Gov’t extends tender period for two MSB sites

The government also revised the conditions for these two tenders.

The government has extended the tender period for two sites in Hung Shui Kiu and Ha Tsuen for multistorey buildings for modern industries (MSBs) to 25 July.

The original tender closing date for Hung Shui Kiu Town Lot No. 10 and Yuen Long Town Lot No. 545 was 21 March. The extension follows feedback from bidders regarding concerns over the substantial investment required and prevailing market conditions.

Under the revised conditions, ownership of the MSB will be fully consolidated in the hands of the awarded enterprise. 

Upon completion, the successful bidder will lease part of the floor space to the government at a nominal rent for 10 years. The government or its appointed agent will manage and rent out this space to brownfield operators affected by development projects.

This arrangement replaces the original requirement for enterprises to permanently assign designated floor space to the government at no cost.

Additionally, the government has adjusted the minimum floor space to be leased within 10 years to approximately 46,000 sq m for the Hung Shui Kiu lot and 29,000 sq m for the Yuen Long lot. 

The calculation basis for leased space has also changed from the maximum to the minimum permissible gross floor area.

Lastly, the floor loading requirement for the leased space in the Hung Shui Kiu lot will be reduced from 30 kilonewtons per sq m to 25 kilonewtons per sq m, aligning it with the Yuen Long lot. 

This adjustment ensures consistency with general industrial building standards and helps lower construction costs.

The government said that the revised land sale documents for the two sites will be available online in early April, whilst the extension will give interested bidders sufficient time to prepare for their tender submission.