With building sites so scarce, densities of 1,500 or more to the acre are commonplace in Hong Kong. No doubt such standards are regarded with horror by European or American housing organi- sations but the Authority is proving that good housing can be provided at such high densities. 9
Stairway and corridor in Block S at So Uk.
THE difficulties of future planning
are touched upon in the annual report of the Hong Kong Housing Authority for April 1959 to March 1960.
There had always existed a short- age of suitable building sites, which did not involve expensive and pro- longed site formation, within the urban area. where most of the people to be re-housed must live in order to be near their places of live- lihood, says the Report.
This shortage was now becoming more and more acute, and although very close liaison was maintained with the Public Works Department in an effort to alleviate this situa-
15.5
Hong Kong
Housing
Authority
report points
tion. it had become increasingly
increasingly to the need
obvious that the Authority must look further afield if its activities were not to be severely curtailed.
A good deal of thought was given during the year. continues the Report, to the instigation of a long. term building programme, and the reservation of sites for development. Without such a programme it was not possible to do any forward planning either for building, ac- quisition of sites, staff recruiting or for negotiations with Government over finance and other policy mat-
ters.
The location of future estates was not easy to determine, however, as there was no Colony overall plan, and housing proposals could not therefore be integrated with anv degree of certainty into general development schemes.
It was not possible in present circumstances to assess beyond any doubt, before embarking on a build.
for overall
ing scheme, exactly what sort of tenants were to be housed.
It was possible only to make a common. sense appraisal of the housing situa- tion, current shortage in particular districts, population trends, and the number of applications for accom- modation.
One conclusion that must inevit- ably be reached was that it was essential to build a great number of flats, at high densities, for small rather than large families-- and to build as cheaply as possible.
Detailed proposals were put be- fore the Authority for drawing up a long-term programme, with the aim of providing 60,000 units be-
THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER
VOLUME 15, NUMBER 5
Page 40Page 41
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