Hong Kong development minister confirms luxury house at Redhill Peninsula has illegal structures, after site evacuated following landslide
- Bernadette Linn says initial investigation also shows luxury estate’s house No 72 unlawfully occupies slope considered government land
- Luxury estate known to be home to celebrities and business bigwigs, with one property selling for as high as HK$112 million
Hong Kong’s development minister confirmed on Sunday that authorities had found illegal structures and unlawfully occupied government land at a luxury property in Tai Tam, after occupants were evacuated following a landslide that damaged two other homes.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said an initial investigation found illegal structures at house No 72 at Redhill Peninsula that violated the terms of the leasing conditions of the site.
Linn revealed the findings at a press conference on the government’s disaster relief efforts following the record-breaking rainfall on Thursday night, including the aftermath of the landslide at Tai Tam.
“Our assessment is that the landslide has affected three houses sitting on that slope, which belongs to the government. Among the three, one posed an imminent danger and was evacuated [on Saturday night],” she said.
“As to whether there are unauthorised building structures or unlawful occupation of government land, our initial evidence shows there is indeed some breach of leases and unlawful occupation, but our primary focus at the moment is to stabilise the slope to ensure public safety.”
Government contractors would inject concrete into the slope to support further consolidation works that were expected to take a few days, Linn said.
“Once that is done, we will proceed with the necessary enforcement against the relevant breaches … When the circumstances permit, we’ll allow the relevant residents to go back to the house under the evacuation arrangement.”
