Lawmaker urges larger homes in Hong Kong's Northern Territory
New Territories North lawmaker Yiu Ming calls for increasing minimum public housing space from 7 to 10 square metres per person in the Northern Territory, and incentivising larger private flats through land discounts.
New Territories North lawmaker Yiu Ming has called for larger living spaces in Hong Kong's planned Northern Territory, as detailed in last month's First Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address. Speaking on RTHK's programme Yee Ching Sei Fong, Yiu said the area's ample land offers a chance to raise both public and private housing unit sizes.
Currently, public housing provides a minimum of 7 square metres of indoor space per person. Yiu proposed increasing that to 10 square metres in the Northern Territory, starting with larger allocation standards and bigger public homes before expanding the approach.
For private housing, Yiu noted that high land and property prices have long pushed developers to build smaller flats. The Northern Territory, he argued, has room to change this through measures such as land-price discounts, releasing plot ratios and relaxing development parameters. These steps, he said, could encourage larger units without significantly affecting property prices.
On the proposed Northern Territory university town, Yiu stressed that success depends on linking it with industry. He also urged that facilities such as swimming pools and libraries be opened to the public outside class hours, saying this would foster a positive community atmosphere.