Month: July 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​Following is a question by the Hon Yang Wing-kit and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (July 15):

Question:
 
     There are views that the problem of ageing buildings in Hong Kong is becoming increasingly acute, and that the Government should actively promote building rehabilitation and accelerate the pace of redevelopment in old districts, so as to facilitate the replanning of such districts and improve the living environment of the public. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) given that the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) adopts a “dynamic management” strategy to appropriately adjust the planning and pace of implementation of different projects in the light of market situations and building conditions, whether the Government knows the specific assumptions adopted by the URA when conducting financial stress tests to maintain its financial soundness, as well as the respective objective quantitative indicators (e.g. the projected amount of loss, the minimum cash flow threshold or the rate of decline in the property price index) used for assessing whether projects should be deferred or scaled down;
 
(2) in respect of large-scale redevelopment projects with high acquisition costs, such as the “13 Streets” project in To Kwa Wan, whether the Government knows if the URA will consider co-investing with developers for joint participation in such projects and flexibly adjusting tender conditions (including lowering upfront costs and optimising the profit-sharing ratio), and whether the Government will expedite the implementation of, and expand the application of the new planning guidelines on plot ratio transfer to large-scale urban redevelopment projects, so as to increase market incentives for participation in redevelopment;
 
(3) given that the Government currently relies on various non-recurrent schemes to promote building maintenance, whether the authorities will study the establishment of a permanent building rehabilitation fund that will receive capital injections from the Government and operate on a sustainable basis, with a view to promoting the transition from corrective maintenance to preventive maintenance; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(4) whether the authorities will update the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines to cater for the redevelopment of old districts, including updating the requirements for parking spaces and electric vehicle charging facilities applicable to residential and retail uses, and mandating a proportional increase in community care facilities for the elderly and public green spaces in large-scale redevelopment projects, so as to address population ageing; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(5) given that the promotion of smart communities and models such as “single site, multiple use” involves multiple departments and complicated approval procedures, whether the Government will consider establishing a higher-level, cross-departmental steering committee to be led by an official at the Secretary of Department level and tasked with the specific responsibility of rationalising the approval processes for redevelopment and rehabilitation in old districts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Government has all along been adopting a two-pronged strategy of rehabilitation and redevelopment to arrest urban decay, and the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) is our important partner in the urban renewal work. The URA has been taking forward the urban renewal work under the “planning-led and district-based” approach as promulgated under the Urban Renewal Strategy. The URA will re-plan the traffic routes, pedestrian facilities as well as greening and leisure areas, etc, within the district when implementing urban redevelopment projects, with a view to enhancing the planning benefits of the projects. Meanwhile, for building rehabilitation, the Government has allocated a total of $19 billion since 2018 for the URA to implement various building rehabilitation support schemes.
 
     Having consulted the URA, our reply to various parts of the Hon Yang Wing-kit’s question is as follows:
 
(1) Under the Urban Renewal Authority Ordinance (Cap. 563), the URA is required to exercise due care and diligence in handling its finances, thereby maintaining a sound and healthy financial position in the long run. To cope with the challenges posed by the economic environment and property market situations on sustaining urban renewal, the URA will adopt a dynamic management approach to review, from time to time, the redevelopment projects which have commenced and/or are planned to commence the relevant redevelopment procedures and suitably adjust the planning and implementation pace of different projects to cope with the market situations and building conditions so as to allocate resources in a flexible manner. The URA will take into account a basket of factors, including its cash flow and financial conditions, global economic conditions, local property market trends, and the complexity and scale of the projects, etc, in assessing whether to adjust the pace of implementation of different projects, with an aim to striking a balance among maintaining its financial stability, effectively promoting the regeneration of old districts and addressing the expectations of the local community, to achieve its mission of carrying out urban renewal in a sustainable and orderly manner.
 
