The Buildings Department approved 31 building plans in July - 10 on Hong Kong Island, 12 in Kowloon and nine in the New Territories.

Of them, 11 were for apartment and apartment or commercial developments, nine were for commercial developments, seven were for factory and industrial developments and four were for community services developments.

It also gave consent for work to start on eight building projects that, when completed, will provide 26,236 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use, involving 204 units, and 33,962 square metres of gross floor area for non-domestic use.

Notifications of commencement of work for eight building projects were received. The department also issued seven occupation permits - two on Hong Kong Island, two in Kowloon and three in the New Territories.

The buildings certified for occupation had 26,102 square metres of gross floor areas for domestic use, involving 401 units, and 6,456 square metres for non-domestic use.

The declared cost of the new buildings completed in July totalled about $700 million. The department also issued nine demolition consents involving nine building structures.

It received 2,775 complaints against unauthorised building works in July, and issued 1,807 removal orders on unauthorised works.