The government is distributing questionnaires to Wang Fuk Court flat owners to gauge their long-term rehousing preferences, with three sites identified as potentials for relocating them within Tai Po.

According to the questionnaire, the earliest possible time frame out of the three rehousing options for victims of the devastating inferno to move in is 2029 at a site on Chung Nga Road West, where around 900 units are expected to be provided initially.

Next most convenient from a temporal perspective is a site in Kwong Fuk Park, where they could move in as early as 2033.

For those who prefer to stay at the original Wang Fuk Court location, the target return date is 2035, as the government must first acquire all ownership rights before it can begin to demolish and rebuild the buildings.

The questionnaire also presents a “house-for-house” option, under which they give up their Wang Fuk Court flat in exchange for another unit of similar value under the Home Ownership Scheme.

The flats available for such an exchange are in Kai Tak, Kam Tin, Tseung Kwan O, Ping Shan, Tung Chung and Kowloon Bay.

Authorities stressed that replies in the questionnaire would not be treated as a binding commitment, with residents able to reconsider their choices after the government finalises its long-term rehousing plan.

In a statement, a government spokesman said the administration hoped to receive responses from all affected families by mid-to-late January and would take them as a reference point for the next steps to be taken.

The government working group on accommodation arrangements will consider the different preferences of flat owners while “ensuring the efficient use of resources”, he added.

As of Friday, more than 4,400 residents displaced by the devastating fire in November are staying in hotels, youth hostels, transitional housing or interim units.

The government will also provide each flat owner with a two-year rental subsidy of up to HK$300,000.