Tsz Tin Tsuen in Tuen Mun Area 54 Site 2 will be cleared on September 9 for the construction of 5,000 public rental housing flats.

Clearance notices were posted on July 2, requiring the occupiers to leave by August 3 when clearance started.

The Government has started repossessing vacant premises where the occupiers have agreed to move out. However, for the production of 5,000 public rental housing flats by 2016, it said there can be no more delay in taking over the site.

The Government, as an alternative to statutory compensation, has offered ex-gratia compensation at a rate of $474 per square foot to 69 former landowners affected by the project.

So far, 37 former landowners have accepted the Government's offers. Discussions with the remaining 32 former landowners are ongoing.

Rehousing or ex-gratia allowances have also been offered to the 49 eligible households and six business undertakings at Tsz Tin Tsuen.

There is no possibility of increasing the ex-gratia compensation rate, the Government said. Neither will clearance be deferred as the project is already behind schedule. Any further delay will adversely impact the three-year average waiting time for people on the public housing waiting list.