Pavilia Farm construction defects lead to calls for investigation from lawmaker to get to the bottom of the issue

The cause of the problem, whether it was human error or poor government oversight, needs to be thoroughly investigated, says lawmaker Tony Tse

Buyers will have doubts about the quality of construction projects in the city especially after such a high-profile project, says academic

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Two towers at the under-construction The Pavilia Farm project in Tai Wai will be demolished due to some construction defects. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 9:26pm, 8 Jul 2021Updated: 9:40pm, 8 Jul 2021

New World Development’s announcement to demolish two of the seven towers at The Pavilia Farm in Tai Wai has shocked Hong Kong, with a lawmaker calling on the government to launch an investigation into the project.

The developer, government and contractor must conduct an investigation to find out the cause of the problem that has led to the decision to knock down and rebuild the two blocks, said Tony Tse, a pro-establishment lawmaker representing the architectural, surveying, planning and landscape sector.

The cause of the problem, whether it was human error, poor government oversight or any other issue, needs to be thoroughly investigated and revealed, said Tse, who is also a surveyor. He also urged the government to step up supervision of construction projects as it tends to “rely on independent professionals”.

The decision to demolish the two towers was taken after concrete walls in the podium of blocks 1 and 8 “did not meet the requirements of the approved design” found during concrete strength tests, MTR Corporation, which is developing the project with New World Development said.

A New World spokeswoman said that “this was due to human error, and the entire team has been sacked”.

Homes in Hong Kong are known for their construction quality and buyers trust the developers to deliver on their promises, said Maggie Hu, assistant professor of real estate and finance at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. But when a top-notch developer’s project has issues, people will start to question whether these homes are really worth the money, she added.

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