Transcript of remarks by S for Housing at media session

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Housing and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Authority, Ms Winnie Ho, at a media session after attending the Hong Kong Housing Authority Strategic Planning Committee meeting this afternoon (December 21):
 
Reporter: (About plan for the businesses in Choi Hung Estate, number of flats for affected residents of Choi Hung Estate to buy and rent didn't add up to 7 500 units, and plans to preserve the characteristics of Choi Hung Estate) 

Secretary for Housing: All the relocation projects (sites), including the public rental housing proposed in Mei Tung Estate and the GSH (Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme) estate in Wang Chiu Road, are within the same Wong Tai Sin District. For the numbers, we are talking about three phases, there are total (about) 7 400 units (in Choi Hung Estate). If we divide them into three phases, that means there are around 2 500 in each phase. So there is relocation possibility for the first phase. As you can see in Mei Tung Estate, we have (about) 2 860 units. So there should be more than enough for the first phase. Wang Chiu Road GSH, which they (affected residents of Choi Hung Estate) can buy as subsidised sales flats, and there are 1 467 units. There are much more than enough for the first phase.

     After the first phase has been relocated, there are spaces to redevelop within the Choi Hung Estate area. The redeveloped first phase area can absorb residents of the second phase. And then the area of the second phase, after redeveloping, can absorb the residents of the third phase. So that's the concept how we carry out redevelopment project. There are enough relocation sites outside Choi Hung for us to kick-start this redevelopment project.

     For the businesses, they have the priority to bid for (the shops in) other shopping arcades in newly developed public housing estates in other areas.

(Please also refer to the Chinese version of the transcript.)