Tung Chung Area 42 housing concrete needs further test

The Housing Authority (HA) has announced that certain structural components within a public housing development project in Tung Chung's Area 42 have fallen short of the required concrete quality standards. This revelation came in response to media inquiries received on Saturday, with the authority disclosing that the affected components are located in Blocks 3, 4 and 5 of the project.

The HA's engineering team identified the concern during routine concrete cube strength tests conducted between late August and early this month. Upon further investigation, the Housing Department led a detailed assessment on-site, which confirmed that the site remains structurally safe. The authority assured that the engineering team promptly instructed the contractor to collect additional concrete core samples for compressive strength tests to verify if the concrete strength adheres to design and contractual requirements.

The contractor was also mandated to submit a comprehensive report as soon as possible, together with rectification and repair proposals, to ensure that remedial measures are strictly implemented. The contractor has already replaced the concrete supplier associated with the affected components.

The Housing Department has further instructed other engineering teams to carry out a thorough inspection and spot testing of similar site works. As of now, no similar issues have been detected at other sites. The HA emphasized its commitment to completing the project by the original contract completion date, provided all relevant legislation and structural safety standards are adhered to meticulously.