Hong Kong authorities have been considering a site in Tai Po originally reserved for public housing to resettle residents displaced by the deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court, a government source has said.

The insider also said on Wednesday that the plot on Chung Nga Road was under government consideration because rebuilding a community there would be faster than doing so elsewhere.

The same site was proposed a day earlier by Lo Hiu-fung, chairman of the Tai Po district council’s newly established working group on building management, during a meeting.

In an interview with the Post on Wednesday, Lo said the Chung Nga Road site in Tai Po “emerged as a viable option” for rehousing residents displaced by the city’s deadliest fire in decades.

The plot, about 1.5km from the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court, was originally earmarked for a public housing project with around 1,300 flats, slated for completion by 2030.

“The site has already been levelled and is suitable for development … It is also surrounded by basic traffic and community infrastructure,” Lo said.