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Hong Kong to relax rules for converting hotels into university student hostels

Private operators welcome ‘booster shot’ that aims to ease shortage of dormitory places, as officials say project times may be reduced by up to nine months

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Hong Kong is grappling with a shortage of student hostels. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hong Kong authorities will relax rules for converting hotels into university student accommodation to ease a supply shortage under a pilot scheme to be launched next month.

In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Friday, the Development Bureau said it would expand the definition of “hotels” to include student hostels, waive planning procedures and simplify applications, allowing private operators to build the dormitories on commercial land more easily.

“Under the latest plan, qualified student hostels can be converted from most hotels or commercial buildings without going through any planning procedures,” a bureau spokesman said.

The pilot scheme, which has attracted support from the private sector, will be launched in mid-July.

Under current rules, operators need to seek approval from the Town Planning Board or even rezone land to convert commercial buildings or hotels into student hostels, which adds to project times and costs.

The spokesman said the changes could help save operators about six to nine months that would have been spent completing conversion procedures.

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