Scheme aims to encourage owners of Hong Kong’s unused industrial buildings to turn them into temporary social housing

Chief Executive Carrie Lam revives scheme that was scrapped in 2016 because of lack of interest in bid to help Hongkongers living in cramped and squalid conditions

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The D2 Place, one of two shopping centres built by Lawsgroup, in Lai Chi Kok, which were revitalised under the previous scheme. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 9:30pm, 10 Oct 2018Updated: 11:49pm, 10 Oct 2018

Owners of industrial buildings will be allowed to be convert their properties into temporary, social housing to help those living in cramped, squalid conditions, after Hong Kong’s leader revived a scheme to make better use of industrial space.

In her second policy address on Wednesday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said that for the first time, owners who wished to convert their buildings for non-industrial use could use their properties for this purpose.

A government source said such temporary use would be limited to five year periods, and subject to further renewal. However, according to the policy address, only buildings not in industrial zones are eligible for the scheme, and those can be used partially, or wholly, for transitional housing.

The Kai Tak Factory building on King Fuk Street in San Po Kong, which was damaged by fire last year, is the sort of building that would fit the criteria of the new scheme. Photo: Dickson Lee

Although Hong Kong has some 1,400 industrial buildings, Lam did not say on how many buildings would fit the criteria.

“The scheme provides more floor area to meet Hong Kong’s changing social and economic needs, and makes better use of our valuable land resources,” Lam’s policy report read.