China News Service, Hong Kong, February 19 (Reporter Wei Huadu) The groundbreaking ceremony for Hong Kong's first simple public housing project was held on the 19th. The project is located at Yau Pok Road, Yuen Long and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.
Huang Weilun (third from left), Ho Yongxian (second from right) and other guests attended the ground-breaking ceremony. Photo by China News Service reporter Wei Huadu
The Hong Kong SAR government proposed to build simple public housing in 2022 to fill the short-term shortage of public housing supply and improve the living environment of grassroots citizens.
The first batch of simple public housing units are located at Yau Pok Road in Yuen Long, Tuen Mun, Choi Hing Road in Ngau Tau Kok and Sai Wan Road in Kai Tak, and are expected to provide about 17,000 units.
The Yau Pok Road project in Yuen Long will be the first simple public housing project completed, with a land area of approximately 8.7 hectares and approximately 2,100 units.
Wong Wai-lun, Deputy Secretary for Finance of the SAR Government, said in his speech at the ceremony that because the simple public housing uses prefabricated construction technology, the cost of each unit is significantly lower than that of traditional public housing. The first batch of simple public housing projects saved HK$3 billion in cost compared to expectations, and the budgeted cost of the second batch was also reduced. He hopes that people in need can move into suitable simple public housing as soon as possible.
The reporter learned that 80% of the simple public housing units on Yau Pok Road in Yuen Long are units for 1 to 2 people, with rents of about HK$740; the rest are units for 3 to 4 people, with rents of about HK$1,420, both of which are far below the market price. The area has complete community and transportation facilities. There are schools, shops, and study rooms nearby, as well as public transportation to and from Yuen Long city center and the MTR station.
Wong Weilun, Secretary for Housing of the SAR Government Peter Ho, Secretary for Labor and Welfare of the SAR Government Sun Yuk-han and other guests attended the ground-breaking ceremony.
It is reported that simple public housing is quickly built using standard simple design and prefabricated integrated construction methods using land that has not yet implemented long-term development plans in the short term in Hong Kong. The SAR government aims to build approximately 30,000 simple public housing units by 2027-2028. (over)