Sites vacated from the demolition of old public estates are mostly retained for housing development, Secretary for Housing, Planning & Lands Michael Suen says.

He told legislators today public rental housing is always in great demand, adding there are more than 90,000 waiting list applications.

With limited space, the land available for public housing development can just meet the community's demand within the pledged average waiting time of about three years. Therefore, vacated sites have to be retained for development.

Mr Suen said that in the past three years the Housing Authority has cleared 11 sites, involving six housing estates and a flatted-factory premises. Of these, seven are used for redevelopment of public rental housing. The remaining four are used for different community facilities.

He said Phase 1 of Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate has been demolished and Phase 2 is scheduled for demolition in 2008-09. The plan is to use the vacated site for public housing development, with provisions for community facilities like a fire station and primary school.