CK Asset to rebuild 3 of 6 towers at Hong Kong starter homes project after steel scandal

CK Asset Holdings plans to demolish and rebuild three of the six residential towers at its starter homes project on Anderson Road in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong, following a scandal involving substandard steel reinforcement work. The decision comes two years after construction was halted due to severe deviations in steel bar placement across all six blocks from the approved plans.

The Buildings Department confirmed on Thursday that it has approved demolition plans for three of the towers. Remedial work is currently underway on the remaining three blocks, with repair proposals accepted by the department earlier. The department withdrew a stop-work order in May 2025 to allow these repairs to begin.

CK Asset stated that while government inspections confirmed no immediate danger to the structures, the process of formulating individual repair strategies for each building was slow. Engineering consultants took nearly two years to secure regulatory approval for the remediation plan for the first three towers. The developer concluded that demolishing and rebuilding the other three towers from scratch would be the most time-efficient and cost-effective solution.

The project, known as Hong Kongers’ First Home, faced public scrutiny in October 2024 when reports emerged about missing reinforcement bars. In August 2025, the Buildings Department initiated legal action, filing 205 charges against the original contractor, authorized signatories, and relevant technical personnel for failing to install rebar according to the Buildings Ordinance standards. Court hearings for these charges are scheduled to commence on June 11, 2027. China Railway Engineering Corporation has been appointed as the new main contractor for the remaining remediation and reconstruction works.