An ambitious plan to transform four ageing Kowloon districts into upmarket areas has been condemned by legislators as pointless and a threat to residents, who fear eviction.
Under the plan, revealed last month, 14 public estates will be demolished and entire districts redeveloped instead of efforts being confined to the boundaries of individual estates. Adjacent government land will be incorporated in the redevelopment.
The 20-year Housing Authority project covers Ngau Tau Kok, in Kowloon East, Shekkipmei and Cheung Sha Wan, in western Kowloon, and Ho Man Tin, in central Kowloon.
But at a joint Legco panel meeting yesterday, legislator Chan Kam-lam, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, said it was pointless studying the plan.
Mr Chan, of the Kowloon East constituency, said it was nonsensical for the authority to include in its redevelopment plans some relatively new and good-quality estates such as Ping Shek Estate.
He added that many residents were worried about being made homeless as a result of the redevelopment. 'It is unnecessary to announce the plan so soon if you are aiming to do it in 20 years. It has caused a lot of confusion among residents,' Mr Chan said.
Fourteen public estates are being redeveloped. Six are being cleared or demolished under Housing Authority plans already announced. The others - which are home to 31,900 households - are to be demolished, with the tenants housed in the new projects.
