Hong Kong to resume unauthorised temporary structure scheme by end of year

Hong Kong authorities will resume a scheme by the end of the year allowing village house owners to keep low-risk unauthorised structures temporarily, provided they are deemed safe by professionals, as the government aims to tackle rampant illegal additions.

In a district council meeting on Tuesday, Director of Buildings Clarice Yu Po-mei said that the reporting of the structures to the government will be made online.

“I think that it [launching the scheme] may have to wait until the end of the year,” she said, adding that the relaunch does not involve law amendments.

The scheme was first launched in 2012, offering homeowners a chance to declare minor unauthorised additions built before June 28, 2011.

The deadline for registration ended in 2012.

By coming forward, owners avoided an immediate order to remove the structure, but required inspections by registered professionals every five years until the authorities declare the need to remove the additions.