Tracing the roots of the small-house law

Under the terms of the lease which Britain signed to gain control of the New Territories in 1898, it was agreed that Chinese traditions and customs must be observed. As a result, indigenous male villagers aged over 18 years and descended through the male line from a resident in 1898 were entitled to build a three-storey house with a total floor space of 2,100 square feet on a plot of land in the New Territories. The houses did not require building approval from the Building Department, and could be built within the environs of a recognised village or within a village expansion area. The small-house policy was formalised in 1972 when the government hoped to use it to address housing needs in the area.