The Government today issued removal orders to the owners of four houses at Redhill Peninsula involved in unauthorised building works (UBWs) and started a joint operation targeting houses on the seafront there to combat the unlawful situation.

The breach concerned was revealed following an earlier landslide that happened on the slope where the four houses are located.

The Government said its contractor will soon complete the urgent repair works for the government slope on the seafront of Redhill Peninsula involved in the landslide.

All four residences involved in the incident - houses 70, 72, 74 and 76 - have serious UBWs. After an investigation, the Buildings Department (BD) today issued removal orders under the law to the owners.

They are required to appoint registered building professionals to submit remedial proposals and building plans, and reinstate the affected parts of the buildings in accordance with the plans upon the BD’s approval and consent.

The reinstatement works should be started within 90 days and completed within 150 days from today, the issuance date of the orders.

The BD will also deliver the orders to the Land Registry today for registration against the relevant property titles, or imposing an encumbrance on the register.

Furthermore, houses 70, 72 and 74 have also unlawfully occupied government land. As such, the Lands Department (LandsD) has issued notices under the law to the owners requiring them to demolish the structures on government land and cease such unlawful occupation.

The demolition works must be completed within 150 days from the notice’s issuance date.

As the occupied locations involve a government slope, the LandsD has required the relevant people to submit a demolition proposal to the Government within 30 days from the notice’s issuance date for vetting, in order to ensure that the demolition works will not affect the slope’s safety and stability.

The Government added that it will prosecute the owners who fail to comply with the removal order or the LandsD’s notice without a reasonable excuse.

Furthermore, if it is confirmed that the UBWs are related to the damage of the government slopes, the Government stated that it will definitely seek to recover the cost of slope repair works from the people involved.

It emphasised that it is still collecting and consolidating evidence and does not rule out taking further prosecution actions against those involved in the above cases after seeking legal advice.

Such people may include the owners, and professionals and contractors participating in the UBWs’ construction works.

As for the other houses on Redhill Peninsula, the Government explained that the two departments, on a “risk-based” basis, will accord priority to inspecting another 85 houses along the seafront in the area.

Around 70 such houses are preliminarily suspected of having UBWs while around 40 are suspected to be involved in unlawful occupation of government land.

The BD and the LandsD have started a large-scale joint operation today to kick-start an inspection of the suspected non-compliant houses on the seafront in phases.

If necessary, the Government will apply for court warrants to enable officers to enter the houses to conduct such an inspection and collect evidence.