Following is a question by the Hon Lam Cheuk-ting and a reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, in the Legislative Council today (June 20): Question: It has be… read more
Following is a question by the Hon Lam Cheuk-ting and a reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, in the Legislative Council today (June 20): Question: It has be… read more
Following is a question by the Hon Steven Ho and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 20):
Question:
Some members of the public have relayed to me that in the vicinity of certain public wholesale food and fish markets, quite a number of residential developments have been completed in recent years, and the operation of such markets has affected the daily lives of nearby residents. They also hold the view that some of these wholesale markets are well poised to be developed into facilities with tourism appeal. Regarding the future plans for those markets, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it will identify suitable locations for the reprovisioning of the Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market and the North District Temporary Wholesale Market for Agricultural Products, so that the sites thus vacated can be planned afresh for other uses which will dovetail with community needs; if so, of the details and the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
(2) whether it will, by making reference to successful examples (e.g. the Pike Place Market in Seattle, the United States, the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Japan and the Fish Market in Bergen, Norway), study ways to enhance the benefits that may be brought by public wholesale markets, e.g. converting the Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market into an integrated facility that brings together a market for trading fisheries products, seafood restaurants and outlets for local products, so as to boost the development of the fisheries industry and the tourism industry; if so, of the details and the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My reply to various parts of the question is as follows.
(1) The Civil Engineering and Development Department has commissioned a technical consultancy study on potential sites for relocating a number of existing wholesale markets (including Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market) and for other industrial uses in North West Tsing Yi. The study is expected to be completed in 2020. The Government will consult relevant stakeholders, having regard to the outcome of the above study and other considerations.
On the other hand, the North District Temporary Wholesale Market for Agricultural Products to be affected by the proposed construction of the Fanling Bypass Eastern Section will be reprovisioned to an adjacent site in phases. Funding approval for the project would be sought from the Legislative Council in the first quarter of 2019.
(2) The aim of establishing wholesale food markets is to facilitate the wholesaling activities of the trade. In considering whether such markets could be used for purposes or hosting public events other than wholesaling, we have to ensure the purpose or event concerned would not affect the normal operation of the markets as well as the safety of the public participating in the events. The primary function of the Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market (AWFM) is to provide wholesale services for fish buyers. AWFM is already running in its full capacity. In the past, relevant Government departments had examined if the market could be developed into a tourist spot, but concluded that there lacked a number of elements to make it a success. In addition, in order to provide commercial facilities in AWFM, the safety issue arising from the gathering of a large number of tourists in the market must be properly addressed, and planning and land use approvals have to be obtained. The proposal involves many stakeholders and a variety of complicated technical issues. The proposal’s commercial viability as well as attractiveness to operators of restaurants and tourist facilities also have to be considered. read more
Following is a question by the Hon Alice Mak and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, in the Legislative Council today (June 20):
Question:
Some residents of the Tsing Yi District have complained to me that last month, the fresh water supply to a number of public rental housing estates in the District was disrupted due to fresh water mains burst, but not until three and four hours respectively after the burst incident did the water tanks and water wagons deployed by the Water Supplies Department (WSD) to the District to provide emergency temporary fresh water supply arrive, and the quantity of water supplied by them was also inadequate. Regarding the arrangement for emergency temporary fresh water supply, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective current numbers of water tanks and water wagons under the WSD, together with a breakdown by the operational region (i.e. Hong Kong and Islands, Kowloon, New Territories West and New Territories East) to which they belong;
(2) whether the WSD has drawn up a performance pledge that upon learning that the normal water supply to a certain area has been disrupted, an adequate quantity of fresh water must be supplied temporarily to the area within a certain period of time; if so, of the details; if not, whether the WSD will draw up such a performance pledge;
(3) of the average time taken by the WSD in the past three years to deploy water tanks and water wagons respectively to areas in which normal water supply was disrupted, and set out the relevant figures by operational region;
(4) whether the WSD has reviewed if the time taken to deploy water tanks or water wagons was too long; if the WSD has reviewed and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the reasons for that, whether insufficient emergency temporary water supply facilities was one of the causes, and of the authorities’ improvement measures; and
(5) how the WSD assesses, after confirming the need to supply fresh water to a certain area temporarily, the number of water tanks or water wagons needed to be deployed?
Reply:
President,
When the Water Supplies Department (WSD) suspends fresh water supply for repair of bursting or leaking of water mains, the Department will assess the duration of suspension required. If it is expected that the supply of fresh water will be suspended for more than three hours, the Department will arrange for the provision of emergency temporary water supply, including standpipes, water wagons and/or water tanks, to the affected residents within three hours after the suspension of fresh water supply.
According to records, the WSD received report of a fresh water main burst at Chung Mei Road, Tsing Yi at 6.28pm on May 17. Staff was deployed to the site to isolate the bursting fresh water main for repair immediately. The bursting fresh water main was completely isolated at 7.45pm, and the supply of fresh water to seven buildings in Cheung Hong Estate and Cheung Ching Estate was therefore suspended. The WSD delivered the first batch of eight water tanks to the affected buildings at 8.30pm to provide emergency temporary fresh water for the residents. The remaining two water wagons and the second batch of eight water tanks were also delivered successively to the site from 9.30pm to 12.06am.
