Will Hong Kong’s proposed new building rules to help elderly spur projects?

Professionals and lawmakers hail move as step in right direction, but say whether developers will take action depends on size of concessions they receive

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Seniors attend an exercise session in an elderly care home in Pok Fu Lam. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 9:04am, 22 Nov 2024Updated: 11:33pm, 22 Nov 2024

Hong Kong authorities have proposed requiring new private homes and other buildings frequented by elderly residents to fulfil certain design requirements, while exempting some senior-friendly facilities from gross floor area calculations as incentives for developers amid the city’s ageing population.

Professionals and lawmakers hailed the move as a step in the right direction, but said whether developers would take action depended on the size of the concessions they received.

Details of the proposal, released to lawmakers in a paper on Thursday, had gained support from land development advisers, and other relevant parties would be consulted in the next two months, according to the Development Bureau.

“Stakeholders generally share the need to create a more accessible and safe living environment to help elderly overcome the challenges that come with ageing, including mobility issues, cognitive decline and social isolation,” the bureau said.

The bureau added that many stakeholders supported the incorporation of adaptable design principles into the living environment of the elderly, which could help promote independent living and reduce the need for costly renovations.

According to data projected by the Census and Statistics Department, the number of elderly residents aged 65 or above in the total population was expected to increase from 20.8 per cent in mid-2022 to 25.3 per cent in 2028, before reaching 30.4 per cent in 2037.