     While the URA Board and its management are responsible for the URA’s day-to-day operational and financial management, the Government would oversee and provide steer over the URA’s work through means such as appointment to its Board, approval of the annual business plan/five-year corporate plan, and regular high-level liaison meetings with the URA. To maintain the momentum for urban redevelopment, the Government has been providing financial support to the URA, such as granting land resources to the URA at nominal land premium (the total amount of land premium forgone by the Government arising from this measure since the URA’s establishment is over $25 billion); granting Government, Institution or Community sites in the vicinity of suitable URA redevelopment projects to increase the overall development potential of the redevelopment project; as well as granting two sites at Bailey Street, Hung Hom and in Tseung Kwan O Area 137 to the URA by private treaty at nominal premium last year to help finance the redevelopment projects, etc.
 
(2) Upon title consolidation, the URA in general will put the redevelopment sites to the market for bidding by developers, so as to take forward the redevelopment projects in collaboration with the private sector. Before new projects are put to tender, the URA will, via the Development Facilitation Services, enhance the information transparency and communication with the market in a two-way manner. The URA can flexibly adjust the tender terms where necessary so as to enhance the project arrangements and increase the confidence of developers in submitting bids, such as introducing staged payment arrangement for tender amount, etc.
 
     As for the planning tool of transfer of plot ratio, the Town Planning Board promulgated relevant planning guidelines for the pilot scheme in the districts of Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok in July 2023, allowing the transfer of plot ratio between sites within the same district to provide incentives to the market to expedite the pace of urban redevelopment projects. The URA also adopted the concept of transfer of plot ratio in its Sai Yee Street/Flower Market Road Development Scheme in Mong Kok, which was commenced in 2024, by consolidating and transferring the development potential of several small and scattered sites to a larger site for mixed development, so as to enhance the planning gains and the commercial viability of the project. The Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address has also stated that in order to further incentivise the market to make use of the planning tool of transfer of plot ratio to expedite urban renewal, the Government will relax the existing arrangement to allow cross-district transfer of plot ratio and relax various arrangements under the original scheme, and this proposal will also apply to the URA’s projects. The Government has conducted consultation on this Policy Address’ proposal, during which relevant stakeholders’ views were collected, including the URA Board, professional bodies and industry associations, etc. Relevant stakeholders in general supported our proposed direction. Our target is to finalise and implement the relevant measures in the third quarter of this year. 
 
(3) The Government has since 2018 introduced a number of building rehabilitation subsidy schemes in partnership with the URA, including the Operation Building Bright 2.0 (OBB 2.0). There is broad consensus that the OBB 2.0 helps support owners in carrying out major building maintenance works. Owners’ continued commitment to proper building maintenance will effectively extend the lifespan of buildings and alleviate pressure for redevelopment. The Government believes that it is worthwhile to continue providing subsidies to owners in need, and therefore announced in the 2026-27 Budget a comprehensive review of the OBB 2.0, which will draw on the past experience to formulate a new subsidy scheme. An amount of $3 billion has been earmarked for this purpose. We will complete the review and formulate the details of the new subsidy scheme by early next year, during which the Government will also consult the Panel on Development of the Legislative Council. Our review work will take into account the following:
 
(a) how to set more targeted eligibility criteria to enable more precise matching of resources with building maintenance needs (such as owners of “three-nil” buildings and those of old and dilapidated private buildings with lower financial ability);
 
(b) how to strengthen the implementation of the regulatory mechanism to ensure that subsidised households, with the support of the enhanced version of Smart Tender (Note), can complete the maintenance works as soon as possible; and
 
(c) how to encourage property owners to maintain regular building maintenance, thereby preventing the problems and the burden of having to carry out major repairs in the future from accumulating.
 
(4) The Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines (HKPSG) stipulate the criteria for determining the scale, location and site requirements of various land uses and facilities covered by the policies of various Government bureaux/departments. In response to ageing population, the Social Welfare Department proposed amendments to Chapter 3 of the HKPSG according to the recommendations in the Elderly Services Programme Plan in 2018, where population-based planning standards for elderly services and facilities were added and updated, including the floor area requirements and planning ratios for district elderly community centres, neighbourhood elderly centres, community care services, and residential care services, so as to align more effectively with the goal of strengthening elderly services. Furthermore, Chapter 4 and Chapter 8 of the HKPSG set out the planning standards and criteria for greening and parking spaces/EV chargers respectively. The Planning Department will help facilitate if relevant bureaux/departments review the criteria and raise updates based on their latest policy considerations.
 
