********************************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Leung Yiu-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, in the Legislative Council today (October 31):
Question:
It has been reported that during his election campaign in January this year, the Chief Executive proposed to separately provide shopping malls or shopping areas in the vicinity of the shopping malls under The Link Management Limited to offer low-priced goods for sale, so as to meet the needs of tenants of public housing estates. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it has any plan at this stage to implement such proposal; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The primary objective of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) in divesting its retail and car-parking facilities to The Link Real Estate Investment Trust (The Link) was to enable the HA to focus on its role as a provider of public housing. The Link Management Limited (LML), which is responsible for the management of The Link's retail and car-parking facilities, operates on commercial principles. Given the fact that most of The Link's commercial facilities are located in public housing estates and its clientele are mainly public housing residents, its commercial facilities must cater for the needs and affordability of these residents. The management of LML had previously indicated at the Legislative Council that they understand that The Link has to serve the residents of public housing estates. In determining the rental, they would take into account tenants' performance and the market trend, and would try their best to maintain the rental at an affordable level.
At present, the HA still retains a range of commercial and retail facilities in public housing estates (including those that are in fact in the vicinity of The Link's commercial facilities) to cater for the daily needs of residents. The HA will, having regard to the actual circumstances, provide additional retail premises at suitable spots in its existing shopping centres so as to offer more retail services. As for new public housing estates completed since 2005, the HA has also been providing commercial facilities to meet the daily needs of residents. Examples of such recently completed facilities include Choi Tak Shopping Centre, Yau Lai Shopping Centre, Yan On Shopping Centre and the Domain. The Domain is the HA's newest regional shopping centre to be formally opened soon in Yau Tong in the vicinity of The Link's Lei Yue Mun Plaza. Together with the Domain, the HA provides commercial and retail facilities with a total floor area of 200 000 square metres.
Ends/Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:36
NNNN
