Residents push back after govt says on-site redevelopment of Wang Fuk Court not practical

The government has said rebuilding Wang Fuk Court on its original site is not practical, just one day after consulting residents on their long-term rehousing options, prompting anger among residents who say their views have been ignored.

Residents told a radio program that more than 800 people have signed a petition calling for on-site redevelopment, arguing that both Hong Kong and the mainland have carried out similar tear-down-and-rebuild projects in the past.

They questioned why the government estimates it would take around 10 years to complete such a project and said assistance for victims should not be abandoned simply because it is difficult.

Lawmaker Gary Chan Hak-kan of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, who represents New Territories North East, said rebuilding the estate on the original site would take nearly a decade, while residents want to be rehoused as soon as possible.

He said he believed the government’s position was well-intended but stressed that residents’ wishes to preserve their community ties should be respected, adding that the government should not have included such an option in its consultation questionnaire if there are no intentions to pursue on-site redevelopment.

Chan also said that buying back property rights would involve public funds and that while the public sympathizes with the victims, taxpayers’ money must be used carefully.

He said the government should first make full use of the Wang Fuk Court support fund and insurance payouts, which total about HK$4 billion.

Meanwhile, Vincent Ho Ku-yip, president of the Hong Kong Institute of Building Safety, said rebuilding Wang Fuk Court on the original site is not impossible but would be extremely difficult.

He said the process would involve resolving ownership and insurance issues, reaching consensus among residents, negotiating design plans and handling the complex demolition of damaged buildings. He estimated that the construction phase alone would take at least six years.

Ho said that even if on-site redevelopment goes ahead, the new flats would be unlikely to match the original layout exactly, meaning residents would have to make compromises and accept the risk of future price changes.

He also said the government’s proposed buyout prices of HK$6,000 to HK$8,000 per square foot would make it hard for residents to purchase new units on the open market, adding that a “flat-for-flat” exchange would be simpler and allow residents to be rehoused more quickly.