Some Pavilia Farm Concrete Samples Fail Tests: Govt

The Buildings Department said on Monday that "a very small portion" of samples from two towers at the Pavilia Farm residential development in Tai Wai have a concrete strength that is lower than approved.

The checks were carried out after New World Development announced in July that it was demolishing and rebuilding two other blocks at the site - towers one and eight of phase III - after they also failed concrete strength tests.

The department said it had the asked the developer to conduct additional tests on the five remaining towers of the project, which are in phase I and phase II.

It said after examining the test results, about five percent of samples from towers two and three of phase I lacked the approved grade strength.

"The two towers of phase I of the development do not show obvious structural danger," a spokesman for the department said.

The department added that all the test results from towers five, six and seven of phase II fully met its required standards.

It went on to say that an investigation in connection with the failed concrete tests is ongoing, and that it is drafting extra requirements on building works to ease public concerns.

New World Development, for its part, said a few units are affected by the latest findings, adding that it will contact the buyers on Tuesday.

It stressed in a statement that the two towers are structurally safe, and that the Buildings Department has given it the approval to commence strengthening works.

The Pavilia Farm project had earlier sparked a buying frenzy due to its prime location above Tai Wai MTR Station.

Flats put up for sale there since late last year were snapped up within days.

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