Minister floats idea of setting minimum size for nano flats in space-starved Hong Kong

Acknowledging cramped living spaces are ‘pain point for society’, development chief says government could limit how small new flats can be

While Michael Wong does not give exact figure, he notes suggestions of setting starting point at 200 sq ft

Hong Kong could require property companies to build flats measuring at least 200 sq ft, the development minister has said, but even that size is much smaller than the bare minimum recommended by a government adviser and a ­research group.

Secretary for Development Michael Wong Wai-lun made the suggestion on Friday as he acknowledged cramped living spaces were a “pain point for society”. While he did not specify what the minimum would be, he noted recent suggestions of setting the starting point at 200 sq ft or 210 sq ft for the private sector.

“There are still many factors to think about, but we will consider doing it in future,” he said at a press conference.

Wong also said that new public housing flats could be 10 or 20 per cent bigger than their current size – but only more than a decade later when land supply was more abundant.

Introducing a minimum in private construction and increasing the size of public flats demonstrated the government’s commitment to fulfilling Hongkonger’s hopes of more living space “was not empty words”, Wong said, adding: “We can do it, but it will take time.”

With just 1,114 sq km (275,280 acres) for 7.5 million people, Hong Kong has long struggled to find land for housing.

The median floor area per capita is 161 sq ft, based on the 2016 census, and as home prices continue to outpace what most people can afford, developers have turned to building smaller flats.

A report by Liber Research Community, a civic group that focuses on housing and land issues, found that private developers built 10,900 nano flats – which the group defines as ones not bigger than 260 sq ft – over the past decade. They made up 10 per cent of the new homes last year.

But the flats often lack an enclosed kitchen or bedroom, and in many instances, do not have any windows in the bathroom.

Liber and other groups, including the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), have called on officials to impose a minimum size for new homes. Liber has suggested 260 sq ft would be a reasonable starting point, while the DAB has proposed 200 sq ft.

Property agent said that stipulating a minimum size for private flats was “a good move” to help improve the living standard of residents.

But the agent also warned it could be technically challenging for homes to meet the requirement at small sites, particularly ones in cramped urban areas.

“There could be site-specific constraints to come up with a design to maximise the gross floor area while having all units sized over 200 sq ft,” the agent said.

Lawrence Poon Wing-cheung, a housing policy expert at City University and member of the Town Planning Board, said 200 sq ft was too small but added the government had to set a standard that struck a balance between affordability and living space.

“We must take the middle ground. Some people may be priced out if the minimum size is set too high, but at the same time, flats are built to last for a long time so they cannot be too small either,” he said.

“Officials can use 210 sq ft as a starting point and then review the policy in the next five years to see how the market reacts. Ideally, private flats should be at least 230 or 250 sq ft, but we must ensure that people can still afford to live in these homes.”

Secretary Wong also said public-sector homes could be built 10 to 20 per cent larger than the current standard in the first phase of the Lantau Tomorrow Vision – a plan to create massive artificial islands in waters east of Lantau Island.

The first homes are slated to be ready in 2034. Larger public housing flats are also planned for the Northern Metropolis leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor proposed in her policy address on Wednesday.

Wong noted that the average home for a four-member family was less than 400 sq ft, and under the most “optimistic” scenario of a 20 per cent increase in size, the flat would be about 480 sq ft.

Lam said in her policy blueprint that Hong Kong faced a shortfall of 3,000 hectares of land for housing, and economic and recreational projects between now and 2048.

According to Wong, that forecast, which is 1.5 times more than the 1,200 deficit projected in 2016, had taken into consideration people’s aspirations for more spacious homes.

The minister also acknowledged the population had shrunk slightly due to emigration, but noted that latest census estimates showed the population would still grow in the future.

(South China Morning Post)

英皇兩屯門工廈分拆重建

由英皇國際持有的屯門新安街兩幢工廈，即寶泰工業大廈和山齡工業大廈，去年1月獲批合併重建，最新向城規會遞交新發展方案，申請將上述兩工廈分拆作單獨重建，可建總樓面維持22.8萬方呎。

據城規會文件顯示，兩幢工廈地盤面積同為1萬方呎，同步申請放寬兩成地積比，由9.5倍增加至11.4倍發展，並分別重建為一幢樓高23層 (包括兩層地庫) 的新式工廈，可建總樓面約113991方呎，即兩廈重建後合共可提供約227982方呎工業樓面。

