The Buildings Department approved 25 building plans in August - six on Hong Kong Island, seven in Kowloon and 12 in the New Territories.

Of the approved plans, eight were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, eight for commercial developments and nine for community-services developments.

In the same month, consent was given for work to begin on 18 building projects involving 207 units that will provide 45,999 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use and 69,121 square metres of gross floor area for non-domestic use.

The department has received notification that work has begun on 12 building projects.

The department also issued 31 occupation permits - seven on Hong Kong Island, seven in Kowloon and 17 in the New Territories.

These permits involve 1,897 units, with 128,139 square metres for domestic use and 83,695 square metres for non-domestic use.

The declared cost of the new buildings completed in August was about $2.13 billion.

Nine demolition consents issued

In addition, the department issued nine demolition consents for as many buildings.

In August, the department received 2,439 complaints about unauthorised building works. It issued 1,402 removal orders on such works.

See the full version of the monthly digest for August at the Buildings Department's homepage, www.bd.gov.hk.