📋 Tender Overview
In response to media enquiries about the housing development in Fanling Area 17 a spokesman for the Housing Bureau today June 16 responded as follows
The Housing Bureau has postponed on a temporary basis the development programme of the public housing project in Fanling Area 17 and adjusted the projects development priority having regard to the costeffectiveness of various housing projects under planning The authority stresses that it has not abandoned the project
Based on ground investigation the Housing Department found that the Fanling Area 17 Site has complex geology with a deep bedrock layer It is anticipated that a longerthannormal construction period would be required and the cost of foundation works would be significant The bedrock level has been found at depths exceeding 80 metres below ground in general with the deepest recorded at 120m below ground If the site is to be used for public housing construction deep foundation work will be involved Preliminary estimates of the average construction cost per unit will increase by 60 per cent to 90 per cent and the construction period will be lengthened by at least 10 months
Upon reviewing different housing construction projects the Housing Department has decided to prioritise the development of other more costeffective public housing projects in North District including the completion of approximately 38 000 public housing units in Fanling Sheung Shui and Kwu Tung North in the next five years from 202526 to 202930 As regards the 8 300 units from the temporary postponement of the Fanling Area 17 public housing development project apart from the above production in the fiveyear period there will be other projects ready for completion in the second fiveyear period in North District including 13 000 and 17 000 units in Fanling North and the Kwu Tung North New Development Area respectively These developments will be expedited in order to maintain the originally scheduled completion date of the 8 300 flats in Fanling Area 17 in 203132
The Housing Bureau reaffirms that the target supply of 308 000 public housing units in the next 10 years remains unchanged The adjustment in the priority of the development on this occasion will allow the authority to focus resources on developing first the more costeffective public housing projects in order to provide homes to those in need as soon as possible
