Hong Kong authorities find 70 homes at Redhill Peninsula with illegal works or occupying government land
- Government says inspections at luxury estate in Tai Tam wrapped up in November, months after landslide initially exposed illegal works at three properties
- Demolition orders sent to owners of flagged properties, with authorities considering whether to prosecute offenders
Hong Kong authorities have found 70 out of 85 inspected homes at a luxury estate in Tai Tam have encroached on government land or built unauthorised structures, with officials saying similar checks are being carried out at another residential site.
A joint inspection into unauthorised building works and unlawful occupation of government land at the Redhill Peninsula was launched by the Buildings Department and the Lands Department in September after illegal works were exposed by record rainfall that month.
The departments on Friday said the inspection was completed last month. Demolition orders and notices had been issued to owners of the relevant properties, while authorities would consider prosecuting offenders, they added.
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Inspections of the 85 houses showed 40 had unauthorised structures, one illegally occupied government land and 29 were found to have violated both regulations.
The remaining 15 properties showed no signs of unauthorised building works or illegal occupation of government land.
“The Buildings Department and the Lands Department are successively issuing demolition orders or notices in accordance with the Buildings Ordinance and the Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance, respectively, ordering relevant owners to demolish unauthorised structures on private premises and land, and relevant parties to demolish structures on government land and stop occupying it,” a spokesman said.
The final number of properties with unauthorised structures would be verified upon further inspection and the collection of evidence from some houses, he added.
The spokesman said the departments this month had also begun investigating suspected housing irregularities at Beaulieu Peninsula in Tuen Mun, with concerns coming to light after the incident at the Redhill Peninsula sparked public outcry.
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Landslide reveals illegal basements under luxury Hong Kong homes
Authorities had previously issued demolition orders to individual houses on the estate in Tuen Mun and prosecuted owners who had failed to comply, but the aerial photos showed other properties had unauthorised structures or illegally occupied government land, prompting a fresh round of inspections, he said.
According to the government, recipients of the orders must submit a demolition proposal to authorities within 30 days and works should be completed within 150 days.
Any owners who failed to comply with the orders and lacked a reasonable excuse would be subject to legal action, it added.
Offenders face a maximum fine of HK$200,000 (US$25,500) and one year behind bars. They can also be fined HK$20,000 for every day they fail to comply with the order.
Authorities find many Hong Kong luxury homes in Tai Tam not complying with law
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho ordered the inspection of 85 houses at the Redhill Peninsula after the rainstorm on September 7 triggered a landslide and unearthed abuses of building laws at the luxury estate.
The downpour exposed unauthorised structures at three seaside houses, No 70, 72 and 74. All three sites also occupied government land illegally.
Following the discovery at the Redhill Peninsula, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu pledged to ensure authorities inspected luxury estates and took action against those responsible for the unauthorised works.
Lee in his latest policy address also proposed amending the Buildings Ordinance next year to streamline prosecution procedures, increase penalties and lower the threshold for bringing lawsuits in a bid to clamp down illegal structures.
