Lands Department - Short Term Tenancy

Short Term Tenancy

For sites on unleased and unallocated government land with possible potential for temporary uses, if there are no relevant competing demands from government bureaux/departments, they may be made available for short term tenancies (STTs).

STTs are granted by LandsD by means of tender or direct grant. In general, STTs are granted for a fixed term of a duration ranging from one year to five years (in any event not more than seven years) and thereafter on a periodic basis. If, upon expiry of the fixed term or the first 3 years (whichever is the later), the sites concerned are not immediately required for permanent or other temporary uses within 3 years, they will usually be re-tendered for another fixed term (for STTs granted by tender) or continue on a monthly or quarterly basis (for STTs by direct grant).

Information on STTs is available on the GeoInfo Map. The GeoInfo Map contains information on STTs granted, by either tender or direct grant, and STTs with rent reviewed since January 1, 2018. Information on STTs granted prior to January 1, 2018 will also be uploaded onto the GeoInfo Map progressively. The STT information available on GeoInfo Map includes site area, commencement date, tenancy term, use and rent. The information provided is for general reference only.

In order to better utilize land resources, where there are temporary vacant sites available, applications can be submitted by non-governmental organisations or social enterprises to rent such sites for community, institutional or non-profit making uses on a short-term basis.

The list of vacant government sites (including vacant school premises) currently available for community, institutional or non-profit making purposes is compiled and published on the Government’s GeoInfo Map web page. The list of vacant government sites will be updated daily, including addition or removal of any site at any time due to changes in circumstances such as the site being no longer immediately available for application for short-term uses. Interested non-government organisations or social enterprises may enquire with the relevant District Lands Offices direct about any potential sites on the GeoInfo Map or they come across before submitting any application.

After a valid application is received for a vacant government site listed on the GeoInfo Map, a remark will be shown against the site on the GeoInfo Map in the subsequent update, indicating that an application has been received, and further applications for the same site may be accepted within the following two weeks before the next update. Upon the lapse of the said two-week period, the relevant District Lands Office will not accept further applications for the site, and will process in parallel all the valid applications received, including consulting the relevant policy bureau(x) on whether policy support is granted. When more than one application for use of the same vacant site are received, and more than one application have received the requisite policy support, Lands Department will escalate the case to the Development Bureau for a steer.

Vacant government sites are available for application for short-term uses only. According to prevailing policy and subject to the merit and circumstances of individual cases, short-term use is normally granted for a tenancy term which will not compromise the Government’s long-term planning for the site.

Interested non-government organisations or social enterprises may make enquiry and submit the application for short-term uses of any vacant government site to the relevant District Lands Office. Please refer to the relevant application guidelines and procedures, the district boundary of District Lands Offices, addresses and the contact telephone numbers.

In addition, please access the website of Government Property Agency for surplus government accommodation that are available for application for short term uses.

Since the vacant government sites (including vacant school premises) may have been left idle for some time, restoration or other engineering works are required before they can put to use. To optimise the use of these sites, Development Bureau has set up a Funding Scheme to provide non-government organisations with financial and technical support to make such vacant sites/school premises fit for a variety of short-term community, institutional, or other non-profit making uses. Interested parties please refer to the Funding Scheme to Support the Use of Vacant Government Sites by Non-government Organisations.

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