Geotechnical Engineering Office,

Civil Engineering & Development Department

Agreement No. CE 12/2012 (GE)

Long-term Strategy for

Cavern Development -
Feasibility Study
Executive Summary
 Urban Fringe

Urban Area

Rock Cavern Development

at the Urban Fringe

Figure 1 - Rock cavern development at the urban fringe

1 Introduction
Land is a scarce resource in Hong Kong Civil Engineering and Development Study” (the Study) in September 2012
and there is a pressing need to increase Department (CEDD) had carried out to formulate a long-term strategy for
land supply in sustaining our social studies to explore the opportunities of cavern development. In brief, the Study
and economic development. Cavern enhancing rock cavern development in has prepared a Cavern Master Plan to
development is a viable source of long- Hong Kong in recent years. Subsequent delineate Strategic Cavern Areas for
term land supply, which can provide to those studies, a few pilot projects cavern development, drawn up a list
solution space for a broad variety of on relocation of existing Government of suitable Government facilities for
land uses and help address problems facilities to caverns have been initiated relocation to caverns, proposed measures
encountered in the congested urban and now being pursued by respective to facilitate cavern development for
environment. The hilly terrain with strong departments (Figure 2). To follow up the both public and private sectors, and
rocks in Hong Kong is highly suitable for findings of the previous studies, CEDD investigated a number of technical matters
developing rock caverns, particularly on commenced the “Long-term Strategy relating to rock cavern development.
the urban fringe (Figure 1). for Cavern Development – Feasibility

Sha Tin Sham Tseng

Sewage Sewage
Treatment Treatment
Works Works

Diamond Hill Sai Kung

Fresh Water Sewage
and Salt Treatment
Water Service Works
Reservoirs

Figure 2 - Pilot projects on relocation of existing Government facilities to caverns

 2 Benefits and Limitations of Cavern Development
The benefits of cavern development new facilities (including suitable new Cavern development would however
are manifold. Developing rock caverns public and private sector facilities) in have its limitations. Given that the
strategically can bring about planning caverns; development of rock caverns usually
and development gains, including but not involves considerable capital investment
(iv) Reserve developable land for other
limited to the following: and relatively long implementation time-
priority uses (such as open spaces,
frame, the pace and scale of land creation
(i) Release surface sites for other community/residential uses) by
would not be comparable to other land
beneficial uses by relocating existing accommodating suitable new facilities
development approaches such as rezoning,
government facilities to rock caverns; in caverns; and
reclamation and site formation. The
(ii) Remove incompatible land uses by (v) Recycle excavated rocks arising technical issues encountered could be
housing unpopular facilities in caverns from cavern construction, to be used more complicated. Cost-effectiveness may
for minimizing their nuisance to the as aggregates to support the local also vary significantly among cases. As
community whilst increasing the construction industry. such, the use of cavern development alone
development potential of the released could not resolve the imminent problem of
Some notable overseas examples on shortage of developable land.
land and its surrounding areas;
various uses of caverns are shown in
(iii) Reduce surface land take by placing Figure 3.

1. Swimming 1 4 7 10 7. Wine Storage

Hall France
Finland
8. Data Centre,
2. Stadium Sweden
Norway (Source:
Bahnhof)
3. Car Park 2 5 8 11
Finland 9. Warehousing
USA
4. Recreational
Complex 10. Underground
USA Quarry
Switzerland
5. Archives
Norway 3 6 9 12 11. Laboratory
Switzerland
6. Food
Storage 12. Shooting
France Range
Switzerland

Figure 3 - Notable overseas examples on various uses of caverns

3 Cavern Master Plan

The Cavern Master Plan (CMP) (Figure 4) need of development. The area should The Information Note is to describe the
has been prepared under the Study with be sufficiently large and located at the characteristics, development potential,
the aim of providing a broad strategic urban fringe with supporting infrastructure constraints, potential land uses and the
planning framework to guide and facilitate network. The sizes of individual SCVAs extent of potential portal locations of the
territory-wide cavern development, and range from approximately 30 to 200 SCVA. A reference drawing is appended
to promulgate essential information for hectares. The area of an SCVA does not to each Information Note to illustrate the
project proponents to identify suitable represent the actual developable cavern spatial context of the information provided.
cavern sites for their development projects. space because provisions have to be made The complete set of CMP is available in the
for features like buffer zones between websites of the CEDD (http://www.cedd.gov.
The CMP delineates forty-eight (48)
individual facilities, intervening rock pillars hk/eng/cavern/index.html) and Planning
Strategic Cavern Areas (SCVAs) in the
for support and adits for portal access and Department (http://www.pland.gov.hk/
territory that are well placed for developing
inter-connection. pland_en/info_serv/cmp/index.html).
rock caverns to meet the existing or
future needs of the adjoining districts. An The CMP is accompanied by an Explanatory Figure 5 illustrates the possibilities within
SCVA is defined as an area that is easy to Statement and a set of Information Notes. an SCVA.
access and can accommodate multiple The Explanatory Statement is intended to
facilities in rock caverns to meet the provide the key information on the CMP.
 Legend
Strategic Cavern Area
Existing Cavern Facility
Cavern under Investigation / Planning

