The Transport & Housing Bureau plans to expand the comprehensive structural investigation programme to 32 more old public housing estates in the next decade. A temporary chief structural engineer post will be made permanent to oversee the scheme.

The bureau the Legislative Council today comprehensive structural investigations for eight housing estates have been completed. Investigations for Wah Fu and Ping Shek Estates will be finished in April and September.

The investigations have found maintenance and repair expenditure will rise if the estates are 40 years old or more. Noting an early survey to ascertain the estates' structural condition and tailor-made improvements can cut the need for more extensive and disruptive structural repairs, the bureau suggested completing the investigation before an estate reaches that age.

The Housing Authority is planning to turn the comprehensive structural investigation programme into a long-term departmental scheme covering 32 other estates from 2008 to 2018, with three to four estates investigated a year.

In view of the scheme's technical complexity and the significant implications, the bureau proposed to turn the existing temporary chief structural engineer post into a permanent one. The proposal will be tabled to lawmakers in May.