Owners of Hong Kong properties with illegal additions cannot ‘buy their way out’
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn issues warning at Legco briefing on proposed amendments to Buildings Ordinance
Hong Kong’s development minister has warned that property owners cannot “buy their way out” of taking down large-scale illegal structures, such as basements and enclosed rooftops, by making payments or getting safety certifications.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho issued the warning as she briefed a meeting of the Legislative Council’s development panel on Wednesday about proposed amendments to the Buildings Ordinance.
“I do not want the next generation to think that they can buy their way out of the law,” she said. “The unauthorised structures are not necessarily safe after an inspection either.”
In September of last year, record-breaking rainfall revealed how some of the city’s wealthiest residents living at Redhill Peninsula had expanded their homes through unauthorised add-ons.
The discovery prompted authorities to propose amendments to the ordinance to clamp down on the illegal practice.
Suggestions from the Development Bureau include raising the maximum penalty to HK$300,000 (US$38,600) and two years in prison for owners who refuse to comply with removal orders issued for “serious” unauthorised structures.
