Two property owners fined over $160,000 in total for not complying with removal orders
Two owners were convicted and fined $165,000 in total at the Magistrates' Courts yesterday (August 26) for failing to comply with removal orders issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).
The first case involved an unauthorised structure of about 44 square metres on the rooftop of a composite building on Kwong Wa Street, Yau Ma Tei. As the unauthorised building works (UBW) was 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 fined $99,650 in total, of which $89,650 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, upon conviction at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts.
The second case involved an unauthorised structure of about 43 sq m on the rooftop of a composite building on Lei Muk Road, Kwai Chung. As the UBW was carried out without prior approval and consent from the 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 twice and was fined upon conviction by the court. As the owner persisted in not complying with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted for the third time and was fined $65,350 in total, of which $55,350 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, upon conviction at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts.
A spokesman for the BD said today (August 27), "UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take stringent enforcement action and instigate prosecutions against owners again if they persist in not complying with removal orders, so as 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.
Source: AI-found images
Another trial project on hydrogen fuel technology given agreement-in-principle by Inter-departmental Working Group on Using Hydrogen as Fuel
A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) said today (August 27) that the Inter-departmental Working Group on Using Hydrogen as Fuel has given an agreement-in-principle to another application of a trial project on hydrogen fuel technology.
The said project concerns an application submitted by the Castle Peak Power Company Limited, which involves the installation of new hydrogen associated facilities and the modification of an existing combined cycle gas turbine unit at the Black Point Power Station to enable on-site blending of hydrogen with natural gas for electricity generation. At present, the targeted hydrogen blending ratio of the project is up to 5 per cent.
The spokesperson for the EEB stated, "The Working Group has promptly initiated the examination process upon receipt of detailed information regarding the trial project. Following the applicants' enhancement of the designs and technical details according to feedback from government departments to ensure that the trial project can be carried out smoothly and safely, the Working Group gave an agreement-in-principle to the application yesterday (August 26)."
To date, the Working Group has given an agreement-in-principle in stages to a total of 42 applications of hydrogen energy trial projects. The Working Group will continue to make reference to the operational data and experience collected from the trials, in order to provide advice for the continuous enhancement of the safety and technical guidelines on the local application of hydrogen energy. Details are set out in the thematic webpage (cnsd.gov.hk/en/inter-departmental-working-group-on-using-hydrogen-as-fuel/).
In addition, the Working Group previously discussed streamlining application procedures and promoting the wider application of hydrogen-powered gensets in remote areas or construction sites. Relevant information is available on the thematic webpage for reference:
(a) the Code of Practice for Stationary Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Systems promulgated in December 2025;
(b) a technical compliance checklist and a list of genset models agreed to be put on trial promulgated in February 2026; and
(c) information about the Construction Innovation and Technology Fund to promote the application of innovative technologies in the construction industry, including hydrogen energy.
Since early 2026, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) has been actively engaging with various trade stakeholders, including the Construction Industry Council, to disseminate the above information and the compressed processing procedure. At present, 10 applications of hydrogen-powered gensets have been given agreement-in-principle, of which five projects have been launched or completed, while the rest are under planning.
The Working Group is formed by the EEB, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Security Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department, the EMSD, the Fire Services Department, the Transport Department, the Marine Department, the Planning Department, the Lands Department, the Buildings Department, the Architectural Services Department and the Labour Department.
Source: AI-found images
