HKSAR Government Launches Public Consultation on First Five-Year Economic and Social Development Plan (2026-2030)

Government launches public consultation on The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) 

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region today (June 15) launched the public consultation on The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan).

A Government spokesperson said, "Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan is a historic step with profound significance. It will provide a forward-looking, strategic and operable guiding document for Hong Kong's development during the next five years, enabling Hong Kong to proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan. This will support Hong Kong's high-quality development, and at the same time help Hong Kong better integrate into and serve the overall national development.

"Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan will clearly set out Hong Kong's development vision and strategic directions for the next five years. It will cover areas such as the economy, industries, spatial planning, infrastructure, green transformation, as well as livelihood aspects including healthcare, education, housing, welfare, and elderly care, providing clear directions for Hong Kong's economic and social development in the coming five years to create a vision for the future that citizens can looking forward to.

"We invite all sectors of society and members of the public to actively participate in the public consultation and offer their views on Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan. The Government will earnestly listen to and study suggestions from all sectors, and work together to promote Hong Kong's better integration into the overall national development and build a better Hong Kong."

The public consultation will run from today until August 14, lasting for two months. The Government will organise multiple consultation sessions to listen to views and suggestions on Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan from Legislative Council Members, representatives from different sectors as well as the general public. The Government strives to publish the formal document of Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan within the third quarter of the year.

The public consultation document will be distributed at the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres in the 18 districts starting from today and will also be uploaded to the thematic website on Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan (www.HK5YPlan.gov.hk). Members of the public can submit their views via the thematic website or by email (hk5yplan@cmab.gov.hk).

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region today (June 15) launched the public consultation for The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government launches public consultation on The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government launches public consultation on The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) (with photo/videos) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Three property owners fined nearly $230,000 in total for not complying with statutory orders

Three owners were convicted and fined $225,320 in total at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts last Friday (June 12) for failing to comply with statutory orders issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).

Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts, Tuen Mun Law Courts Building

The first case involved an unauthorised structure with an area of about 32 square metres on the roof of a village house on a lot at D.D. 115, Yuen Long. Since the Lands Department would not issue a certificate of exemption for the unauthorised building works (UBWs) and the UBWs were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO. Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD and was convicted and fined $102,600 in total, of which $62,600 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued.

The second case involved alteration of two adjoining units into mini-storage units in an industrial building on San On Street, Tuen Mun. As the alteration and addition works obstructed the means of escape and means of access for firefighting and rescue, contravening the Building (Planning) Regulations, two removal orders and two repair orders were served on the two owners under section 24(1) and section 26 of the BO. Failing to comply with the statutory orders, the owners were prosecuted by the BD and were convicted and fined $122,720 in total, of which $62,720 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued.

A spokesman for the BD said today (June 15), "UBWs, including the unauthorised alterations causing obstruction to the means of escape and means of access for firefighting and rescue, or affecting the fire-resisting construction of a building, may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with removal orders and repair orders, including instigation of prosecution, to ensure building and public safety."

Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year's imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues. Moreover, failure to comply with a repair order without reasonable excuse is also a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of level 5 ($50,000 at present) and one year's imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $5,000 for each day that the offence continues.

Buildings Department, Photo source: reference image