Fears for landmark lake's ecosystem, as huge construction starts beneath

Experts are concerned that a huge underground complex planned by the Huizhou government in Guangdong will destroy the ecosystem of the city's landmark West Lake.

Huizhou planning and construction authorities have released plans for a two-floor complex covering 20,000 square metres underneath the West Lake, which would be used as a business centre, car park and station for the inter-city rail line connecting Dongguan and Huizhou.

Nearly a tenth of the lake bed would be emptied for at least 18 months during construction, using a cofferdam, a watertight enclosure pumped dry to permit construction work below the waterline.

After that, the Guangzhou Daily reported yesterday, the cofferdam would be removed, allowing the lake to return to its present shape.

Ecologists and experts in underground engineering are divided on the environmental hazards the project could bring to the lake.

A senior engineer who used to work for Guangzhou's Metro said an underground station was better than one above ground because it would not destroy the view of the lake. But it could cost four times as much.

The engineer and Sun Lianpeng, a Guangzhou-based ecologist familiar with the lake, said they believed the ecosystem could recover if the planning bureau and construction bodies drew up good plans.