More residential buildings to rise in Hong Kong

Seven of the 14 building plans approved in Hong Kong in July went to residential developments.

Of the 14 approved building plans, seven were in the New Territories; five in Kowloon and two on Hong Kong Island, said the Buildings Department.

Seven were for apartment and apartment-commercial developments; four for commercial developments; one for a factory-industrial development, and two for community-services developments.

The government has said construction can begin on 20 building projects that will provide 122,684 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use when completed. These buildings will have 931 units, and 149,988 square metres of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of the start of work for 14 building projects.

The department also issued seven occupation permits: three on Hong Kong Island, two in Kowloon, and two in the New Territories.

Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 44,289 square metres, involving 144 units, and 19,568 square metres for non-domestic use.

The declared cost of new buildings completed in July amounted to $1.33 billion.

The department issued 15 demolition consents involving 15 building structures. It received 3,845 reports about unauthorised building works and issued 1,358 removal orders on unauthorised works.