     The URA has been providing necessary community facilities when taking forward its urban redevelopment projects, such as providing a 100-place elderly facility in the Bailey Street/Chi Kiang Street Project which is currently under tender, and providing a 20 metre-wide waterfront promenade and a 25 metre-wide at-grade open-air waterfront plaza for public enjoyment in the Ming Lun Street/Ma Tau Kok Road Development Scheme and the To Kwa Wan Road/Ma Tau Kok Road Development Scheme, etc.
 
(5) We acknowledge that the co-ordination with other Government departments during the implementation of the URA’s urban redevelopment projects is highly important. On this, the Development Bureau (DEVB) has an Urban Renewal Unit, which is responsible for overseeing the overall operation of the URA, as well as co-ordinating the communication and collaboration of the URA with other departments, so as to take forward the new ideas and projects of urban renewal. The Development Projects Facilitation Office under the DEVB also provides assistance to the URA’s redevelopment projects (such as the Kwun Tong Town Centre Project), so as to co-ordinate various departments in processing the approval applications for developing the URA’s projects.
 
Note: The DEVB, in collaboration with the URA, targets to launch the enhanced Smart Tender services in the fourth quarter of 2026 to strengthen the support for owners’ corporations and owners in engaging compliant consultants and contractors to properly carry out building maintenance works. The enhanced Smart Tender services currently being developed will include establishing more rigorous “pre-qualified lists” of consultants and contractors, and the URA to perform the gatekeeping role by conducting the tendering and tender evaluation for owners in engaging consultants and contractors, etc.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Yiu Ming and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (July 15):

     It has been reported that many places in the northern New Territories (particularly the areas around Ta Kwu Ling, Sheung Shui, Fanling and Yuen Long) were hit by severe flooding from the evening of May 20 to the early hours of May 21, 2026 due to rainstorms, even causing power outages for dozens of households. Moreover, as the Hong Kong Observatory issued the Black Rainstorm Signal twice on June 18, the Drainage Services Department had to deploy emergency response teams and the “Mobile Powerful Pumping Robot” to handle flooding cases in the northern New Territories. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of reports on flooding cases, requests for assistance and complaints in relation to flooding in the northern New Territories received by the Government over the past three years, and how the authorities followed up on the relevant flooding cases;

(2) whether the Government has assessed the black spots and causes of the aforesaid flooding incidents in the northern New Territories (including Ta Kwu Ling), e.g. road surfaces being higher than the surrounding ground after brownfield site formation, problems concerning drainage system connections and insufficient capacity or blockages of rural channels;

(3) whether the Government has assessed whether the current stormwater drainage systems and flood prevention facilities in the northern New Territories are sufficient to cope with extreme rainfall events (e.g. rainfall intensity exceeding 100 mm in an hour); of the Government’s specific medium- and long-term projects to enhance the drainage capacity in areas such as Ta Kwu Ling, Ping Che, Sheung Shui and Fanling;

(4) whether the Government will establish stricter drainage standards and regulatory measures (e.g. requiring brownfield operators to provide independent drainage systems and conduct regular maintenance) in respect of drainage problems arising from rural and brownfield development, so as to prevent rainwater from flooding onto roads and into village houses;

(5) of the measures the Government has taken to enhance flood warning systems in the northern New Territories, as well as evacuation arrangements for residents and post-disaster relief support, including whether it will review the thresholds for issuing Special Announcement on Flooding in the Northern New Territories and the efficiency of information dissemination; and

(6) whether the Government will capitalise on the Northern Metropolis development to incorporate the flooding and drainage problems in the northern New Territories (including Ta Kwu Ling) into the overall development and infrastructure improvement plan, including whether it will, in the planning stage of new development areas, simultaneously upgrade stormwater drainage systems, drainage channel capacity and flood prevention facilities, to ensure that new development projects will not exacerbate existing flooding risks while resolving the problems at existing flood black spots?

