Government to unveil 8 new residential sites

Plus one business site.

Secretary for Development Paul Chan said the Government will sell by tender eight residential sites and one business site from October to December, which can provide about 3,300 flats and about 62,000 square metres of commercial floor area.

Briefing reporters today, Mr Chan said four of the residential sites are in Tuen Mun, three in Kai Tak and one in Fo Tan. The Government will require developers to provide a specified minimum number of flats at two of the Tuen Mun sites and all three in Kai Tak, he said.

A business site in Kwun Tong will also be tendered in the quarter.

"The disposal of the site will help speed up the transformation of Kowloon East into another core business district," Mr Chan said.

The Government had announced the sale of 16 residential sites from April to September, capable of providing about 4,900 flats, Mr Chan said, adding the West Rail property development project at Long Ping Station (South) was tendered out in June and will provide about 720 flats.

Together with the eight residential sites to be sold from October to December, sites yielding a total of about 8,900 flats can be provided in the first three quarters of 2013-14.

Mr Chan said the Government and the MTR Corporation are revising the West Rail property development project scheme at Yuen Long Station, which is slated for tendering in the coming quarter and could provide about 1,880 flats.

"In addition, the MTR Corporation also indicated in August this year that it planned to re-tender its own property development projects at Tai Wai Station and Tin Shui Wai Light Rail Terminus. They will also tender the LOHAS Park Package 4 (project). These three projects together will be able to produce about 6,000 units."

He added the Government will continue to closely monitor the property market, and maintain a steady supply of housing land.