The Antiquities & Monuments Office posted a notice at King Yin Lei today informing the owner that the historic building has been declared a proposed monument.

Secretary for Development Carrie Lam, in her capacity as the Antiquities Authority, yesterday declared the building at 45 Stubbs Road a proposed monument under the Antiquities & Monuments Ordinance (Chapter 53). The building is subject to stringent controls, such as the prohibition of works without a permit from the authority.

The Development Bureau said the declaration will enable the authority to consider in a comprehensive manner whether or not the building should be declared a monument, and allow time to negotiate with the owner on possible preservation options.

Bureau officers will soon inspect the premises and assess the impact of recent work to it.

Kin Yin Lei, which was built in 1937, is a rare surviving example of Chinese Renaissance-style architecture in the colonial period. It blends Chinese and western architectural elements in structure, material and plan.