Reply: 

President,

     Hong Kong experienced severe rainstorms over the past three years. In 2025, five Black Rainstorm Warning Signals were issued, breaking the highest annual numbers on record since the introduction of Rainstorm Warning System in 1992. This year, as at end of June, three Black Rainstorm Warning Signals have already been issued. Even in the face of heavy rainstorms, Hong Kong’s stormwater drainage system demonstrated its effectiveness in flood control, enabling the community to resume normal operation within a short period of time.

     The reply to the Hon Yiu Ming’s question regarding the northern part of the New Territories (especially for the areas of Ta Kwu Ling, Sheung Shui, Fanling and Yuen Long), with relevant policy bureaux and departments consulted, is as follows:

(1) In the past three years (from January 2023 to June 2026), the Drainage Services Department (DSD) received over 7 000 requests for assistance or complaints from the public regarding flooding, water ponding, drainage system blockages, clearing of weeds and silt, and environmental issues in the North District and Yuen Long District. During this period, the DSD confirmed 108 flooding cases in the districts concerned. Upon receipt of flooding reports, the DSD immediately deploys emergency response teams and provides urgent support, assisting in clearing blocked drains and floodwater.

(2) On the evening of May 20 and on June 18, 2026, the areas of northern New Territories were hit by intense rainstorms. On May 20, the heavy rain was mainly concentrated in the North District, with the maximum hourly rainfall exceeding 100 millimeters and the total rainfall of over 300 mm, causing flooding in some roads and low-lying villages. On June 18, the Hong Kong Observatory issued two Black Rainstorm Warning Signals. The heavy rain was again concentrated in the northern New Territories, with certain areas recording a maximum hourly rainfall of over 90 mm and a total rainfall exceeding 260 mm. Both rainstorms resulted in flooding in some roads and low-lying villages. According to the analysis by the DSD, most flooding cases were caused by silt, leaves, branches, and other debris being washed into drainage inlets by stormwater runoff, obstructing drainage facilities and reducing their drainage capacity. In addition, flooding in Ta Kwu Ling on May 20 was due to sudden and intense rainfall, which caused water flowing into the upstream and tributaries of the Ping Yuen River to exceed the discharge capacity of these natural streams, resulting in severe flooding along the river. On June 18, flooding at some places occurred due to the combined effects of high tide at river outlets and continuous heavy rain, which prevented rainwater in low-lying areas from draining away in time.

(3) Since the 1990s, the DSD has progressively completed a number of major drainage improvement works in the northern New Territories, including river training works for major rivers such as the Shenzhen River, Ng Tung River, Sheung Yue River, Shek Sheung River, Ping Yuen River, Ma Wat River, Shan Pui River, Kam Tin River, and the Yuen Long Bypass Floodway. In addition, a total of 21 village flood pumping facilities were constructed for various low-lying villages in the North District and Yuen Long District. Following the completion of these improvement measures, widespread occurrence of severe flooding in the North District and Yuen Long District has been alleviated.

     Furthermore, the DSD completed the river improvement works and construction of drainage channel at the downstream section and tributaries of the Ping Yuen River near Shui Lau Hang and Ng Chow Road in Ta Kwu Ling in 2006 and 2008 respectively. Moreover, since 2020, it has commenced the following projects, scheduled for phased completion between 2023 and 2030, to enhance the drainage capacity in the rural areas:
 

• “Drainage improvement works at Yuen Long – stage 1”: Construction of drainage channels and stormwater drains at Tai Tseng Wai, Shui Tsiu San Tsuen, Ho Lik Pui and Shan Ha Tsuen;
• “Drainage improvement works at Yuen Long – stage 2”: Drainage and stormwater channel improvement works at Tai Wo, Shan Ha Tsuen, Ha Che, Sung Shan New Village, and Lin Fa Tei;
• Yuen Long Barrage Scheme: Construction of an automatic flood barrier at the downstream section of the Yuen Long Nullah; and
• “Drainage improvement works at North District – phase 1”: Construction of an underground stormwater storage tank and a stormwater pumping station at Kong Ha and Sha Tau Kok Town; and construction of drainage channels, flood walls, and stormwater drains in villages including Kong Ha, Sha Tau Kok, Shek Kiu Tau, Hang Tau, Kai Fong Garden, Kwu Tung Road, and Tin Ping Shan Tsuen.

