Housing Secretary Winnie Ho said on Wednesday that it is highly likely seven Wang Fuk Court blocks that caught fire last November will have to be demolished, although they do not pose an immediate danger of collapsing.

All but one of the towers on the Tai Po estate caught fire, resulting in at least 161 deaths.

The minister said given the serious damage to the buildings, it would be hard to guarantee their safety and durability.

Ho also told lawmakers that the government is planning to use a plot on Chung Nga Road West in Tai Po, originally meant for rental housing, for building Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats.

In the project's first phase of development, she said some 900 units could be ready in the second half of 2029, giving Wang Fuk Court owners the option of buying or swapping their existing flat for a home there.

"The affected homeowners who have sold their ownership [to the government] can choose to buy the units in Chung Nga Road West in a special sales programme," Ho said.

"If they sell the rights but don't want to handle large amounts of money, as this might be the case for some elderly owners, they can opt for a 'same-price flat-swap', and get a brand new HOS flat of a similar price to that they received from the buyouts."

Ho said as part of the special programme, homeowners could also buy new HOS flats under other schemes, or they could use the money from the buyout to purchase other flats available on the market.

The minister added that the government is aware of concerns that the loss of the Chung Nga Road West site for public housing will dent supply, and therefore it is turning a plot in Fanling originally meant for HOS into a public housing site with 1,400 units.

Meanwhile, Development Secretary Bernadette Linn said the government is proposing to upgrade major renovation projects from class two to its class one category for minor works.

She said such projects would then require third-party professionals to draw up works proposals that include safety measures and supervision plans.

Linn went on to say that the government plans to amend laws in the second half of this year to tighten penalties for violating construction material safety standards, and to strengthen disciplinary systems for material inspectors and minor works contractors.