My response to the five parts of the Hon Mak’s question is as follows:
(1) The WSD normally provides emergency temporary fresh water supply in the form of standpipes, water wagons and/or water tanks. The standpipes will be installed on site. The distribution of water wagons and water tanks in various regions of the WSD is tabulated below:
| Number of water wagon | Number of water tank | |
| Hong Kong and Islands Region | 2 | 58 |
| Kowloon Region | 2 | 14 |
| New Territories East Region | 2 | 54 |
| New Territories West Region | 4 | 62 |
| Performance Pledge | Target |
| Provision of emergency temporary fresh water supply after isolation of burst main | Attain 85% within 3 hours |
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | |
| Hong Kong and Islands Region | 0.65 hours | 0.62 hours | 0.71 hours |
| Kowloon Region | 0.50 hours | 0.32 hours | 0.30 hours |
| New Territories East Region | 1.05 hours | 1.35 hours | 1.50 hours |
| New Territories West Region | 0.31 hours | 0.44 hours | 0.40 hours |
Following is a question by the Hon Kwok Wai-keung and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, in the Legislative Council today (June 20):
Question :
The Annual Progress Report on the Long Term Housing Strategy, submitted by the Government last year, set a public/private split of 60:40 for the supply of housing units and a public housing supply target of 280 000 units for the ten-year period starting from this year. However, the sites which have been identified by the Government so far can provide only 237 000 public housing units in the coming decade. On the other hand, the waiting time for applicants on the Waiting List for public rental housing has been increasing continuously in recent years, and the prices of subsidized housing units, which have soared in tandem with a heating up property market, are beyond the affordability of the public. Regarding the supply of public housing, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has commenced a study on the inclusion of public housing in the development project atop the MTR Siu Ho Wan Depot; if so, of the relevant considerations and the expected completion date of the study, as well as whether the scope of the study covers the pitching of the entire project to public housing development;
(2) whether it will revise the price setting mechanism for subsidized housing units so that the prices of the units are pegged no longer to market prices but to the affordability of buyers; and
(3) whether it will consider forthwith raising the proportion of public housing in the overall housing supply target from 60% to 70%, so as to address the keen housing demand of the grass roots; if not, of the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
After consulting the Development Bureau, my consolidated reply to various parts of the question raised by the Hon Kwok Wai-keung is as follows.
Since the promulgation of the Long Term Housing Strategy (LTHS) in December 2014, the Government updates the long-term housing demand projection annually and presents a rolling ten-year housing supply target. In determining the annual housing supply targets from 2014 to 2017, the Government adopted a public/private split of 60:40 for the supply of new housing units to underline the Government’s commitment in increasing public housing supply while ensuring the stable and healthy development of the private market. According to the LTHS Annual Progress Report 2017, the total housing supply target for the ten-year period from 2018-19 to 2027-28 is 460 000 units. Based on the above ratio of 60:40, the public and private housing supply targets are 280 000 units and 180 000 units respectively.
When considering the aforesaid ratio, we should take into account that given both public and private housing are in short supply, we should strike a balance between the demand for public and private housing in determining their future supply targets.
Regarding the pricing of subsidised sale flats, the current mechanism has in place an affordability test. Under normal circumstances, Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats are sold at 30% discount from their assessed market values. However, if the affordability criteria cannot be met, a higher discount can be offered under the existing pricing mechanism. Nonetheless, during recent discussions on the relevant subject, some members of the Hong Kong Housing Authority have expressed views on whether the existing pricing mechanism can more effectively address the affordability of the applicants.
The Government is aware of public concerns about whether prices of HOS flats have gone beyond their affordability. At the recent Legislative Council Chief Executive’s Question Time, the Chief Executive has indicated that she would personally look into this subject.
As regards the topside development at the Siu Ho Wan Depot Site, as part of the multi-pronged strategy to increase land supply, the Development Bureau has been working with the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) to explore the development potential of railway-related sites.
According to the MTRCL’s technical studies, the topside development at the Siu Ho Wan Depot Site can provide no less than 14 000 flats and related community facilities in the medium to long term. To make the best use of the land resources, the Government has commenced the statutory planning procedures in relation to the topside development at the Site by zoning the Site for “Other Specified Uses (Railway Depot and Public Transport Interchange with Commercial/Residential Development)”. The relevant procedures are underway. The draft Siu Ho Wan Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) was gazetted for public inspection from March 29 to May 29. The Town Planning Board (TPB) will conduct public hearings later.
The Government is aware of the demand for public housing in the community and will take them into consideration in the planning work on the development project. The Siu Ho Wan Depot Site is currently granted to the MTRCL for use as a railway workshop and a maintenance depot. In taking forward the topside development, it is also necessary to ensure that the normal operation of the workshop and depot is maintained in supporting railway services. Various development details including the housing type and ratio of the topside development, and the need to provide the Siu Ho Wan Railway Station, etc., are to be further examined and discussed by the Government and the MTRCL. Among others, it is necessary to consider the interface between the depot operations and topside development, matters on lease conditions, financial and implementation arrangements, how the MTRCL as the current lessee and depot operator will participate, etc. The major principle is that the development potential of the Site should be unlocked in a timely manner to meet the public’s keen demand for housing through practicable arrangements in the public interest.
The draft OZP gazetted in March 2018 specified that after the Site is zoned for “Other Specified Uses (Railway Depot and Public Transport Interchange with Commercial/Residential Development)”, any future proposed commercial/residential development in the zone requires the submission of a layout plan to TPB to obtain planning permission. By then, the commercial/residential ratio and the ratio by housing type will be set out for TPB’s consideration. read more