The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:

     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) strives to develop sustainable public housing and to facilitate the integration of new public rental housing (PRH) estates with the existing community through deliberate planning.

     In the face of scarce land resources, some sites suitable for large-scale PRH development may be located in rural areas. One example is the development of Hung Fuk Estate in Yuen Long, completed in 2015.

     As the first PRH estate in Hung Shui Kiu, Yuen Long, Hung Fuk Estate comprises 4 905 flats in nine domestic blocks, bringing a substantial population to a rural area which has been earmarked for new town development.

     "A variety of recreational facilities, retail and transport services are provided in the estate so that residents in the estate will not feel isolated and cut off in the new rural environment," the Chief Architect of the Housing Department, Miss Polly Young, said today (March 18).

     "Following deliberate planning and design, we managed to create a sustainable living environment for residents and integrate the new community with the traditional rural community in a harmonious way.

     "We planned the estate deliberately by incorporating two east-west view corridors, of 30 metres and 15 metres in width respectively, to allow permeability of sunlight and breezes for the enjoyment of residents."

     One important facility provided in the estate for new residents is a public transport interchange (PTI) giving access to nearby towns and transport links.

     "The roof cover of the PTI comprises solid and transparent panels tilted at an angle to reduce noise impact and allow penetration of natural lighting. The zigzag semi-covered design allows air ventilation and saves the need for installing fire services sprinklers and ventilation system," Miss Young added.

     The shopping centre in the estate features a "Main Street" concept for retail activities. A covered walkway decorated with Chinese motifs, highlighting the traditional rural culture in the area, provides shading along the shop fronts. Residents can also go to the wet market at the estate to buy fresh food and groceries.

     "To synchronise with the traditional rural surroundings, a colour scheme modelled on ink-and-wash painting is applied in the estate design. The exterior of the domestic blocks is mainly in white with some grey, and with highlights in yellow, orange and green tones, with different scenery of paddy fields in the four seasons of the year," Miss Young said. She added that landscape design with a wide range of greening, including roof greening and vertical greening, and the use of renewable energy, provided a pleasant and sustainable living environment for the residents.

Ends/Sunday, March 18, 2018
Issued at HKT 9:00

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