The Planning & Engineering Feasibility Study for the Public Housing Site & Yuen Long Industrial Estate Extension at Wang Chau was to explore feasibility and therefore may not have fully considered time factors and actual circumstances.
Conducted between 2012 and 2015 by a consultancy firm, the report was released yesterday.
A Government spokesman said today the report said there were no "insurmountable" difficulties in the development of Wang Chau Phases 2 and 3, which is why the Government has been planning to develop Wang Chau Phases 1, 2 and 3 to construct 17,000 public housing units.
However, the Government has said before that Phases 2 and 3 involve more complicated issues which require more time to tackle.
It said the purpose of the study was to consider the technical feasibility of the development.
Although technically feasible, preliminary procedures, in addition to the works programme, will often take more time than what the technical works assessment expects.
The study estimated the consultation with the Rural Committee and the District Council would take only two months. But developing Phases 1, 2 and 3 in one go, formal and informal consultations with the Rural Committee and the District Council, together with other community engagement activities and consultation, would take more than two months.
Apart from associated works such as transport, electricity supply, sewage and the mitigation measures for tackling environmental issues, the Government also has to work out suitable measures to handle the large amount of brownfield operations, which is about seven hectares, at Wang Chau Phases 2 and 3.
Just as the Acting Secretary for Development stated at the press conference on September 21, the Government is reviewing policies and measures to handle brownfield operations in a more comprehensive and suitable manner.
