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SCMP Reporter

TRANSPORT Department engineers are concerned that redevelopment of the Hilton Hotel area will disrupt traffic in Central.

  Tycoon Li Ka-shing has won approval in principle for a multi-million dollar development of the hotel and the nearby Beaconsfield House and car park.

  Traffic engineer for Central, Edmond Yau Kai-ho said yesterday the department had reservations about 'details and figures' contained in a traffic assessment study conducted by MVA traffic consultants for Mr Li's Hutchison Whampoa company.

  'They have provided figures in relation to traffic in the area, but we have a different opinion,' Mr Yau said.

  He said it was inevitable more vehicles would use roads like Queen's Road Central and Garden Road, as people would be attracted to the development.

  'We have concerns about detailed arrangements contained in the report, but this is the subject of discussions between the department and the traffic consultants.

  'It's not fair to say that the development would definitely have an adverse impact, as we are in need of more figures.'   Mr Yau said the department had requested MVA to clarify points in its report in order to 'address the problem'. He declined to outline further details.

  The Town Planning Board granted approval in principle last week to the project, which involves a one-hectare site on the corner of Queen's Road Central and Garden Road.

  The Planning, Environment and Lands Branch and the Town Planning Board said yesterday they had not received any objections to the plan.

  The demolished hotel will make way for a 60-storey office block which, according to a spokesman for Mr Li, will be 'architecturally exciting and a true landmark'.

  The current component of the project, which relates solely to the construction of a new hotel, was given final approval earlier this year.

  Workers in nearby China Bank Tower and Citibank Plaza said yesterday the demolition work could be noisy but was 'nothing out of the ordinary for Hong Kong'.



Traffic fear over Hilton site project