Maunsell's work that they needed a helipad for is "to conduct a geological exploration study at Shek Kok Tsui for investigating the cause of an old seashore landslide there".

Please note that Maunsell had no intention to "build" any helipad.

They would just use the site "as is" for a few times and may even not need to land on the ground. As Maunsell later found that the works are no longer required, the application to use the area was withdrawn.

I would like to reiterate that Maunsell's decision not to use the landing site had nothing to do with the proposed helipad at Yung Shue Wan.

They would just use the site "as is" for a few times

As the sewerage treatment works construction will not start until October 2004, the slope protection works will not start very soon. The containers are the temporary site office of the Yung Shue Wan Stage I reclamation. As most of the works had already been completed, there is very few people using them now. In one to two months time, the area will be vacated when all the remaining works are completed.

According to Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance, an environmental permit is required to operate the proposed temporary helipad. We also have to comply with the requirements in the Ordinance.

The frequency of use of the helipad is not as low as a few per month. In order to maintain the security of the sewage treatment plant, access to it will need to be manned and so the operation of the plant will likely be affected.

All the sites had been thoroughly considered in the consultation process and it was concluded that a newly formed land to be the most preferable option. Please also note that we are still considering the feasibility of providing a temporary helipad prior to commissioning of the permanent one.

Alan, this is just a proposal for now. Any more info or dates? Anything we can do to support it?

... as advised by the Government Flying Service, for safety reason, the temporary helipad should not be used once the construction works for the permanent helipad commenced, the tentative commencement date of which is the end of 2004. Therefore, according to the recent progress, the usage period of the temporary helipad is about 1 year.

After taking the above into due consideration, the Rural Public Works Islands District Working Group and Islands District Council endorsed the implementation of the temporary helipad construction project in June 2003. For your information, the major scope of the project is to construct a 40mx40m temporary helipad and a 50m long and 2.5m wide emergency vehicular access (EVA) from the end of the existing EVA near the refuse transfer station to the temporary helipad. The project estimate is $0.8 million and the tentative commencement date and completion date are September/October 2003 and November/December 2003 respectively, provided that an Environmental Permit could be obtained from the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works.

Here's more info from the DLO. Seems an excessive budget to me; but it's just taxpayer's money after all. And I love that they want to build another EVA there.

Alan, does the temporary helipad inside the reclamation still go ahead, as it will take till 2006 to build this super-duper helipad?

The most expensive (more than $16 million), most environmentally destructive solution that takes the longest to build (2006) with the most noise & pollution impact has won...

This option was turned down as the worst option among the 5 proposed locations for a possible helipad in the consultation meeting I attended.

Is reclamation really the answer to all the questions in HK?