Hans Tse
2026-01-14 11:35:00
Rebuilding the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court at its current location in Tai Po will be “a huge challenge” due to complex ownership buy-backs and legal issues, a senior Hong Kong official has said.
Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong said on Wednesday that an on-site redevelopment of Wang Fuk Court would first require the government to “properly handle” ownership and legal matters relating to the housing estate, which had 1,984 apartment units.
A massive fire engulfed seven of the housing estate’s eight towers, killing at least 161 people and displacing thousands. A government questionnaire distributed to homeowners last week suggested on-site redevelopment of Wang Fuk Court could take up to a decade.
Addressing the “patriots only” Legislative Council (LegCo) on Wednesday, Wong said the estimated timeframe had taken into account the need to resolve ownership and legal matters.
“Assuming it takes four to five years to build, while demolition takes a year and a half, that would still mean that [the government] has to properly handle the ownership and legal issues for a large number of units in about three years,” Wong said in Cantonese. “This will be a huge challenge.”
Wong, who is in charge of a designated task force on accommodation arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents, appeared to have softened his stance. On Saturday, Wong told a radio programme that on-site redevelopment would be “unrealistic.”
He also reiterated that the government would only draw reference from the survey and that residents’ responses would not be binding on any future decisions on resettlement.
The government has proposed nine plans in the questionnaire, including relocation either within Tai Po or to other districts, as well as buyback options such as offering cash payouts or replacement flats.
Wong said the proposal to relocate Wang Fuk Court residents to a site in Chung Nga Road West would be the fastest option for relocation in Tai Po.
The site, which has been designated for public housing and has completed early formation work, will provide about 1,500 units, Wong said. A total of 900 units will be ready for move-in in late 2029, with the remaining 600 expected a year later, he added.
‘Serious internal damage’
Also addressing LegCo on Wednesday, Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho said experts from the government’s Housing Department had found damage and deterioration at Wang Fuk Court following the deadly blaze, including bursting concrete and buckled steel bars.
“It is highly uncertain whether the concrete and steel components can meet structural endurance, load, fire safety and waterproofing requirements,” Ho said in Cantonese. “We could say the buildings have suffered serious internal damage.”
Ho said repair and maintenance costs would be “unpredictable,” adding that the likelihood of having to tear down the torched buildings was “relatively high.”
Both Wong and Ho vowed to prioritise giving Wang Fuk Court residents a choice regarding resettlement plans in the government’s decision-making process.
See also: Tai Po fire: Over 1,100 survivors petition Beijing, Hong Kong legislature for on-site redevelopment
Lawmakers rallied behind the government’s relief efforts on Wednesday, with many echoing the challenges of an on-site redevelopment raised by officials.
Carmen Kan, from the Election Committee constituency, said on-site redevelopment would involve “relatively greater legal uncertainty and time costs.”
She cited the Grenfell Tower, a residential high-rise in London, where a blaze killed 72 people in 2017. Demolition work on the tower began in September 2025 – more than eight years after the fire occurred.
“It shows that on-site redevelopment could be difficult to proceed with in reality,” Kan said in Cantonese.
Ronick Chan, representing the finance sector, said a government cash buyback based on Wang Fuk Court’s pre-fire market value would offer the greatest flexibility and autonomy to homeowners of the estate.
“No matter which plan the owners eventually prefer, they can make a choice themselves after they get the cash,” he said in Cantonese.
