Chiu Kam-kuen

Concrete Analysis | Hong Kong must overcome past mistakes and ensure adequate community facilities at new public housing estates

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The government has a long and painful history of overlooking actual demand on communal infrastructure at public housing estates

New housing projects should have the capacity to support infrastructure for future population growth, particularly transport and community facilities

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The model plans for the Tung Chung New Town Extension. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Chiu Kam-kuen

Published: 12:05pm, 11 May 2021Updated: 4:36pm, 11 May 2021

The acute shortage of housing supply is a fundamental cause for the skyrocketing property price. About 101,000 new public housing units are expected to be completed from 2020 to 2025, according to the Hong Kong Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Society. Yet, the completion target still falls well-short of the 150,000 applicants in the queue, with the current average waiting period standing at 5.7 years.

The government is eager to explore potential land resources and build residential flats through a multipronged approach, including optimisation of land usage by increasing the density of new development areas, Lantau Tomorrow Vision and developing agricultural and brownfield sites in the New Territories through public-private partnerships.

However, even after effectively deploying all these measures, it will be a tall order to fully satisfy the growing demand and resulting housing tension in Hong Kong.

Over the years, various interdepartmental working groups have been established to coordinate and implement new measures to boost housing supply. To address the shortage in short-term housing supply, a series of public housing development projects are being implemented in Tung Chung and at Anderson Road respectively.

It is envisaged that new housing projects can better utilise land in strategic locations to boost supply and house more applicants in the coming decade. However, the capacity of the supporting infrastructure, particularly transport and community facilities, is an issue that must not be overlooked.

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For example, to support the increased commuting demand associated with the Tung Chung New Town Extension, the government announced the proposed extension of the Tung Chung train line through a new intermediate Tung Chung East station and a new terminal station, Tung Chung West.

Concrete Analysis | Hong Kong must overcome past mistakes and ensure adequate community facilities at new public housing estates

The government has a long and painful history of overlooking actual demand on communal infrastructure at public housing estates New housing projects should have the capacity to support infrastructure for future population growth, particularly transport and community facilities

The government has a long and painful history of overlooking actual demand on communal infrastructure at public housing estates

New housing projects should have the capacity to support infrastructure for future population growth, particularly transport and community facilities