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Two owners of a New Territories Exempted House (i.e. an NT village house) were fined $60,000 for failing to comply with a removal order which required the removal of unauthorised building works erected on the roof of their village house, issued under the Buildings Ordinance (Cap 123), at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts on September 30.
Upon receipt of a report from the public, site inspections carried out by staff of the Buildings Department (BD) revealed that new unauthorised building works had been erected on the roof of a NT village house at Pik Uk Village, Sai Kung. The building works were not covered by any Certificate of Exemption issued by the Lands Department, and they were carried out without obtaining prior approval and consent from the Building Authority. The building works contravened the provisions of the Buildings Ordinance. A removal order was then issued to the owners concerned under section 24(1) of the Buildings Ordinance.
The BD later instigated prosecution of the owners who failed to remove the unauthorised structures upon the expiry of the removal order. The owners pleaded guilty at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts on September 30 and were fined $60,000. The owners removed the unauthorised structures before the court hearing.
The spokesperson emphasised that the BD will deal with unauthorised building works in NT village houses in accordance with the enhanced enforcement strategy promulgated on April 1, 2012. Unauthorised building works in NT village houses completed after June 28, 2011 will be regarded as newly erected unauthorised building works. The BD will take immediate enforcement action against newly erected unauthorised building works.
Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the Buildings Ordinance. The maximum penalty upon conviction is one year's imprisonment and a fine of $200,000, as well as a further fine of $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.
Ends/Friday, December 5, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:01
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