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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, at a media session after the eighth meeting of the Long Term Housing Strategy Steering Committee this afternoon (June 20):
Secretary for Transport and Housing: The Long Term Housing Strategy Steering Committee held its eighth meeting this afternoon. It was as usual a lengthy meeting. At the meeting, we dealt with two items. First, the ten-year housing demand forecast. The second item relates to the role of several delivery agencies in the provision of housing, in particular public housing. For the second item, we have highlighted the importance of the Housing Authority, the Housing Society and the Urban Renewal Authority. Of course, the nature of various bodies differs slightly and we have also covered the role of the private sector in housing provision. Members have also explored the possibility of some form of public-private co-operation. Today we only have touched on the key issues and we will continue to explore related matters further in the coming meetings.
For the first item on housing demand forecast, we have essentially followed the flow concept which we decided to adopt several meetings ago. Basically under this concept, we identified a number of key components of additional demand in particular the formation of new households or the net additional households arising from demographic changes. We have also tried to factor in the need to provide accommodation to households who are to be displaced by redevelopment projects whether in the private or public sectors. We have particularly looked at the demands or the needs of those households who are inadequately housed. These of course will include what we commonly identify as people living in sub-divided units. We have also included residual components that cover various kinds of additional demands, such as demands from overseas students studying in Hong Kong, or people from elsewhere working in Hong Kong. Now, to put it very simply, based on these additional demands, we have worked out a final figure of total housing supply target, which is 447,000. This, of course, is a broad figure, 447,000 for the next ten years. The steering committee will continue to develop our long term housing strategy proposals, as well as suggestions for changes, whether to existing housing policies or recommendations as to the supply strategy. In the coming two months, we hope to come up with a consultation document. That consultation document will be released for public consultation. And we promise that the public will have at least three months for such consultation.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Thursday, June 20, 2013
Issued at HKT 23:28
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