The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority: 

The Housing Branch has written to the Chairman of the Housing Authority pledging that the Government will additionally provide some 30 hectares of land to the Authority for fulfilling the Long Term Housing Strategy's housing production targets by 2001. 

Confirming this today (Friday), the Authority's Chairman, Ms Rosanna Wong, welcomed Government's positive response towards the Authority's demand for adequate land supply. 

She pointed out that an additional 18,000 public housing flats could be built by 2001, should relevant planning and clearance works be completed in time for building works to begin by March 1998. 

Ms Wong noted that Government's effort in the provision of land could help make up the Authority's future shortfall in housing production. 

"The Housing Branch is forward looking in positively considering giving us a further 31 hectares of land for our future development," Ms Wong said.

"Such land provision is important to ensure that our housing production targets can be met in case of slippage in construction progress due to unforeseeable factors," she said. 

Ms Wong hoped that the inter-departmental special committee to oversee the supply of land for public housing, to be set up under the Deputy Secretary for Housing, would ensure that the Authority could obtain suitable land in time for meeting the housing pledges laid down in the Long Term Housing Strategy. End

Friday, December 15, 1995