The Buildings Department has so far removed 380,000 unauthorised building works during the 10-year enforcement programme, which exceeds its 40,000 annual target.

Secretary for Development Carrie Lam told lawmakers today the department expects to accomplish the planned removal targets as scheduled in the enforcement programme launched in 2001. Most of the high-risk unauthorised building works have been removed.

"We anticipate by the end of the 10-year programme at the end of March next year, the [department] will have removed more than 400,000 unauthorised building works. We believe most of the unauthorised works to be cleared under the enforcement policy will have been removed by that time. Should more unauthorised building works that require immediate enforcement action be identified, the [department] will take enforcement action swiftly."

The department will continue to conduct inspection and enforcement actions against shop-front decorations and projections and unauthorised signboards, and handle the public's reports. It will also bolster inspection of the roadside along pedestrian precincts and areas with heavy pedestrian flow.

Special operations will be implemented to focus on the removal of target unauthorised building works. Up to February, about 5,500 abandoned signboards were removed under a 12-month special operation, exceeding the original target of 5,000.

Mrs Lam said the measures to be rolled out, particularly the minor works control system and the mandatory building and window inspection schemes, will effectively tackle the problem of unauthorised signboards and shop-front projections and will also help to curb the emergence of new unauthorised building works.