Latest progress of clearance and rehousing plan for redevelopment of Wah Fu Estate and proposed public housing development at New Wah Fu Estate Phase 1
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (November 2) briefed the Southern District Council on the latest progress of the clearance and rehousing plan for the redevelopment of Wah Fu Estate (WFE) and consulted members on the proposed public housing development at New Wah Fu Estate (NWFE) Phase 1. The proposal has received general support.
The Hong Kong Housing Authority. Photo source: reference image
Orderly advancement: Latest progress of redevelopment of WFE
Construction works for the proposed public housing developments in the five reception sites in Pok Fu Lam South are proceeding in an orderly manner, with the first reception estate, Wah Fu North Estate (WFNE) on Wah King Street, anticipated to be completed by late this year when residents of Wah On House and Wah Lok House will move in progressively. The entire rehousing process is expected to conclude in the third quarter of 2027, after which demolition works will commence to clear the site for the construction of NWFE Phase 1 to meet the rehousing needs of the residents from Wah Chui House and Wah King House six years earlier (Annex). In addition, to make effective use of public housing resources and provide diversified rehousing arrangements that meet the needs of residents affected by the clearance for the Redevelopment of WFE Phase 1b (those living in Wah Cheong House, Wah Kin House, and Wah Tai House) who wish to transfer early to the newly completed public rental housing, the HA will launch a thinning-out exercise for these residents by offering more than 400 flats in WFNE for eligible residents' selection. Those who successfully select a flat are expected to complete the intake formalities in March next year.
The remaining four reception estates are also scheduled for completion successively between 2028 and 2031. Certain signature public spaces in the existing WFE will be recreated within the reception estates as highlights of the community; those representative artefacts collected during community engagement activities will also be incorporated in the new estate design to preserve the history, culture, and community spirit of WFE.
Community-oriented: Comprehensive redevelopment strategy for NWFE
NWFE adopted a community-oriented approach as its core design concept. Through the "Subjects of Wah Fu" public engagement initiative, the design team has systematically fostered local consensus and identified four key development strategies: "identity + conservation", "social + community making", "sustainability + resilience" and "AI + technology". During the planning and study phase, the team will utilise a digital information management and data analysis platform to conduct scientific simulations, analyses, and comparative evaluations of key engineering and environmental parameters, aiming to achieve an optimised master layout scheme. In addition, the HA will continue to co-ordinate with the Railway Development Office of the Highways Department and the MTR Corporation Limited for the alignment of the South Island Line (West), the location of Wah Fu Station and the overall development planning. The master planning and design proposal for NWFE is expected to be substantially completed by the first half of 2028, and the HA will then submit a comprehensive proposal to the District Council.
Rebuilding Wah Fu: Development plan of NWFE Phase 1
"Rebuilding Wah Fu" is the design concept of NWFE Phase 1. The proposal includes the construction of three residential blocks, which will be used as the rehousing resources for residents from Wah Chui House and Wah King House in Phase 3 of the redevelopment of WFE. It also involves the preservation and revitalisation of the existing Wah Fu (I) Shopping Centre and the "Banyan Tree Area" outside the shopping centre to carry forward the original "Town Centre" planning concept while incorporating social welfare facilities, outdoor courtyards, covered public spaces, and a Wah Fu archive. Additionally, to create a larger parcel of land for the development of NWFE Phase 1, a section of the existing Wah Fu Road will be realigned. The HA will arrange gazettal of the relevant road works in early 2027 and will commence the relevant works in mid-2028. The HA will also seek related planning permission from the Town Planning Board. The overall design creates a more liveable future while elevating the history, culture, and sense of community of WFE, ultimately reshaping the site into the eastern gateway of NWFE.
Traffic assessment: Infrastructure improvements and AI management
The pedestrian facilities and road improvement works being carried out in the Pok Fu Lam South area by the Civil Engineering and Development Department are expected to be completed by 2027. Concurrently, the MTR Corporation is currently conducting detailed planning and design for the South Island Line (West) with the project expected to be completed and in operation by 2034 or earlier.
