In this file photo dated July 5, 2020, a man walks through a basketball court at a popular instagram spot in the Choi Hung estate in Hong Kong. (PHOTO / AFP)

Hong Kong will rebuild one of its oldest and largest public housing estates, Choi Hung Estate, which will involve the relocation of over 17,000 residents for a period of 15 years, in order to provide 1,800 more flats — about 24 percent more than are currently available.

The 60-year-old Choi Hung Estate, which has become a popular attraction for tourists since its rainbow-colored facade attracted global attention on social media platforms, was constructed from 1962-64, and was prioritized for redevelopment due to its deterioration, rendering some of the  buildings potentially unsafe. 

The redevelopment will also reposition the blocks of the estate to make them more accessible to transportation, thereby solving a long-standing problem in the neighborhood

Located in Kowloon’s Wong Tai Sin, the estate comprises 11 color-themed blocks between seven and 20 storeys in height, with flat sizes ranging from 259-745 square feet (79-227 sq meters) and is home to 17,000 residents in 7,400 flats. 

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According to Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin, residents of the estate will be rehoused in three phases. The redeveloped Choi Hung Estate is expected to provide 9,200 flats. 

Ho, who is the chairman of Housing Authority (HA), announced on Thursday that the Strategic Planning Committee of the HA had approved commencement of the feasibility study for the redevelopment of Choi Hung Estate. “With more and more resources needed to repair and maintain (the estate), it’s time to initiate a redevelopment study,” Ho added.

The redevelopment will also reposition the blocks of the estate to make them more accessible to transportation, thereby solving a long-standing problem in the neighborhood. 

Some of the affected residents will be rehoused in 2,860 units in the Mei Tung Estate in Wong Tai Sin, in the same district as Choi Hung Estate. 

They will also be given priority if they wish to buy a home in a nearby public housing project — Wang Chiu Road Phase Two, under the Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme, a home-purchase project designated for public housing tenants.

The government will also provide a removals allowance based on the number of people in each household. As for the shops, owners will be given priority to participate in tenders in shop units in HA estates.

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Choi Hung Estate’s rainbow-colored external walls make it stand out from a distance, making it an Instagram hotspot and a popular attraction for both visitors and residents. The design of the external walls of the individual floors resembles stacked blocks, which highlights the unique style of the buildings. 

Ho said that Choi Hung Estate has many special characteristics, and her team will incorporate residents’ ideas into the redevelopment project to create a more glamorous estate. The design team conducting the redevelopment study will visit Choi Hung Estate next year to listen to the views of the residents, and related workshops will be held afterwards.

The government is rebuilding five decaying public housing projects, including the Wah Fu Estate in the Southern District of Hong Kong Island, which is over 50 years old. 

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com