In visuals: Hong Kong's illegal land grab, 1 year on
Yet the high-profile case is anything but rare, according to a Post investigation that uncovered suspected unauthorised land encroachment and structures at three other upmarket estates, following a wider study by an NGO.
But in 2023, landslides triggered by a record-breaking downpour exposed how some of the city's wealthiest living at Redhill Peninsula had expanded their homes with grand but unauthorised add-ons – from swimming pools to basements – on government land at essentially no cost.
Home to 7.5 million people and short on space, Hong Kong has long been the world's least affordable housing market. Hundreds of thousands of residents still live in cramped subdivided flats, many of them enduring lengthy waits for public housing.
After a Post inquiry, the government notes it will continue to take enforcement actions against suspected unauthorised structures, but stops short of saying whether it has issued any removal orders. Authorities also confirm they have not granted any short-term tenancies for additional land, promising further action if needed.
Four houses are suspected of having private pools that are not listed on the government's online records.
Among the 12 houses that appear to go beyond their boundaries, 11 are suspected of having structures or extensions on government land, but foundation depths, structure heights and lengths cannot be ascertained.
Most are suspected of having unauthorised structures, including swimming pools and separate sheds or rooms, with some of them on a government-owned slope outside their original boundaries.
Nestled on the lower rises of Kowloon Peak, the 16 houses in Block B of Flamingo Garden enjoy unobstructed views of Kwun Tong. Each pricey property costs as much as HK$71.8 million (US$9.18 million), with floor areas of about 2,496 sq ft.
* NON-BUILT-UP AREA: Nature, agriculture and barren land, as well as water bodies. URBAN or BUILT-UP LAND: Land for residential (7.2%), transport (6.4%), institutional (5%), other (4.3%), industrial (2.2%) and commercial (0.4%) use.
The Post took a deep dive into three of the estates to study the extent of non-compliance by comparing live drone footage with original construction plans, the government's lot boundary records and past satellite images to understand the citywide situation.
Flamingo Garden is one example among many. The Liber Research Community, an NGO, conducted research soon after the Redhill Peninsula scandal broke and found at least 173 houses suspected of illegally occupying land at luxury estates across the city.
The massive scale of the extension is in sharp contrast with the conditions endured by the more than 215,000 people living in Hong Kong's subdivided homes.
The quiet, low-density neighbourhood in the hills of Tai Po enjoys a high level of privacy, keeping any potentially illegal add-ons far from prying eyes.
After a Post inquiry, the government has confirmed issuing removal orders, without disclosing how many houses are affected. It says it also has not granted a short-term tenancy to any houses to lease additional land and will take action as necessary.
Most of the homes have undergone suspected unauthorised modification, from having fish ponds to basements.
Built on a slope boasting stunning views of Tolo Harbour, Seaview Villas comprises 18 houses, one of which was recently marked for sale at HK$50 million.
Most of the homes are seen with their gardens extended on government land and having unauthorised structures.
Perched above Redhill Peninsula, Villa Rosa boasts 16 houses of more than 3,300 sq ft each, with the latest sale in 2022 hitting HK$119 million and monthly rents currently reaching HK$300,000.
Homes with suspected deviations
Homes with suspected deviations Official estate area
Official estate area Artificial slopes
Artificial slopes Natural slopes
Natural slopes Past landslides
Some of the houses increased the size of their gardens by at least double, extending beyond their allowed limits.
Up to 11 out of 16 houses are suspected of having extended their gardens onto government land without permission.
At least 13 appear to have unauthorised building works.
Check the video-graphic below
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After a Post inquiry, the government has confirmed 13 flats occupy government land and 10 homes have unauthorised structures on their rooftops or in their gardens.
HOUSES SUSPECTED OF HAVING ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES OR EXTENDED GARDENS
Surveyor Vincent Ho Kui-yip questions the stability of the steel platforms as they are not resting on a stable foundation.
Veteran structural engineer Ngai Hok-yan also says the structures are likely to be unauthorised, with developers most probably already having maximised the plot ratio – the development density permitted under planning rules – during the design stage.
Two building professionals say any additional load is bound to affect slope stability and the extra concrete structures at both houses may indicate the presence of basements.
Centaline Surveyors executive director James Cheung King-tat says some buyers may be willing to pay for a larger living space but with a discount on the unauthorised area, such as half of the price per square foot.
For example, if a 3,000 sq ft house is priced at HK$90 million (US$11.5 million), or HK$30,000 (US$3,836) per square foot, a 1,000 sq ft illegal extension can yield an extra HK$15 million (US$1.92 million) if the buyer asks for a 50 per cent discount.
Cheung says the additions can also generate extra rental income as tenants may pay more for the extended space, given that they do not bear the legal responsibilities and only have to move out if there is enforcement action.
The Redhill Peninsula landslide
The start of the exposé
Unauthorised building works at the luxury Redhill Peninsula estate, just below Villa Rosa, sparked the latest land grab saga.
The day after the record-breaking rains lashed the city on September 7 and 8, 2023, building authorities were notified of the landslide at Redhill Peninsula, which exposed unauthorised works and illegal occupation of government land at four houses. The government moved to issue removal orders to the owners.
Since then, authorities found another 70 of the 85 seaside homes had extended beyond their legal limits, had built unauthorised structures, or had undertaken both add-ons.
AREA AFFECTED BY THE LANDSLIDE
The estate's 256 buildings and houses provide a combined 494 flats.
Unauthorised structures add extra load to the government-owned slope and compromise the safety of buildings and the land itself.
Check the video-graphic below
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SEPTEMBER 7 to 8, 2023 | THE DAYS OF THE GREAT RAIN
During the downpour, the city logged its highest hourly rainfall of 158.1mm since records began in 1884.
The city recorded 26 landslip warnings between 2014 and 2023, five more than the previous decade, amid rising levels of rainfall.
Landslide area in the Redhill Peninsula
Experts say the illegal structures at the four seafront houses, three of which were unlawfully occupying government land, may have destabilised the soil, which was then further affected by the rainstorm.
Heavy rainfall and the geology of the area are also believed to have contributed to the landslide, but authorities are still investigating the exact causes.
The citywide downpour hit on the night of September 7. The Observatory first issued its lowest-tier rainstorm warning at 9.25pm and escalated it to the highest level within 100 minutes, eventually lasting for 19 hours until the next afternoon.
Authorities recorded 75 landslide reports – including the one in the Redhill Peninsula – as of midday on September 10.
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