Partial redevelopment of Pak Tin Estate
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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:

     The Housing Department (HD) announced today (April 17) that the older portion of Pak Tin Estate in Sham Shui Po, comprising eight residential blocks and a commercial centre, will be redeveloped in phases, starting in 2013-14.

     "The redevelopment plan was approved by the Strategic Planning Committee of the Housing Authority (HA), having considered the build-back potential of the aged portion of the estate in addition to its structural conditions and the cost for comprehensive repair," an HD spokesman said.
   
     This move by the HA echoes the announcement by the Chief Executive in the 2011-12 Policy Address that, in order to achieve the production target for public rental housing, the Government needs to open up new sites and explore ways to appropriately increase the densities and plot ratios of public rental housing projects without compromising the living environment. There have also been calls from the local community to redevelop the older part of Pak Tin Estate.

     The aged portion of Pak Tin Estate includes Blocks 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 and the Pak Tin Commercial Centre. They were built between 1975 and 1979, and contain about 3,500 flats. Upon redevelopment there will be about 5,650 flats, with a net increase of about 2,150 flats.

     "In order to minimise disruption to the community, the HA will adopt a phased clearance approach. We will first clear the existing Blocks 1, 2, 3 and 12 in 2013-14, followed by the Pak Tin Commercial Centre in 2016-17 and then Blocks 9, 10, 11 and 13 by 2021-22.

     "For the HA's estate clearance operations, the HA will identify suitable rehousing accommodation for affected tenants to suit their needs. The HD will, as far as possible, allow the affected tenants to move to public rental housing flats in neighbouring areas or in the district of their choice, subject to availability of suitable vacant flats nearby. The new flats in Shek Kip Mei Estate Phases 2 and 5, which will be completed in the middle of this year, will be the primary rehousing resources to kick-start the redevelopment process.

     "For tenants affected by the later phases of Pak Tin redevelopment, rehousing in the newly completed earlier phases of redevelopment can be considered, subject to availability of suitable resources therein," the spokesman added.  

     A dedicated Community Service Team will act as a bridge between the HA and the affected tenants to smoothen the clearance process. This would ease the potential anxiety of the tenants and maintain the neighbourhood network for the senior citizens.

Ends/Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:38

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