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SCMP Reporter

STANLEY Fort was under siege yesterday - not by invaders but by the first public tenants to move into the famous military site.

  Since the married quarters were put on the market five weeks ago, property agent First Pacific Davies has been inundated with calls.

  Of the 260 houses and flats on the market, 70 per cent have already been snapped up with the first tenants moving in yesterday.

  With another 68 properties undergoing minor renovations, the agent is confident the site on Stanley Peninsula will be fully occupied by the New Year.

  Rents, which start at $15,000 per month for a two-bedroom, 1,300 square foot flat and rise to $157,500 for a four-bedroom, 4,370 sq ft detached house with private garden, were set by the Government Property Agency.

  All leases terminate on January 31, 1997, giving the Government five months to clear the site before handing it over to the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

  The jewel of Stanley Fort is Rochester House, previously occupied by Black Watch commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Andrew Ogilvy-Wedderburn. It boasts four bedrooms, a lounge, dining room, spacious kitchen and a verandah on to manicured lawns with splendid views over Aberdeen and Lamma Island.

  But the new tenant will pay a little more for Rochester House than its previous occupant. Lieutenant-Colonel Ogilvy-Wedderburn paid a military 'peppercorn' rent of about $2,976. It is now on the market for more than $157,000.

    Isabel Michie, residential director for First Pacific Davies, said: 'This project is unprecedented and we were not sure what the response would be like, but we have had more than 1,500 inquiries.

  'We have four staff at the site who have been interviewing prospective tenants every 15 minutes. This is one of the best locations on the island and has a village-style atmosphere.

  'Apart from the rent being excellent value every property has a parking space. We are delighted with the success.'   The secluded houses and flats, set in 122 hectares of gardens overlooking the South China Sea, will bring in millions of dollars in rent. The site also includes a parade ground, sporting field, church, swimming pool and several playgrounds.

  Established in 1951, Stanley Fort at its peak was home to 650 men and their families. The last British regiment to occupy the fort - the Black Watch - left last month.



Hopeful tenants lay siege to Stanley Fort