The Chief Executive has announced in his 2013 Policy Address that the Government would seek to use Lotteries Fund more flexibly, and make better use of the land owned by NGOs through redevelopment or expansion to provide diversified subvented and self-financing facilities (Special Sites Scheme).

The Government will also provide targeted assistance for land owners during the planning or development process.

Under the Special Scheme, an applicant NGO will have to provide on a site under its ownership a net increase in provision of one or more than one service on the list of facilities set out by the Government through redevelopment (including expansion).

The list (Shopping List) includes facilities for three types of elderly services and eight types of services for persons with disabilities that are in great demand now or in the foreseeable future.

First unveiled at the 2013 Annual General Meeting, the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation’s (HKSR) vision for “”Lam Tin Complex Redevelopment under the Special Sites Scheme”” has been proposed and endorsed. Subsequently, application was made on November 2013 to the Government.

So far, several rounds of discussion have been undertaken between the Labor and Welfare Bureau, Social Welfare Department and HKSR with very positive prospect for furthering the process. The Project is at the stage of applying for the Technical Feasibility Study (TFS).

Building on its vision of medical and community-based rehabilitation excellence for people with disabilities and compassionate care designed for an ageing population, HKSR is planning to replace the ageing buildings in its Lam Tin Complex. The organization will adopt a participatory approach to create a development that is community oriented in its scale and design of circulation and open space and interconnected with the surrounding land uses to address the emerging and evolving needs in holistic rehabilitation and active ageing.