To address the impact of construction vehicles on regional traffic during the construction period, the HA will proactively maintain close liaison with relevant government departments, including those responsible for public works in the vicinity, to ensure smooth traffic flow, minimise impacts on the surrounding areas, and handle contingencies quickly and effectively; the HA will also jointly explore feasible routes and appropriate temporary traffic arrangements, thereby minimising traffic impacts as much as possible. Furthermore, the HA is collaborating with a research team of the University of Hong Kong to develop an integrated smart monitoring platform. By leveraging AI and real-time traffic data, this platform will enable dynamic route planning for construction vehicles, facilitating route diversion to adapt to real-time conditions flexibly, staggered scheduling, and off-peak operations to ensure the orderly movement of vehicles to and from the sites.
The HA will maintain close communication with residents and local stakeholders and continue the design process in an orderly manner, ensuring that the project fully meets the needs of the community. The HA will announce updates and the latest developments regarding the redevelopment of WFE and the development plan for NWFE in due course.
Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific and Opening Ceremony of Asia-Pacific Liaison Office opens Hong Kong Legal Week 2026
The Hong Kong Legal Week 2026, an annual flagship event of the Department of Justice (DoJ), was launched today (November 2). As a landmark annual event in the legal community, the five-day event themed "Collaboration & Innovation: Legal Synergy for a Shared Future" brings together legal professionals, business leaders, policymakers, academics, and leading international legal organisations from Hong Kong and around the world to have in-depth discussions and exchanges on forward-looking issues such as regional legal co-operation, international dispute resolution, construction of foreign-related rule of law, lawtech and opportunities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Marking the centenary celebration of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) and the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), both leading international legal organisations will hold celebratory events during the Hong Kong Legal Week, making this year's programme particularly significant.
UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific and Opening Ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Liaison Office was held as the opening event of this year's Hong Kong Legal Week. The Opening Ceremony was officiated by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee; the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr Cui Jianchun; the President of UNIDROIT, Professor Enzo Moavero-Milanesi; the Secretary-General of UNIDROIT, Professor Ignacio Tirado; and the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC. With the support of the Central Government, the DoJ has successfully secured the establishment of UNIDROIT's first office outside its seat in Rome in its 100 years of history, demonstrating Hong Kong's leading role as an international legal hub.
In his welcome remarks, Mr Lee said that today marks a double celebration, commemorating UNIDROIT's centenary and witnessing the opening of a new chapter for UNIDROIT – the establishment of its Asia-Pacific Liaison Office in Hong Kong. He noted that as a renowned international legal, trade and financial hub, Hong Kong strives to attract global organisations and talent, enable international legal co-operation and position Hong Kong as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" for East and West. By setting up a liaison office in Hong Kong, UNIDROIT not only enjoys benefits from co-operation with other partner organisations in the city, but also benefits from the network established by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy to promote capacity building in the region. The establishment of the office is a symbol of the collective ambition to build a more harmonious and prosperous future for the Asia-Pacific and beyond.
The Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law, Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, Dr Yu Ning, said in her video speech that UNIDROIT setting up a liaison office in Hong Kong reflects the international community's high regard for Hong Kong and marks a significant achievement in the city's continuous effort in building itself as an international legal centre. She said that in recent years, the HKSAR has continued to strengthen its exchanges and co-operation with UNIDROIT under the framework of "one country, two systems", further showcasing to the world its strengths including its robust common law system, well-established judicial system and extensive pool of international legal talent.
Professor Enzo Moavero-Milanesi said that UNIDROIT was founded with the aim to allow different parties to work on an equal basis towards the harmonisation of private law. Noting that many countries of the Asia-Pacific region are UNIDROIT member states, he said that the decision to open a liaison office in Hong Kong, with its strategic position in the Asia-Pacific region, is intended to give stronger impetus to the development of UNIDROIT's work in the future.
