The Buildings Department approved 26 building plans in March - six on Hong Kong Island, six in Kowloon and 14 in the New Territories.

Of the approved plans, seven were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, two were for commercial developments, five were for factory and industrial developments and 12 were for community services developments.

Consent was given for work to start on 20 building projects that, on completion, will provide 184,276 square metres of usable domestic floor area and 18,755 square metres of usable non-domestic floor area.

Meanwhile, the department also issued 14 occupation permits - five on Hong Kong Island, two in Kowloon and seven in the New Territories.

Of the buildings certified for occupation, the usable floor area for domestic and non-domestic uses was 39,826 square metres and 18,469 square metres respectively.

The declared cost of the new buildings completed in March totalled about $1.028 billion.

Nine demolition consents involving nine building structures were issued.

The department received 2,426 complaints against unauthorised building works in March, and issued 1,643 removal orders on unauthorised works.