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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:
The Housing Authority (HA) will advance the clearance of four residential blocks in the older portion of Pak Tin Estate in Sham Shui Po, namely Blocks 9, 10, 11 and 13.
"Having considered the benefit of achieving earlier completion of build-back flat production and the community's aspirations for expedited completion of the whole redevelopment programme, the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) of the HA today (September 24) endorsed advancement of the clearance of Blocks 9, 10, 11 and 13 from 2019 (Block 13) and 2021 (Blocks 9, 10 and 11) to 2018. The new flats in So Uk Estate Phase 2, which will be completed in early 2018, will be the main rehousing resources for the affected households in Blocks 9, 10, 11 and 13," an HA spokesman said.
The HA announced in April this year that the older portion of Pak Tin Estate in Sham Shui Po, comprising Blocks 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 and Pak Tin Commercial Centre, would be redeveloped. In order to minimise disruption to the community, the HA will adopt a phased clearance approach.
"The HA will first clear the existing Blocks 1, 2, 3 and 12 by 2014, followed by clearing Pak Tin Commercial Centre by 2016. The advancement of clearance of the remaining four blocks, i.e. Blocks 9, 10, 11 and 13, will correspondingly bring the completion of the redevelopment programme forward by approximately two and a half years from mid-2025 to early 2023 and hence enable the HA to complete build-back flat production sooner. Details of the clearance arrangements for the affected domestic and non-domestic tenants are expected to be announced in 2015. The Housing Department will, as far as possible, allow the affected tenants to move to public rental housing flats in neighbouring areas or in the district of their choice, subject to availability of resources and suitable vacant flats nearby," the spokesman added.
Upon completion of all the phases in this redevelopment programme, there will be a build-back of about 5,650 flats from 2018 to 2023, representing a net gain in production of about 2,150 flats together with ancillary retail accommodation, car parks, public transport, community facilities and a school.
A dedicated Community Service Team will be set up on-site to act as a bridge between the HA and the affected tenants to smoothen the clearance process. This would ease the potential anxiety of the tenants and maintain the neighbourhood network, particularly for older tenants.
At the meeting, the SPC also decided to convert Chai Wan Factory Estate for Public Rental Housing (PRH) by adaptive re-use of the existing building. After conversion, it will provide about 180 PRH flats with a mix of one-person flats and one-bedroom flats. The works will commence by mid-2013 and complete by the end of 2015.
Ends/Monday, September 24, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:01
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