The construction of a major section of a highway linking areas in Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis may directly encroach on wetlands and affect valuable wild species, a preliminary government-commissioned study brief has found.
The Highways Department’s study brief on the San Tin section of the Northern Metropolis Highway also said fish ponds might need to be cleared, while the project risked encroaching on several sites identified as having “archaeological potential”.
Authorities made the report available on Wednesday. Members of the public have until May 6 to review the document and provide feedback.
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The highway is a 23km (14 miles) east-west corridor linking the development nodes in the planned Northern Metropolis near the border with mainland China. It is the city’s biggest single road project.
The Northern Metropolis aims to transform 30,000 hectares of land in the New Territories into an economic powerhouse and a housing hub.
The preliminary path of the highway connects Tin Shui Wai to the New Territories North New Town near Ping Che.
The highway comprises four major sections: San Tin; Tin Shui Wai; Kwu Tung; and the New Territories North New Town.
The San Tin section is about 7km long, linking the San Tin Highway near Kam Tin to the Fanling Highway near Kwu Tung.
The document said that the proposed path of the Northern Metropolis Highway was “in close proximity to various key ecological resources within the 500 metre study area”, citing Lam Tsuen Country Park and Deep Bay Wetland.
“Other ecologically sensitive habitats present include mature wooded habitats ... agricultural land, and wetland habitats,” the study brief said.
According to the brief, wildlife species of conservation importance previously recorded within the study area include birds such as ardeids, which are egrets, herons and bitterns.
Amphibians such as lesser spiny frogs have also been found in the area, as well as butterflies and odonates, which are dragonflies and damselflies.
“Other notable ecological resources within the study area include avifauna roosting sites, avifauna flight paths, existing mitigation woodland and planting area, existing compensation wetland, proposed compensation wetland, and proposed compensation bat shelter,” it said.
“During construction phase, direct ecological impacts may arise from the potential direct loss and fragmentation of sensitive habitats from aboveground works, in particular habitats within sites of conservation importance.
“The proposed alignment may also directly encroach onto sensitive ecological resources such as ardeid night roost, wetland habitats, existing and proposed compensation wetland, proposed compensation bat shelter and mature wooded habitats.”
The study brief also said similar ecological resources on the proposed highway path could also “be subject to potential indirect impacts due to construction disturbance”.
Measures would be studied to minimise the adverse impacts on the environment.
“Where loss of natural habitats ... is inevitable, habitat reinstatement works should be considered as far as practicable, while habitat compensation may also be required, such as woodland compensation and wetland compensation,” the study brief said.
Buffer zones may also be set up to protect sites of conservation importance from construction works.
“To minimise fragmentation of habitat and animal movement corridor, fine-tuning of alignment may be required to minimise obstruction of flight paths, while wildlife corridor may be required to facilitate animal movement,” the document said.
Last month, the Highways Department officially began its investigative work for the road project, setting a target to complete the task in 25 months. The department hoped to have the project ready for tendering in 2027.
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