Airport Authority board reject plan to move train depot for third runway
Huge cost of moving depot for driverless third runway train would outweigh improved land value, Airport Authority board were told
The huge cost of moving the depot for the train meant to serve the new terminal at Hong Kong International Airport's proposed third runway - and the delay it would cause to the opening of the runway itself - has led the Airport Authority board to vote against changing its plans for the airport.
The cost and the need to complete the third runway on time finally put an end to the argument between the board's chairman Marvin Cheung Kin-tung and board member Vincent Lo Hong-sui over the North Commercial District project.
Board members including Lo - who had advocated relocating the depot - unanimously agreed to keep the driverless electric rail yard underneath the commercial development, as originally planned.
The authority now plans to kick-start the project by beginning construction of a hotel on the site as soon as possible. "Although developing the site in phases will reduce land value, we were informed that moving the depot and delaying the airport as a result would cost almost double that reduced land value," one board member told the Post on condition of anonymity.
"The high cost is mainly due to inflation if the construction of the runway is delayed," the member added.
The 120,000 square metre site between Terminal 2 and the AsiaWorld-Expo is currently a temporary golf course. The commercial project, comprising a hotel and mall, was proposed to offer tourists an alternative to heading into the city and to strengthen development on Lantau.