Govt to build public flats faster with modular method
Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said on Saturday that the authorities plan to deploy modular integrated construction techniques similar to those used in building quarantines facilities as a way to speed up the delivery of public housing. Ho said the technique, in which building modules completed with fittings and finishes are manufactured off-site before being installed, could accelerate the supply of public rental flats. The minister said how much time the technique could save would vary depending on the construction site, and it would not be suitable everywhere. "It has some site restrictions and logistical requirements. If the sites are too small, or on a slope or in front of a very narrow road, there are restrictions and constraints. So to make use of this method to the greatest benefit, we have to choose sites that are substantially larger and have more units," she said. She added that they could further compress the process by combining design and construction contracts, so the two procedures can be carried out at the same time. The new government under Chief Executive John Lee has identified housing, including public housing, as one of its key priorities. As of March, the average waiting time for a public rental flat was 6.1 years. Ho said the administration was also considering whether the transitional housing policy can be improved, saying she hopes projects featuring more storeys, with lifts to access them, will be built in future. Transitional housing is provided on a short-term basis to people facing long waits for public flats as an alternative to expensive private-sector accommodation. She said the task force on public housing projects will submit a report covering the topic by the end of September.