     To further enhance the drainage capacity of the natural tributaries of the Ping Yuen River in Ta Kwu Ling, the DSD plans to implement the Drainage Improvement Works in Ta Kwu Ling. Since most of the improvement works are located within the proposed “Priority Development Area” of the New Territories North New Town, the proposed drainage improvement works will be integrated into the development. In view of the flooding incident that occurred in May this year at the upstream and tributaries of the Ping Yuen River, the DSD is currently undertaking short- to medium-term flood prevention measures and works. For details, please refer to section (6).

(4) In the planning for rural and brownfield development, various government departments will examine the proposals in different aspects, including reviewing the drainage facilities, and ensuring that they comply with the relevant design standards or regulations so as to minimise flooding risks. If a development project (including rural and brownfield development) requires approval of the Town Planning Board and the proposed works will affect the drainage conditions, the project proponent needs to submit a drainage impact assessment together with the town planning application, and propose and adopt mitigation measures to ensure that the flooding risks in the relevant areas will not be increased.

     During adverse weather, flooding may still occur in certain low-lying village houses or villages with underdeveloped private drainage systems. In addition to implementing major drainage improvement works and regularly maintaining the drainage systems, the Government also requires the co-operation of the public to adopt precautionary measures, such as using sandbags, installing demountable flood barriers, and setting up temporary pumps to reduce the associated flood risks. During heavy rain, the DSD deploys additional manpower as necessary, arranging emergency response teams to handle flooding incidents. When required, emergency response teams will be stationed at flood-prone areas, enabling prompt inspections and clearing of blocked channels to reduce flood risks.

(5) The development and movement of heavy rain could be rapid and highly random. When heavy rain with more than 70 mm is expected to fall in an hour in an individual district of Hong Kong, i.e. the rainfall of an individual district is equivalent to the level of black rainstorm, but the heavy rain at the time has not yet spread to most parts of Hong Kong, the Observatory will issue a Localised Heavy Rain Advisory, indicating the affected areas and rainfall amounts, alerting the public that these areas may experience flooding caused by heavy rain and urging them to take corresponding precautionary measures.

     For the northern New Territories, the Observatory has a Special Announcement on Flooding in the Northern New Territories, with issuance thresholds similar to the Localised Heavy Rain Advisory (Note). As part of the announcement, the areas in the northern New Territories which are affected by heavy rain, e.g. Ta Kwu Ling, Sheung Shui, Sha Tau Kok, Pat Heung, Kam Tin, San Tin, Ngau Tam Mei, will be listed along with the rainfall amounts, reminding residents to guard against potential flooding in low-lying areas of those districts. 

     The Observatory will provide the public with heavy rain information as early as technologically feasible. In addition to disseminating the above information through television, radio, the Observatory website and social media platforms, the Observatory will directly push heavy rain information to users via the “MyObservatory” mobile application, including the aforementioned Localised Heavy Rain Advisory and Special Announcement on Flooding in the Northern New Territories, listing areas affected by heavy rain so that the public can take immediate action in adverse weather. The Observatory will continuously review weather warnings and advisories related to heavy rain, including the Special Announcement on Flooding in the Northern New Territories to provide timely and clear information to the public.

