Hong Kong authorities estimate that acquiring all homes in the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court will cost around HK$6 billion (US$770 million), with officials saying that rebuilding on the same site was “not really very practical”.
Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun said on Saturday that the site was expected to be repurposed for community facilities rather than housing, citing overseas examples where sites of similar tragedies were rarely redeveloped for residential use. He stressed that “no one will earn big money” from the land in future.
“In this moment, we feel on-site reconstruction is not really very practical,” Wong said on a radio programme. “You look at some experiences abroad, they wouldn’t do that.”
His remarks followed the release of a government survey on Friday concerning the deadly blaze on November 26, which claimed 161 lives and displaced nearly 5,000 people. The study outlined nine rehousing options for residents, including a “flat-for-flat” exchange or a cash buyout.
Wong explained that rebuilding on the original Tai Po site would take at least nine to 10 years due to the time required for title consolidation and demolition, whereas alternative sites such as Chung Nga Road West could be ready for occupation by 2029.
He urged social workers to help residents understand the practical constraints of on-site redevelopment, noting that while emotional attachments were understandable, the logistics made reconstruction unfeasible compared with other options.
