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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1985
J
FROM EXPERIENCE OF REPAIRING BLOCK 6, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WORKS INVOLVED A GREAT DEAL OF INCONVENIENCE TO TENANTS AND WAS ALSO VERY COSTLY AND TIME-CONSUMING, HE SAID.
+ IN THE LIGHT OF THIS, IT HAS BEEN DECIDED TO REDEVELOP SOME BLOCKS, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFECTLY POSSIBLE TO REPAIR THEM.
+BLOCKS 9, 10 AND 11 ARE SITUATED IN ONE CORNER OF THE ESTATE, JOINED TOGETHER AND FORM A VERY SUITABLE AREA FOR REDEVELOPMENT. THE OPPORTUNITY WILL BE TAKEN TO USE THE LATEST DESIGN OF BLOCKS AND TO IMPROVE THE LAYOUT AND FACILITIES IN THE AREA.
+ON THE GROUNDS OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF TENANTS, IT IS ALSO A BETTER SOLUTION TO REDEVELOP RATHER THAN REPAIR BLOCK 5.
+A PHASED PROGRAMME OF REDEVELOPMENT WILL THEREFORE BE UNDERTAKEN OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO REPLACE BLOCKS 5, 9, 10 AND
11.+
MR LIAO POINTED OUT THAT FOR MANY YEARS, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A MASSIVE PROGRAMME OF REDEVELOPMENT, INVOLVING THE REHOUSING OF A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE.
SOME RESIDENTS AT KWAI FONG WOULD HAVE TO MOVE OUT DURING THE RENOVATION PERIOD, BUT GREAT CARE WAS TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT DISRUPTION AND INCONVENIENCE WERE KEPT TO A MINIMUM.
+THE EXPERIENCE WE HAVE GAINED DURING THE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME HAS PROVIDED A BASIS FOR THE WAY IN WHICH WE HAVE CONSULTED RESIDENTS AT KWAI FONG AND HAVE DONE OUR VERY BEST TO MEET THEIR WISHES.
+SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE RENOVATION WORK STARTED ON BLOCK 6 AT KWAI FONG, TENANTS THERE WERE OFFERED ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION IN THE NEARBY SHEK WAI KOK ESTATE IN TSUEN WAN AND 78 PER CENT OF THE 928 FAMILIES AFFECTED HAD MOVED THERE. THE REMAINDER EITHER MOVED TO OTHER ESTATES OF THEIR CHOICE OR TO OTHER FLATS AVAILABLE IN KWAI FONG.
+DISCUSSIONS WILL NOW BE HELD WITH RESIDENTS OF OTHER BLOCKS TO BE REDEVELOPED AND OFFERS OF ALTERNATIVE NEW ACCOMMODATION IN TSUEN WAN, SHA TIN OR NGAU TAU KOK WILL BE MADE TO THEM.+
MR LIAO SAID THAT WHEN BLOCK 6 IS COMPLETED IN MAY THIS YEAR, OVER 900 NEW AND UPGRADED FLATS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE IN KWAI FONG.
+ALL RESIDENTS WHO MOVE AWAY FROM THE ESTATE, WILL BE GIVEN THE CHOICE OF MOVING BACK TO THE NEW FLATS IN THE REDEVELOPED BLOCKS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.
+FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO TENANTS AFFECTED IS GIVEN BY WAY OF REMOVAL ALLOWANCES WHICH ARE PRESENTLY UNDER REVIEW BY THE MANAGEMEN】 COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
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