The Urban Renewal Authority will build 420 flats of less than 500 square feet each to cater for the mass housing market in the Ma Tau Wai Road-Chun Tin Street redevelopment project.

At a press conference today, Secretary for Development Carrie Lam said the authority agreed to do so in response to the Financial Secretary's concern over the supply of small flats as mentioned in his budget speech.

"The building collapse [at 45J Ma Tau Wai Road] has seriously upset the daily lives of the affected residents. To allay residents' anxiety, and taking account of the dilapidated conditions of those buildings, we believe redevelopment is the most appropriate solution," Mrs Lam said.

Renewal efforts: Secretary for Development Carrie Lam briefs reporters on the Ma Tau Wai Road-Chun Tin Street redevelopment project before visiting a household there.

District-based consultation

Noting the project is a special measure taken by the Government and the authority in response to a unique situation, Mrs Lam said the authority will develop the project on its own and will not be partnering with private companies.

A district-based approach will be adopted, she said. Consultations with the Kowloon City District Council and the local community, seeking their views on the planned provision of 500 square metres of at-grade public open space and 1,000 square metres of Government/Institution & Community accommodation, will be conducted before the project planning is finalised.

The project involves a site area of 3,377 square metres, covering 33 private lots in Ma Tai Wai Road, Chun Tin Street and Hok Yuen Street. About 540 households and 35 shops will be affected.

Special acquisition and compensation measures for the project will be adopted for the affected owners and tenants. Click here for details. A project commencement notice was gazetted today.

Meanwhile, the Buildings Department announced that as the buildings at 45G and H of Ma Tai Wai Road have been severely damaged by the collapse of 45J, they will be completely demolished.

The buildings at 45G and 45H were designed as one single integrated structure requiring support from each other. Inspections found 45G will become structurally unstable if 45H is torn down. However, the structure of the adjacent buildings at 45E and 45F is independent of G and H.

The buildings at 45E and F will remain closed until the demolition of 45G and H is completed. Works will begin on March 1 and be completed in two weeks. The department will work with other government departments to arrange for the affected residents to return to their units to collect their valuable belongings before the works start if the situation is safe.