Figure 4 - Cavern Master Plan

Strategic Cavern Area (SCVA)

Sewage Warehouse / Archives / Data Columbarium

Treatment Logistics Self / Wine Centres
Works Centres Storage
Facilities

Figure 5 - Possibilities within an SCVA

 4 Identification of Government Facilities for Relocation
The identification of Government facilities clusters, covered a variety of facility types, arising from relocation of the facilities.
for relocation in the Study adopted a such as sewage treatment works, refuse The assessment findings will facilitate
systematic approach of stocktaking, transfer stations, service reservoirs, and the Government in prioritising suitable
rationalisation, screening, ranking and other pioneers in terms of cavern use facilities for launching detailed feasibility
appraisal. Thirty (30) facilities with higher in Hong Kong including vehicle depots, studies on relocation to caverns so as to
relocation potential were selected from archives, warehouse and material testing make way for housing or other beneficial
over 500 facilities located throughout laboratory. uses. This can serve as a means to
the territory based on their respective increase long-term land supply and meet
Broad planning and technical
merits and limitations under the selection specific needs.
assessments were conducted on the
criteria of site conditions, potential land
30 facilities to further review various
uses, development constraints, relocation
needs and requirements of Government
time frame and client department’s
to achieve this, as well as the overall
consent. These 30 facilities, some in
benefits to the public and communities

5 Measures to Facilitate Cavern Development

The proposed measures to facilitate (iii) Rezoning land for cavern (v) Developing cavern by means of
cavern development are summarised as development by launching planning underground quarrying to bring about
follows: and engineering (P&E) studies of benefit in enhancing the long-term
suitable cavern areas to rezone land land supply by creating a cavern land
(i) Promulgating cavern development
for land uses with identified needs bank.
information through the promulgation
or strong private sector interest, to
of the CMP and other relevant
reduce project lead-time;
Government guidelines and circulars;
(iv) Integrating cavern development in
(ii) Proactively considering cavern option
area-based P&E studies to capitalise
when proposing new refuse transfer
strategic benefits and synergy effect
station, sewage treatment works and
of integrating cavern development
service reservoir, and carrying out
with surface development where
cavern option assessment;
there are suitable SCVAs nearby; and

6 Technical Matters
Various technical matters for cavern
development have been investigated under
the Study. The following are the major
tasks that have been carried out:
(i) Updating Geoguide 4: Guide to Cavern
Engineering;
(ii) Revising the list of land uses with
the potential for development in rock
caverns in the Hong Kong Planning
Standards & Guidelines;
(iii) Conducting Strategic Environmental
Assessment on cavern development;
and
(iv) Developing conceptual fire safety
schemes for cavern developments. (Geoguide 4: Guide to (Hong Kong Planning
Cavern Engineering, Standards and Guidelines)
Second Edition)
 7 Recommendation and Way Forward
The Study has prepared the CMP to should further formulate a priority list for circulars. The Government is also
provide a strategic planning framework to launching feasibility studies on relocation recommended to launch further studies
guide and facilitate territory-wide cavern of suitable facilities, taking into account to rezone suitable areas for cavern
development in Hong Kong. The CMP various factors including resource development and explore the technical
should be referenced to alongside the Hong implications, relocation programme and feasibility and financial viability of
Kong Planning Standards & Guidelines in any earmarked schedule for releasing the underground quarrying-cum-cavern
the course of planning and engineering land. development in Hong Kong.
studies, preparation/revision of town plans
Various measures have been proposed The Government should continue
and development control for surface,
under the Study to facilitate cavern the current effort and seek further
subsurface and cavern developments in the
development for both public and private opportunities to enhance the promulgation
territory.
sectors. The Government should follow of the use of cavern development as an
The Study has broadly reviewed a list of up and develop guidelines to implement innovative option to increase the long-term
suitable Government facilities with potential the measures and promulgate the land supply of Hong Kong.
for relocation to caverns. The Government requirements through relevant technical

8 Epilogue
The CMP has gained international The CMP was also awarded of a Certificate
recognition and was awarded by the of Merit by the Hong Kong Institute of
International Tunnelling and Underground Planners in 2016 given its merit in unlocking
Space Association (ITA) as the winner of the the hidden land resources in Hong Kong.
Innovative Underground Space Concept of The details of this award are available in
the Year in the ITA Tunnelling Awards 2017 http://www.hkip.org.hk/Editorfile/files/
on 15 November 2017. The details of this ipipawards.pdf.
award are available in https://awards.ita-
aites.org/.

9 Enquiry
For enquiry, please contact the Geotechnical Engineering Office of
the Civil Engineering and Development Department:

Planning Division
Geotechnical Engineering Office
Civil Engineering and Development Department
11/F, Civil Engineering and Development Building
101 Princess Margaret Road
Homantin, Kowloon
Hong Kong

Or by e-mail: [email protected]

10 Related Information
1. Long-term Strategy for Cavern Development Website
www.cavern.gov.hk/home.htm

2. Cavern Master Plan

www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/cavern/index.html