     When the Special Announcement on Flooding in the Northern New Territories is issued, the DSD Mainland North Region Emergency Control Centre will be activated and District Officers of North District and Yuen Long District will activate their District Emergency Co-ordination Centres. When required, emergency response teams will be stationed at flood-prone areas, enabling prompt inspections and clearing of blocked channels to reduce flood risks. The North District Office and the Yuen Long District Office will liaise closely with the Fire Services Department (FSD) and the DSD, and open temporary shelters as necessary for providing supplies and support to affected persons.

     In addition, the DSD has installed river gauging stations covering flood-prone areas in northern and north-western New Territories. When any river water level exceeds its alert level, the DSD will notify the FSD, the Home Affairs Department, the relevant District Officers and the Security Bureau (SB). 

     Upon receipt of the DSD’s notifications or public reports of flooding, the District Offices will disseminate information to affected residents through District Council members, members of the “three district committees”, Rural Committees, village representatives and Care Teams, and visit the sites to gain a better understanding of the situations if circumstances permit and when necessary. The District Offices will also contact and liaise with relevant government departments to undergo urgent clearance work after flooding, including removal of fallen trees and clearance of blocked drains.

     The SB will, having regard to the actual circumstances, consider activating the Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre to strengthen the co-ordination of the response efforts of various bureaux/departments. The FSD, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Civil Aid Service (CAS) will also activate, as and when required, the High Command in New Territories North Command of the FSD, the New Territories North Regional Higher Command of the HKPF and the Central Command Centre of the CAS to implement targeted deployment and carry out rescue operations in connection with flooding incidents, with a view to mitigating the threat of flooding. These resources will be strategically deployed in the flood-prone areas having regard to the DSD flood information issued to relevant Government departments.

(6) The design of drainage systems and flood prevention facilities in the new development areas of the Northern Metropolis will follow the DSD’s Stormwater Drainage Manual, which has already incorporated the data and guidelines related to climate change to address the impacts of rising sea level and changing rainfall patterns. In light of the torrential rainstorm in September 2023, the Government has updated the design rainfall parameters in the manual.

     In the medium to long term, while planning and designing the new development areas of the Northern Metropolis, the Civil Engineering and Development Department also assesses the drainage impact of the new development on upstream and downstream areas, including villages. Where necessary, the capacity of existing drainage facilities will be enhanced. For example, diverting stormwater that would otherwise flow into nearby villages directly into newly constructed stormwater drainage systems within the new development areas, thereby reducing flood risk. The planning and design of the new development areas will also apply the sponge city concept, incorporate elements of “blue-green drainage infrastructure”, and improve drainage systems and river management. Measures include widening and revitalising existing rivers and constructing stormwater storage facilities to increase temporary storage capacity and divert peak flows, thereby alleviating flood risk in downstream villages and development areas while enhancing overall flood resilience. At the same time, high-quality recreational spaces will be created to provide residents with a livable environment.

     In the short to medium term, for rivers in the Ta Kwu Ling area (such as the Ping Yuen River), the DSD is currently implementing flood prevention improvement measures and works, including (1) carrying out dredging works in the Ping Yuen River and its upstream tributaries; (2) deploying super powerful pumping robots to station at Ta Kwu Ling to facilitate immediate pumping of river water to the wider downstream section when the water level of the river exceeds the alert threshold; and (3) constructing stormwater storage tank, pumps and rising mains.

Note: The threshold for the Localised Heavy Rain Advisory is based on the recorded and forecast regional rainfall when heavy rain with more than 70 mm of rainfall in an hour in individual districts of Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon Webster Ng and a reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, in the Legislative Council today (July 15):

Question:     
Corporate Governance of Listed Companies

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Tommy Chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, in the Legislative Council today (July 15):

Question:  
(1) A token is the basic unit used by AI systems to process text, and is commonly used to reflect data processing volume and the related demand for computing power. Currently, government departments, scientific research institutions and enterprises directly procure services from local, Mainland or overseas suppliers based on their business needs. Their token consumption data is scattered across different platforms and proprietary networks. As a unified standard for the calculation method of tokens when different models process the same text has yet to be established in the global AI industry, the Government currently has no statistics or projections on the local daily average token consumption and capacity.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region