馬頭角幸福大廈新近向城規會申請放寬建築物高度限制，項目面積約21938方呎，申請放寬高度限制，由主水平基准以上15米及45米放寬至主水平基准以上100米，以地積比約11.839倍發展，擬議發展包括1座23層建築及2層地庫停車場，總樓面約259720方呎。

南華冷房申增發展

此外，金朝陽早前向鄧成波家族購入的葵涌南華冷房工業大廈，新近向城規會略為放寬兩成地積比率限制，據城規會文件顯示，地盤面積約19134方呎，申請放寬兩成地積比率，由9.5倍增加至11.4倍發展，計畫興建一幢樓高27層 (包括2層地庫) 的新式工廈，可建總樓面約218129方呎。

觀塘振業工廠大廈，新近向城規會申請放寬地積比率及建築物高度限制，地盤面積約11053方呎，申請放寬地積比率約20%發展，由12倍增加至14.4倍，而建築物高度由主水平基準以上100米申請放寬至125.9米，即增加約25.9%，重建為一幢樓高28層 (包括1層空中花園/防火層，另有4層地庫) 的商廈，涉及可建總樓面約159168方呎。

(星島日報)

興迅廣場兩單位連租約放售

代理表示，長沙灣興迅廣場2個單位連租約放售，面積分別約4699及2622方呎，售價約3900萬及2176萬元，呎價均約8300元。

該行表示，單位擁有4.2米特高樓底，空間感倍增。物業備有2部載客電梯及1部載貨電梯，用戶上落非常方便。

(信報)

聯想11萬租栢麗大道複式舖 首設街舖專門店 較高峰租平71%

尖沙咀昔日一線購物地段栢麗購物大道空置率高企，導致租金大跌，早前街內「頭段」位置甚佳的兩個打通相連舖位以35年前月租25萬元租出後，為同街舖位租金確立新指標，並陸續錄得長租約租賃成交。同位於「頭段」的一個複式舖位，最新以每月11萬元獲中國科企巨頭聯想 (Lenovo) 承租，開設首間街舖官方專門店，租金較高峰期大瀉逾71%。

市場消息指出，尖沙咀彌敦道111至181號栢麗購物大道地下G21號舖及1樓11A號舖，地下建築面積約766方呎，1樓建築面積約766方呎，合共建築面積約1532方呎，已丟空約兩年，終以每月11萬元租出，呎租約71.8元，租期為兩年。

處同街「頭段」 毗鄰港鐵站

是次新租客為聯想，用作開設官方專門店。資料顯示，現時聯想在港只設有一間官方專門店，位於銅鑼灣渣甸街的樓上舖，今次屬首度進駐街舖開店。

是次聯想租用的舖位處於栢麗購物大道的「頭段」位置，較接近尖沙咀港鐵站，鄰近舖位多由連鎖店或珠寶金行承租，人流屬整條栢麗購物大道較旺的一段。

該舖1998年起由連鎖鞋店Mirabell承租多年，期間曾有數年由其他商戶租用，但亦間斷地在此舖經營約15年，最後一份租約月租為38萬元，呎租達248元。惟該品牌在2019年租約期滿後不再續租，舖位交吉兩年才再度租出，惟新約月租急跌27萬元或71.1%。

翻查資料，該舖在1986年物業落成時，由渣打銀行以每月9.5萬元承租，呎租約62元，即現租金較35年前僅略高1.5萬元或15.8%。

至於相隔上址一個舖位的G23號舖及1樓12A號舖，地下建築面積約651方呎，1樓建築面積約671方呎，合共建築面積約1322方呎，最近亦成功租出，由銷售翡翠珠寶的「潮州佬」以每月9.5萬元承租3年，呎租約71.9元。

據了解，此舖原由時裝店租用，月租最高曾達33萬元，每呎約250元，如今租金較高位下挫23.5萬元或71.2%。代理指出，舖位今年初曾以每月6萬元短租形式租出，現時長租租金回升58.3%。

附近舖主接受議價 租賃轉活

栢麗購物大道租賃突趨活躍，除因為消費市道回穩外，與業主接受大幅議租亦有直接關係。

8月栢麗購物大道位置更佳的地下G9、G10號舖連1樓5號舖，地下建築面積共1411方呎，1樓建築面積1357方呎，合共建築面積2768方呎，由連鎖珠寶金行謝瑞麟 (00417) 以每月25萬元租用3年，呎租約90元，租金與1986年的水平一樣，令街內不少業主接受以相若呎租水平與長租客洽租，促使交投加快。

(信報)