Questions

工廠大廈改裝作過渡性房屋 Conversion of industrial buildings to transitional housing

 

以下為十二月四日立法會會議上盧偉國議員的提問和運輸及房屋局局長陳帆的答覆:
 
  問題:
 
  行政長官在去年的《施政報告》中指出,運輸及房屋局轄下專責小組會積極協助和促成各項由民間主導和推行的短期措施,以增加過渡性住屋供應;政府又會在重新推出的活化工廈措施下,容許改裝整幢工廈為過渡性房屋。此外,行政長官在本年的《施政報告》中表示,為免延長申請公屋家庭的輪候時間,暫不會考慮重建高樓齡公共租住屋邨。就此,政府可否告知本會:
 
(一)專責小組的職能和工作範圍為何;當中有否包括諮詢相關業界及業主,以及就改裝工廈為過渡性房屋向工廈業主提供支援及諮詢服務;如有,詳情為何;如否,原因為何;
 
(二)會否檢討關於改裝工廈為過渡性房屋的政策及配套措施,包括訂明續期安排及業主按年可獲的維修資助,以提高業主改裝工廈的意欲;如會,詳情為何;如否,原因為何;及
 
(三)會否考慮將香港房屋委員會轄下部分工廈改裝為過渡性房屋,以暫時安置受重建公共租住屋邨項目影響的居民,使有關項目得以展開;如會,詳情為何;如否,原因為何?
 
  答覆:

  主席:

  我現就盧偉國議員的提問作綜合回應如下:
 
  《2019年施政報告》提出的其中一項房屋措施是在未來三年提供10 000個過渡性房屋單位,以紓緩輪候公共租住房屋家庭和其他居住環境惡劣家庭的生活困苦。
 
  運輸及房屋局於二○一八年六月成立一個由副局長領導的過渡性房屋專責小組(專責小組),積極為民間團體提供一站式的項目統籌和專業支援,從倡議、落實、採購、資助等範疇全方位緊密合作,協調不同政策局和部門,協助民間團體依遵行政和法定程序,務求盡快落實項目和開展工程。專責小組亦負責監察各項目的落實及進行情況,確保過程是符合節約、有效益及效率的資源運用原則,務求令資助用得其所,確保項目按照施政方針推展和營運。
 
  過去一年,我們進行了超過一百次與持分者的會議和面談,當中包括民間團體和其聘任的專業人士、專業學會(如建築、測量、工程、規劃和環境等)、捐款機構、商界及有興趣改裝大廈作過渡性房屋的業主等,就項目的早期建築設計、環境和交通影響評估、消防和基建設施等向有關政府部門作諮詢和協調,務求在最短的時間內將問題解決和盡快獲得相關的批核。
 
  專責小組亦召開了六次跨政策局和部門的會議,並且成功拆牆鬆綁,以及在改裝工廈作過渡性房屋提供支援方面取得進展。從建築方面,因應項目確實存在的規劃及設計局限,以務實的態度積極考慮彈性處理《建築物條例》有關樓宇設計的規定,向此類項目批予豁免或變通,但同時亦會施加補償措施,以確保不會影響安全及衞生標準;從規劃地政方面,城市規劃委員會同意如經專責小組統籌,在位於市區及新市鎮地區,包括在「商業」、「綜合發展區」、「其他指定用途」註明「商貿」以及「住宅」地帶內已作整幢改裝的工業大廈,作為期不超過五年的過渡房屋項目,可視為屬分區計劃大綱圖內經常准許的臨時用途。而地政總署亦會免收整幢改裝工廈作過渡性房屋指定用途的地契豁免書費用及處理申請的行政費用。在限期完結之前,如果業主和民間團體都願意繼續項目,專責小組會積極協助申請延期,將根據提交申請的時間作評估,一般而言,每次租期不超過五年,而往後續期也是每五年一次。
 
  就個別工廈改裝作過渡性房屋項目,專責小組正與有關業主和民間團體進行深入研究,但由於項目未到最終決定的階段,我們不方便公開談論。當有關項目達成協議,我相信有關團體會適時公布詳情。
 
  我們早前獲得立法會房屋事務委員會支持開立一筆為數50億元的資助過渡性房屋項目的工程費用計劃,工廈改裝項目亦包括在其中。在非住宅樓宇改裝的每個過渡性房屋單位,資助上限為55萬元。我們會盡快向財委會尋求相關的撥款批准,以盡快開展工程。
 
  營運過渡性房屋的民間團體亦可運用租金收入作日常營運開支和維修,以及為住戶提供適切支援服務。他們可靈活地按項目的個別情況釐定租金,以確保過渡性房屋的營運達到收支平衡。
 
  現時公營房屋供應嚴重不足,我們認為適宜作長遠建屋的用地應預留作公營房屋發展。房屋委員會正開展研究重建旗下的工廠大廈為公營房屋,特別是增加出租公屋的供應。
 
  事實上過渡性房屋項目是匯聚社會各界的關懷、力量和資源。政府會繼續積極推動,與民共議,結合更多政府和社會資源,增加過渡性房屋供應,以紓緩居住環境惡劣和長時間輪候公屋家庭的壓力。

