580 Hong Kong squatter village families set to bid farewell to Ngau Chi Wan this year, as it makes way for public housing
- Development Bureau says about 950 structures, mostly huts, will be demolished at Wong Tai Sin’s Ngau Chi Wan, one of few remaining urban squatter villages
- Authorities will build 2,700 public flats at site, with historical Man Fat Nunnery to be preserved
The Development Bureau said on Friday authorities would demolish about 950 structures, mostly squatter huts, at Ngau Chi Wan in Wong Tai Sin to make way for the new housing.
It estimated about 580 families, comprising 900 individuals, living at the 2.2-hectare (5.4 acres) site would be affected, as well as 30 businesses.
The plan will involve taking back 0.6 hectares of private land, with the government notifying residents and businesses last February to move out by the second half of 2024 or 2025, according to a bureau paper submitted to the legislature.
“For the relevant [landowners who] accepted the government compensation offer, the Lands Department has gradually arranged to provide cash compensation,” the bureau said in the paper.
Eligible households could move into public rental flats or rehousing estates, while others could apply for an ex gratia allowance upon fulfilling certain requirements.
Ngau Chi Wan is one of the few remaining urban squatter villages in Hong Kong and was identified for redevelopment in 2019 along with two similar sites in Kowloon.
The bureau said about HK$106.3 million (US$13.6 million) would be required for site formation and infrastructure work in two phases.
The first batch of 1,200 flats will be ready by the end of 2031, while the remaining homes will be completed two years later.
The government plans to build a community hall and provide public open space and retail facilities at the site, while also improving accessibility through efforts such as extending roads and footpaths to connect with a nearby market and sports centre.
Man Fat Nunnery, a grade three historic structure located on the site, will be preserved.
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Authorities said the builder would adopt mitigation measures, such as reserving a buffer zone of no less than 10 metres (33 feet) around the heritage site.
Frankie Ngan Man-yu, a lawmaker representing Kowloon East, said he was not worried about the departure arrangements for residents as authorities had given them early notice.
But he pointed to several projects, such as major road works to improve traffic congestion, taking place near the squatter village around the same time, which he said required thorough planning to avoid inconveniencing residents.
Ngan also gave the example of the planned redevelopment of the 62-year-old Choi Hung Estate located opposite the squatter area, which would take around 15 years to complete.
“The government should coordinate different departments’ construction projects and plan the entire area,” he said.
