Empty estate: A Housing Department officer locks the gate at Wong Chuk Hang Estate for its redevelopment clearance.

The Housing Department has started the redevelopment clearance of Wong Chuk Hang Estate, recovering more than 5,000 flats.

More than 90% of the households have moved out. Extension of stay was granted today for the remaining 20 families who have accepted the department's rehousing arrangements. They promised to vacate their flats by the end of October.

All recovered flats have been sealed and the sites have been fenced up to prevent unauthorised entry.

To improve the living environment for tenants of old-style public housing estates, the Housing Authority rolled out the Comprehensive Redevelopment Programme in 1988. Fifty-six estates have been cleared improving the living environment for more than 600,000 tenants.

The programme will be completed when the remaining seven blocks of 5,400 flats in Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate are cleared in the next two years.