(s) as an alternative noise mitigation measure to the material(s) currently in use:
For environmental benefits, HMSMA6 is a thin, non‑porous bituminous surfacing (typically about 30mm thick) made of relatively fine and gap‑graded aggregates. Its optimized surface texture can reduce road-type noise. The site trial results revealed that HMSMA6 achieves an average noise reduction of approximately 2.5 dB(A), and its noise reduction ability would only be materially reduced when substantial surface defects such as raveling or potholes develop. HMSMA6 is also more durable than PMSMA6.
2.2.2 The extent and locations of providing the new road surfacing material(s) for the roadworks covered by this Permit with justifications:
It is recommended the use of the HMSMA6 as LNRS materials for this project. According to the approved EIA Report (Section 4.5.4) (relevant figures extracted in Appendix A) and Environmental Permit (EP) (EP No. EP-519/2016) (Figure 2) (extracted in Appendix B) for TCNTE and the agreement in the inter-departmental meeting as stated in Section 1.1.3the extent and locations of LNRS materials for the roadworks are shown in Figure 1.1, which are confirmed by CEDD. The adoption of LNRS materials are approx. 210m long along Chung Mun Road, approx. 160m long along Road L29 and approx. 130m long along Road L30. The proposed extent of LNRS is fully compliant with the at-source mitigation measures recommended in the road traffic noise impact assessment in the feasibility study as mentioned in Section 1.2.5.
2.2.3 Reduction in traffic noise impacts at specific sensitive receivers and minimization of the extent of noise barriers for the roadworks covered by this Permit as a resulting of applying the new road surfacing material(s):
There is no minimization of the extent of the noise barriers (refer to NB1 as shown in Appendix B) for the roadworks as resulting of applying the new road surfacing materials.
2.2.4 The lengths of road sections with Low Noise Road Surfacing (LNRS) materials along Chung Mun Road is approx. 210m long; Road L29 is approx. 160m long and Road L30 is approx. 130m long. The specific sensitive receivers where the traffic noise impacts will be reduced due to the provision of LNRS materials includes:
· Mun Tung Estate
· Hong Chi Shiu Pong Morninghope School
· YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College
· Caritas Wu Cheng-Chung College
· Public Housing Development in Area 42
Figure 1.1 – Adopted Extent of LNRS Materials
Appendix A – Figures on Mitigation Measures for Road Traffic Noise in Approved EIA
(Extracted from the EIA Report (AEIAR-196/2016) – Figure 4.14d and 4.14d-3)
Appendix B – Figure 2 of Environment Permit No.: EP-519/2016
