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Three starter home blocks to be demolished: developer

Three residential towers of a development on Anderson Road in Kwun Tong embroiled in a steel bar bribery scandal will be demolished and rebuilt, the Buildings Department and the project developer said on Thursday. The department said that it has approved the demolition plans submitted by CK Asset Holdings, although no application has been made for the works to begin. It has also given permission…

Three residential towers on Anderson Road in Kwun Tong, part of a developer's project, will be demolished and rebuilt following a steel bar bribery scandal. The Buildings Department has approved the demolition plans submitted by CK Asset Holdings, but no construction has commenced. The developer has also been granted permission to strengthen three other towers, avoiding their demolition.

The project aimed to provide at least 1,000 starter homes for local first-time buyers. Eligible buyers will receive a 20-percent discount based on market prices. The development, awarded in 2020 for HK$4.95 billion, faced delays due to steel reinforcement deviations and misaligned structural columns. Ten individuals were arrested last year on bribery charges, and the case will be heard in June 2027.

CK Asset stated each building is treated independently, citing the lengthy investigation as the reason for demolishing the remaining three towers. The Housing Bureau assured the project's progress won't impact the city's starter home supply, urging the developer to complete it promptly.

Written by urgent.news from RTHK News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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