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Highlights of the Year 2021-22
SPECIAL SCHEME ON PRIVATELY OWNED SITES FOR WELFARE USES
- As at the end of March 2022, six projects had been completed and commenced service. These six projects provide various welfare services, including about 260 additional elderly service places (100 being subvented places) and about 1 020 additional rehabilitation service places (all being subvented places). Of the remaining proposals received under Phase One of the Special Sites Scheme, one had entered the construction stage, six were at the stage of detailed design, and 20 others were at the stage of technical feasibility study.
- Phase Two of the Special Sites Scheme was launched in April 2019. By close of application on 30 August 2019, 25 project proposals submitted by 16 non-governmental organisations had been received Note.
Note: Apart from the aforementioned 25 applications, 1 NGO applicant subsequently withdrew a project proposal.
- SWD has carried out initial assessments and sought preliminary views of relevant bureaux/departments on these proposals. SWD is now discussing with the NGO applicants to confirm the project details, such as development parameters, types and number of service places to be provided.
PROJECT PLANNING
- SWD has all along been adopting a multi-pronged approach with long-, medium- and short-term strategies to identify suitable sites or premises in different types of development projects, including public housing development projects, private land development projects, development projects of the Urban Renewal Authority, redevelopment/conversion projects of vacant school premises and development projects on “Government, Institution or Community” (G/IC) sites, etc., for the provision of welfare facilities to meet the needs of the community. SWD has also incorporated conditions in suitable land sale sites to require private developers to construct welfare facilities specified by the Government. SWD has further embarked on the planning and development of standalone welfare facilities on suitable vacant G/IC sites.
- As at 31 March 2022, SWD had over 400 welfare facilities under planning. These welfare facilities were at different stages of development.
- To push in tandem with all other possible means to secure and identify sites or premises, SWD has taken forward the initiative of purchasing premises in the private property market as a short-term measure to help meet the imminent need for premises for the earlier provision of welfare facilities. In this regard, with the assistance of the Government Property Agency, SWD is currently identifying suitable premises for purchase through different channels. SWD has earmarked funds to continue to identify and purchase suitable properties in 2021-22.
- As announced in the Chief Executive's 2020 Policy Address, apart from purchasing private premises for welfare purposes, providing social welfare facilities in future public housing projects is a practical and feasible option. To this end, the Government has invited the Hong Kong Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Society to work with the Development Bureau to explore increasing the plot ratio of future public housing projects so that about 5% of the total domestic gross floor area can be set aside for the provision of social welfare facilities. This is an inter-bureau initiative and SWD is actively working in conjunction with relevant departments to follow up the implementation of the initiative.
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