安达臣商业地招标

受疫情影响，本港商业气氛不景，政府推售商业用地步伐未见放缓，地政总署昨公布推出观塘安达臣道商业地招标，该项目可建总楼面约11.03万方呎，综合市场估值约5.5亿至6.1亿，每方呎估值约5000至5500元。

上述用地位于观塘安达臣道对出 (测量约份第3约地段第1077号)，指定作非工业 (不包括住宅、办公室、酒店、仓库及加油站) 用途，将于下周五 (21日) 开始招标，11月18日截标。

市场估值约5.5亿至6.1亿

该项目由两个「大细不一」的地盘组成，其中较大的一幅位于安健道，而较细的一幅则位于安禧街。地盘面积合共5.7万方呎，涉及可建总楼面约11.03万方呎，发展规模故早前批出的同区另一幅商业地皮细约20%。综合市场估值约5.5亿至6.1亿，每方呎估值约5000至5000元。

可建总楼面约11万呎

业内人士指，安达臣道新发展区，地盘邻近用地大部分正进行平整及其他前期工程，基建配套尚未充分落实，而且安达臣道一带主要作公营及资助房屋发展，另有学校和社区设施，上述项目可发展为区内的主要的商业设施，可提供商店，餐饮及娱乐楼面，服务区内居民。由于项目发展规模小，涉及投资额不多，不排除最终由同一发展商夺标，以发挥协同效应，争取较高的租金回报。

今年8月该区亦批出一幅商业地为安达臣道对出 (测量约份第3约地段1078号)，由领展以7.66亿夺得，当时每方呎楼面地价约5501元。该项目地盘面积约6.3万方呎，指定作非工业，不包括住宅、办公室、酒店、仓库及加油站用途，可建总楼面约13.9万方呎。

资料显示，该区仅批出两幅卖地表住宅地，对上一幅为2022年5月由长实以49.51亿夺得的首置盘地皮，当时每方呎楼面地价约4546元；而首幅住宅地为2018年初华懋以31.128亿夺得安达臣道对出 (测量约份第3约地段第1068号)  用地，每方呎楼面地价12003元；其后，政府增加房屋供应，将区内6幅私楼用地拨作公营房屋，令区内发展规模大变天，并以公营房屋主导。

(星岛日报)

栢丽大道改咖啡茶座等获城规批准

本港商业气氛不景气，不少商业项目亦转型发展；尖沙嘴栢丽购物大道将「大变身」，该项目今年中向城规会申请改划作自助餐厅、咖啡室及茶室等，并增加趣味点及「打卡位」添加活力，打造「港版」巴黎香榭丽舍大道；日前项目获规划署不反对，城规会昨议审时获「开绿灯」，在有附带条件下批准。

上述申请由栢丽购物大道业主立案法团提出，将栢丽购物大道地下及一楼改作食肆、商店及服务行业用途，而计画建议「食肆」用途设置不超过50%总楼面面积限制。申请人曾指，栢丽购物大道为构成香港历史和特色重要的一部分，尤其是它所代表的香港经济繁荣的形象。

增加趣味点及「打卡位」

因应近年来本港社会经济环境的范式转移，特别是尖沙嘴区的经济环境转变及旅游购物者的减少，导致店铺关闭及城市活力下降，建议从城规方面取得一些弹性，以便日后将一些现有的零售商店转变为更多样化、更具特色的其他商业用途，旨为这购物大道重新注入城市生活。

面对近年急速的社会经济变化，拟议的用途对于增加当地经济的灵活性和韧力有着关键作用。凭藉多样化的商业活动，计画为弥敦道最宽阔的一段提升公共空间的趣味性，为公眾和游客塑造一个有趣的公共空间，供本地居民及游客享用，通过增加趣味点及「打卡位」以应对社会经济和市场的变化。

规划署认为，是次改划没有增加额外的面积，其上方的屋顶花园也不会受影响，周边树木、景观不会受影响；而且作多元化发展，在土地运用上没有与周边环境不相符，署方认为可为栢丽购物大道增添活力。

整个栢丽购物大道项目，涉及3幢物业，地盘面积约5.82万方呎，现有总楼面约8.22万方呎。

(星岛日报)

Hong Kong property stocks regain favour as investors and developers bank on John Lee’s policy tailwinds

Shares of home builders jumped in a broadly bullish market as investors bet on policy support to stem market slump

The industry’s powerful lobby this week urged removal of old measures that have outlasted their purposes in a different market cycle

Hong Kong’s biggest developers surged in the biggest stock market rally in more than a week, on growing speculation the city will roll back market-cooling measures during a policy address later this month to support the industry.

Shares of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the biggest by market capitalisation, jumped as much as 6.5 per cent, before closing 0.7 per cent higher at HK$91.25 on Friday. Henderson Land Development rose 0.7 per cent to HK$21.90. The Hang Seng Properties sub-index rose 0.7 per cent, paring about half of its earlier advance.

Prices rose in tandem with broadly bullish trading as the city’s benchmark Hang Seng Index climbed 1.2 per cent to snap a six-day losing run. The gauge has slumped by almost 29 per cent this year to the lowest level in 11 years, contributing to a US$1.6 trillion market-wide erosion in equity wealth.

Friday’s rebound was preceded by a call earlier this week by the Real Estate Developers Association (Reda), the industry’s powerful lobby, for measures to help shore up prices and prevent so-called “negative equity” cases, or home values sliding below mortgages. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is due to deliver his Policy Address on October 19.

Home prices in Hong Kong fell 2.3 per cent in August to their lowest level in 3.5 years, after taking successive blows from the social unrest in 2019, the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic curbs and a surge in interest rates this year at home and abroad. Goldman Sachs forecast home prices to fall by 15 per cent in 2022 and a further 15 per cent in 2023.

“If the cooling measures remain amid the backdrop of the global economic downturn and political turmoil, we will see a sharper price correction and rising cases of owners in negative equity,” a property agent said. “It is high time to consider removing the stamp duties.”

Reda this week urged the city to remove punitive taxes, a holdover from previous administrations to douse speculative purchases and keep homes affordable.

Lee could adopt measures including removing the 15 per cent stamp duty that non-resident buyers must pay on their purchases, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing people it did not identify. Scrapping that levy could support home prices, according to CGS-CIMB Securities.

“The move would not be a surprise to us,” said Raymond Cheng, property analyst in Hong Kong at CGS-CIMB. “It is a way to attract more talent, especially from mainland China.”

The action may be needed because of a “faster-than-expected rise in Hibor, and hence mortgage rates,” the brokerage said in a report, referring to the Hong Kong interbank offered rates. Higher borrowing costs will continue to erode affordability, [and] keep investors away “unless macro or policy becomes more supportive,” it added.

(South China Morning Post)