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In response to media enquiries about vacant government quarters, a government spokesman today (October 11) gave the following reply:
：The work of the Government Property Agency (GPA) is to manage government properties, including government quarters, through efficient and cost-effective means with a view to making the best use of government resources and optimising land use.
：There are two types of government quarters, namely, non-departmental quarters (NDQs) and departmental quarters allocated for use by individual government departments. The Government currently owns about 23,600 units of quarters, with an overall vacancy rate of less than 0.1 per cent. For surplus government quarters, we will either put them up for sale or leasing, or demolish those which are no longer suitable for residential use for redevelopment by the Government.
：In the year, the GPA successfully sold 20 surplus NDQs units, contributing some $560 million to the government revenue.
：Moreover, we will study the feasibility of putting surplus quarters to other uses, for example, to demolish the quarters and hand over the sites to the Lands Department for long-term development. The ex-Wan Chai Police Married Quarters site was transferred to the Lands Department in 2011, and has been included in the 2012/13 Land Sale Programme for hotel, commercial, community and cultural uses. The GPA has also handed over to the Lands Department the ex-Housing Department Staff Quarters site in Tsz Wan Shan this year. Together with the site of the ex-Housing Department Staff Quarters in Tin Wan to be transferred to the Lands Department later, the two sites will be earmarked for the development of disciplined services・ departmental quarters in the long run.
：As for the vacant departmental quarters in Kwun Tong, Wong Tai Sin and Sai Ying Pun, the sites in Kwun Tong and Wong Tai Sin are reserved for the development of disciplined services・ departmental quarters in the long run. The departments concerned will carry out demolition works at these sites as soon as possible and transfer them to the Lands Department.
：Sai Ying Pun site is earmarked for the development of government offices. The GPA is in the process of discussion with the relevant departments and expects to reach a decision within a year. Given that the ex-quarters at the Sai Ying Pun site are supporting the retaining wall at Queen・s Road West structurally, the Government, upon studying the consultancy report carefully, considers that demolition of the ex-quarters should be carried out in the context of the redevelopment proposal.
：We have studied the feasibility of putting the above-mentioned vacant quarters, which have yet to be demolished, to other short-term uses. However, the overall design, fire safety equipment, fire escape route and barrier free access are not up to the standards as stipulated in the current ordinances or regulations. We have also conducted an analysis confirming that it is not cost-effective to have these ex-quarters refurbished for short-term leasing before they can be used for long-term development. As such, these vacant quarters cannot be put to short-term uses.
：We will redevelop these old quarters according to the priorities of the government's public works and in a gradual and orderly manner.；
Ends/Thursday, October 11, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:57
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