The Buildings Department approved 30 building plans in March - 12 on Hong Kong Island, seven in Kowloon and 11 in the New Territories.

Fifteen of the approved plans were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, four were for commercial developments, two were for factory and industrial developments, and nine were for community services developments.

It also gave consent for work to start on 13 building projects that, when completed, will provide 184,420 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use, involving 3,240 units, and 228,453 square metres of gross floor area for non-domestic use.

The department received notification of commencement of work for eight building projects in March, also.

That month, the department issued 15 occupation permits - five on Hong Kong Island, seven in Kowloon and three in the New Territories.

Of the buildings certified for occupation, there was 33,110 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 489 units, and 203,257 square metres for non-domestic use.

Buildings cost: $3.7b

The declared cost of the new buildings completed in March totalled about $3.7 billion.

The department also issued eight demolition consents involving eight building structures.

It received 1,758 complaints against unauthorised building works in March, and issued 6,733 removal orders on unauthorised works.