ENG-2007 — Page 274

222 Infrastructure Development and Heritage Conservation

term and to modernise the building control regime. The Development Bureau published the report of the second-stage public consultation on Mandatory Building Inspection, which revealed a general consensus in the community that owners should bear the responsibility to inspect and repair their buildings. The public was generally supportive of a mandatory route to require the inspection and repair of buildings by

owners.

Legislation to introduce the mandatory building inspection and mandatory window inspection schemes is being prepared. During the year, the bureau also introduced into the legislature an amendment bill to introduce a minor works control system to streamline the statutory control procedures for minor building works. Such a system would enable building owners to follow simplified and lawful procedures to conduct minor building works such as installation of drying racks and supporting frames for air conditioners. Relevant regulations for the modus operandi of the system would be made after passage of the amendment bill by the Legislative Council.

The Buildings Department continued to undertake a multi-pronged strategy to remove unauthorised building works (UBWs) through enforcement action against UBWs that pose an imminent danger or health hazard, curbing the construction of new unauthorised works, and public education to encourage building owners not to construct building works illegally.

Major Actions Against UBWs

During the year, 26 009 reported cases of UBWs were dealt with, 32 898 orders requiring their removal were issued and 51 312 UBWs were removed. Prosecutions of offenders for failing to comply with removal orders totalled 3 021. There were 2 934 adjudicated cases resulting in 2 180 convictions involving fines totaling $7.33 million.

To tackle the problem of existing UBWS, the Buildings Department continued its 'blitz' clearance operations, demolishing in one go all external UBWs including large glass panel walls, large TV screens, large signboards and UBWS on cantilevered slab balconies in a number of buildings in populated districts. Some 1 514 buildings were dealt with in 'blitz' in 2007. The programme to remove illegal rooftop structures on single staircase buildings also continued, with illegal rooftop structures on 707 such buildings being removed in 2007.

To raise community awareness of liability issues caused by UBWs, the Buildings Department issued 8 621 statutory warning notices that could be registered against property title in respect of UBWs. In a bid to stop the erection of new UBWs, special patrol teams were commissioned by the department to inspect UBWs under construction within 48 hours of receiving reports from the public about UBWs. During the year, the department handled 3 590 reported cases.