 
 Following is a question by the Dr Hon Lo Wai-kwok and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, in the Legislative Council on December 4:

     Question:

     The Chief Executive (CE) pointed out in last year's Policy Address that a task force under the Transport and Housing Bureau would actively render assistance to, and facilitate the implementation of, the various short-term community initiatives to increase the supply of transitional housing. The Government would also allow, under the relaunched measures to revitalise industrial buildings, wholesale conversion of industrial buildings into transitional housing. Moreover, CE has indicated in this year's Policy Address that in order not to lengthen the waiting time for families applying for public rental housing (PRH), redeveloping aged PRH estates will not be considered for the time being. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the functions and scope of work of the task force; whether they include consulting the trades and owners concerned and providing owners of industrial buildings with support and advisory services on conversion of industrial buildings into transitional housing; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether it will review the policies on and support measures for conversion of industrial buildings into transitional housing, including stipulating the renewal arrangement and the financial assistance for maintenance to which the owners are entitled annually, so that the owners will be more eager to pursue conversion of industrial buildings; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) whether it will consider converting some of the factory estates under the Hong Kong Housing Authority into transitional housing to temporarily accommodate residents affected by PRH redevelopment projects, so as to enable the commencement of the projects concerned; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

     Reply:

     President,

     My consolidated reply to the question raised by the Dr Hon Lo Wai-kwok is as follows:

     One of the housing initiatives proposed in the 2019 Policy Address is the provision of 10 000 transitional housing units in the coming three years to alleviate the hardship faced by families waiting for Public Rental Housing (PRH) and those living in unpleasant conditions. 

     A task force on transitional housing (Task Force) led by the Under Secretary has been established under the Transport and Housing Bureau in June 2018 to actively provide one-stop project co-ordination and professional support for community organisations. The Task Force maintains close co-operation with relevant parties holistically on transitional housing projects, including proposing, implementation, procurement and funding; co-ordinates the efforts from different policy bureaux and departments; and advises the administrative and statutory procedures to implement the projects and commence works as soon as possible. They are also responsible for monitoring the implementation and progress of various projects to ensure the use of resources is complying with the principles of economy, efficiency and effectiveness, achieving value for money, ensuring progress and operation are being on the right track.

     The Task Force had participated in more than 100 meetings and enquiry discussions with stakeholders last year, including community organisations and their hired professionals, professional institutions (such as architecture, surveying, engineering, planning and environment, etc), the contributors, commercial sector and owners who are interested for conversion of their industrial building into transitional housing, etc. They had gone through the preliminary architectural designs for the projects and issues relating to the environment, traffic assessment impact, fire safety and infrastructure with relevant government departments with a view to address problems promptly and obtain the necessary approval as soon as possible.

     The Task Force has also convened six inter-bureau/departmental meetings, removing obstacles successfully and making progress in the conversion of industrial buildings. Regarding the limitation of the existing planning and design, a pragmatic approach will be adopted to favourably consider exercising flexibility in enforcing the building design requirements under the Buildings Ordinance. Exemptions or modifications will be granted to this type of projects, while compensation measures will be imposed without scarifying safety and hygiene concerns. The Town Planning Board (TPB) agreed that for transitional housing projects not exceeding five years, co-ordinated by the Task Force, in permanent buildings (including wholesale-converted industrial buildings in the 'Commercial', 'Comprehensive Development Area' and 'Other Specified Uses' annotated 'Business' and 'Residential' zones in the urban and new town areas) can be regarded as for temporary use, which is always permitted under the Outline Zoning Plan. The Lands Department will also exempt payment of waiver fees and associated costs for land applications related to the revitalisation of industrial buildings into transitional housing. If both the owner and community organisations are willing to continue the project, the Task Force will actively assist in applying for an extension. We will evaluate based on the time of application submission, while each term and thereafter extension will normally be five years.

     The Task Force is currently studying several conversion of industrial building to transitional housing projects with community organisations and owners. Since these projects have yet reached the final decision stage, we consider it better to defer to the proponents to announce them when agreement was reached.

     The Task Force has sought the endorsement of the Panel on Housing of Legislative Council on the setup of a $5 billion funding scheme to support the works expenses of transitional housing projects which also covers the conversion of industrial building. The ceiling works cost is set at $550,000 per flat for conversion of non-domestic building. We will seek funding approval from the Finance Committee at the soonest possible to facilitate the early commencement of various transitional housing projects.

     Community organisations operating transitional housing may reimburse their day-to-day management and maintenance expenses, as well as provision of appropriate supporting services expenses from the receivable rental income. They may flexibly determine the rent level based on merit of individual transitional housing project to ensure a balanced operation of each project.

     Given the current acute shortage of public housing supply, we consider that sites suitable for constructing domestic blocks should be reserved for public housing development. The Housing Authority is exploring redevelopment of the existing industrial buildings to public housing, especially for rental blocks.

立法會盧偉國議員 博士 工程師 (工程界)
Legislative Council Ir Dr Hon Lo Wai Kwok (Functional Constituency - Engineering)