Payment of Land Costs for New Hawker Centres Built

25 Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether land costs are paid into past reserves when new hawker centres are built; (b) if so, how much land cost has been paid for hawker centres constructed in the last 10 years; and (c) whether land cost is a factor in determining how frequently new hawker centres are built and their locations.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: As the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance explained in the House in November last year, land that is owned by the state and used by a Government Ministry, such as for Government schools and hospitals, remains as state land. New standalone hawker centres are built on land owned by the state and used by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE). Since there is no disposal, such land remains as part of the Past Reserves and the issue of payment into the Past Reserves does not arise. For hawker centres located within integrated developments, MSE would pay rent accordingly to the land and/or building owner.

MSE plans and builds hawker centres based on factors, such as residential catchment and the availability of comparable dining options in the vicinity. Land cost is not a consideration in determining how many and where new hawker centres will be built.