Hong Kong eyes using slopes to build more flats

Flat production in one site can increase from 350 to 500.

The Housing Authority has made better use of slopes in public housing development sites by converting them for recreational uses or green space, to increase the net site area and build more flats.

Deputy Director of Housing Ada Fung said many public housing construction sites are small with large slopes, such as the site on Texaco Road, Kwai Chung, where slopes occupy about half the site.

"Our site formation works involves not only cutting into hills and blasting rocks, we also cut the slopes adjoining the public housing blocks to facilitate the construction of landscape decks to provide recreational space for tenants' use. By adopting this measure, those areas that used to be occupied by slopes can be taken into account in the calculation of the net site area and more flats can be built accordingly," she said.

Using this method, the net area of the Texaco Road site can be increased by 1,050 sq m, and flat production is increased from 350 flats to 500.

"The technical requirements and degree of difficulty vary with the conditions of each site. We will try different methods to overcome the difficulties to boost housing supply."

She noted the authority will seek to increase public housing production through planning applications to the Town Planning Board for relaxation of plot ratios and building height restrictions.