Transcript of remarks by S for Housing at media session
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Reporter: Kitson Yeung said that the residents are worried about the Light Public Housing that would affect the CBD plan. What would you say to those concern? And will you consider his suggestion to use other plots? And why is the cost of the project as … to the Legislative Council are different from those announced earlier……?
Secretary for Housing: I have just talked to the media that the long-term development of the Central Business District 2 (CBD2) doesn’t change. I've been working at the Energizing Kowloon East Office. I have seen the birth of this CBD2, I have seen the development of this CBD2, walking step by step towards its ultimate goal, and this goal hasn't changed. Each piece of land has its long-term use, which is already laid down, and the planning will be realised one day. So we are just utilising the short term possibility to help those people in need. There are so many people living in subdivided flats, and they are in very poor living conditions. If these lands in their short term use can help these people, instead of being used as construction sites, construction storage, or like this Kai Tak piece of land for the Light Public Housing which is being used for parking of buses. Can we add more value to their short-term use? To release the potential of the land to help more people, that's the aim of the policy.
Reporter: The second question is about the cost.
Secretary for Housing: About the cost. When we first announced the Light Public Housing project, we have received many comments about the cost. The construction team has been working very hard to reduce the cost, and the latest estimate is that we can reduce the cost by a substantial amount. So we will further explain that in the coming LegCo (Legislative Council) meeting. Thank you.
(Please also refer to the Chinese version of the transcript.)
Ends/Thursday, February 2, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:18
Issued at HKT 16:18
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