Delivering his opening remarks, Mr Lam said that Hong Kong's relationship with UNIDROIT is longstanding. The establishment of the liaison office in Hong Kong will take the city's relationship with UNIDROIT to the next level, and will provide a stable and effective platform in the Asia-Pacific region to facilitate the development of international private law. He noted that the presence of the three major private international law organisations at the Hong Kong legal hub, namely theUNIDROIT Asia-Pacific Liaison Office, the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, and the DoJ Project Office for Collaboration with UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law), together with the International Organization for Mediation, the AALCO (Asian African Legal Consultative Organization) Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre and other international institutions, will create synergy. It will showcase Hong Kong's unique advantage as a distinctive platform to facilitate closer collaboration among international and regional institutions, serving as a strong testament to the theme of this year's Hong Kong Legal Week: "Legal Synergy for a Shared Future".
The Regional Conference for the Asia-Pacific in celebration of UNIDROIT's centenary came right after the Opening Ceremony. More than 700 registrations from more than 40 countries or regions were received to attend the conference. Most of the participants, including representatives of the member states, governments and organisations supporting UNIDROIT, as well as its long-standing partners in the Asia-Pacific region, gathered to review UNIDROIT's achievements of a century in modernising and harmonising private law, and to explore how it can continue to foster regional development in its next century. The conference featured three panel discussions, with speakers from Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and other jurisdictions. The discussions focused on the impact of UNIDROIT’s normative and institutional work in the region, while taking a prospective lens to examine opportunities and emerging challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, said in his closing remarks that UNIDROIT opening its first ever overseas office in Hong Kong fully reflects the international community's vote of confidence in Hong Kong's legal system. The Liaison Office will serve not only as a platform for dialogue with governments on the development and implementation of its instruments, but also as a hub for collaboration with academia, arbitral and mediation institutions, financial institutions and other key stakeholders. In an increasingly interconnected region with diverse legal systems, there is a clear need for UNIDROIT to work in partnership with other international organisations in the Asia-Pacific region to deliver legal infrastructure which is attuned to the needs of the region, Dr Cheung added.
The 3rd Asia-Pacific International Private Law Summit will be held tomorrow (November 3). With the theme of "Advancing Future-Ready Legal Infrastructure to Foster Digital Innovation, Sustainable Growth, and Regional Connectivity in the Asia-Pacific" this year, the participants will focus on issues at the forefront of the future development of the Asia-Pacific region, examining the role of transnational commercial law in fostering digital innovation, sustainable growth and resilient markets in the region.
Other events during the Hong Kong Legal Week include the celebration event of UNCITRAL's 60th anniversary to be held on Wednesday (November 4); the Fourth Legal Forum on Interconnectivity and Development and the Hong Kong Mediation Lecture 2026 on Thursday (November 5); as well as the Second Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyers Forumon Friday (November 6).
In addition, the three-day Hong Kong LawTech Fest 2026 will kick-start on Wednesday, featuring dynamic exhibitions and live demonstrations to foster collaboration between legal and technology professionals. A highlight of the fest, the LawTech Forum, will take place on Thursday. Under the theme "Human in the Loop, Integrity at the Core - Redefining Legal Practice with LawTech", leading lawtech experts and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds will exchange views at the Forum.
For more details of Hong Kong Legal Week 2026, please visit the dedicated website at www.legalweek.hk. A live broadcast will be available on the dedicated website and at webcast.info.gov.hk.
UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific and Opening Ceremony of Asia-Pacific Liaison Office opens Hong Kong Legal Week 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific and Opening Ceremony of Asia-Pacific Liaison Office opens Hong Kong Legal Week 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific and Opening Ceremony of Asia-Pacific Liaison Office opens Hong Kong Legal Week 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific and Opening Ceremony of Asia-Pacific Liaison Office opens Hong Kong Legal Week 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific and Opening Ceremony of Asia-Pacific Liaison Office opens Hong Kong Legal Week 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
