Land contributed by third-largest developer can house “some 40,000” people in transitional housing

Henderson Land Development, the third-largest developer in the world’s most expensive housing market, is to lend a parcel of land in the New Territories to the government for seven years for HK$1 to build 2,000 transitional housing units, confirming the Post's report on Friday.

The goal for the social housing project on the 428,000 sq ft parcel in Kam Tin’s Kong Ha Wai, which it calls “the biggest [such project] in Hong Kong ever”, is to house almost 10,000 families, for a total of some 40,000 people, according to Henderson, the biggest hoarder of farmland.

“The company is the first to support social housing, having provided 200 units in the urban area so far and lent a construction project in Nam Cheong Street last year to build Hong Kong’s first modular housing project,” said Martin Lee Ka-shing, co-chairman and managing director of Henderson Land Development on Saturday.

“We hope to help grass-roots families in acute need, relieving their burden in life and improving the living environment.”

Lee added they picked the parcel in Kong Ha Wai as it was just 15 minutes of walk away from Kam Sheung Road Station, with community facilities such as markets to cater to the daily needs of residents.

Each of the four-storey buildings will have flats between 150 to 350 sq ft for families, the elderly and disabled. Henderson will be responsible for the initial planning, while welfare organisations will be responsible for construction, choosing the families in residence, and daily management.