Buildings Department instigates prosecutions in relation to residential development project at Anderson Road
A spokesman for the Buildings Department (BD) said today (August 22) that regarding the steel reinforcements of some structural elements in the superstructure works at a construction site at Anderson Road, Kwun Tong, which had not been installed in accordance with the requirements of the Buildings Ordinance (Chapter 123) (BO), the BD has initiated 205 prosecutions.
The spokesman said, "The BD received a report in August last year alleging that the steel reinforcements of some structural elements in the superstructure works at a construction site at Anderson Road, Kwun Tong, had not been installed in accordance with the requirements of the BO. The site is related to a residential development involving six multi-storey towers. The BD subsequently served an order requiring the entire site to cease works, deployed its staff to carry out multiple site inspections and required the project's registered structural engineer (RSE) and registered general building contractor (RGBC) to open up the concrete at various locations in the superstructure of the six towers for investigation. The results revealed material deviations in part of the steel reinforcement installation from the approved plans in the six towers, including positional discrepancy and displacement of steel reinforcements, discrepancy in the size of steel reinforcements, fewer steel reinforcements than those shown in the approved plans, as well as misalignment of structural columns."
"Based on the investigation findings, the BD found that the RGBCs and individuals directly concerned with the building works have violated the BO. After consultation with the Department of Justice, the BD has initiated 204 prosecutions under section 40(2A)(b) of the BO against the former and current RGBCs, the authorised signatories of the former and current RGBCs, and four technically competent persons directly concerned with the building works, involving a total of two companies and six individuals; and also one prosecution under section 40(2AB) of the BO against one of the technically competent persons concerned."
Although there is no obvious danger to the overall structure of the six buildings, the BD is closely following up with the project RSE on the incident report and the necessary remedial measures, including localised strengthening of the buildings, demolition of parts of the structural elements where necessary, and the reinstallation of steel reinforcements and recasting of concrete.
Pursuant to section 40(2A)(b) of the BO, any person for whom any prescribed inspection or building works or street works are being carried out and any authorised person, RSE, registered geotechnical engineer, registered inspector, qualified person, registered general building contractor, registered specialist contractor or registered minor works contractor directly concerned with any such inspection or works who diverges or deviates in any material way from any work shown in a plan approved by the Building Authority under the BO shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $1 million and imprisonment for three years.
Pursuant to section 40(2AB) of the BO, any person (whether or not an authorised person, a RSE, a registered geotechnical engineer, a registered general building contractor, a registered specialist contractor or a registered minor works contractor) directly concerned with any building works or street works set out in items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Column A in the table to section 17(1) who contravenes any condition imposed under that section in respect of such building works or street works, or the plans thereof, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for one year.
Source: AI-found images
