The Lands Department has taken enforcement action against 3,000 cases of unauthorised structures built on private agricultural land, having completed 909 of them since it stepped up enforcement in 2014.
The completed cases cover 950 private agricultural lots.
At the end of last month, the department re-entered 18 of these lots under the Government Rights (Re-entry & Vesting Remedies) Ordinance as the owners had not demolished the unauthorised structures despite repeated warnings.
Unauthorised structures on 905 of these lots were undertaken by the owners themselves upon the department’s enforcement action.
The department arranged for the demolition of the unauthorised structures on the remaining 27 lots.
It said private agricultural land becomes government land after re-entry, adding that anyone who unlawfully occupies this land may be prosecuted.
It also advises those who intend to purchase or rent structures erected on agricultural land to seek professional advice to avoid purchasing or renting structures in breach of lease.
While former owners may apply for relief against re-entry under the ordinance, the process will take time and the Government accepts no responsibility for any loss suffered by them in the interim.
Even if the applications are approved, the Government reserves the right to impose conditions, such as requiring the former owner to pay a fine, taking into account the estimated profits generated during the unauthorised use of the erected structures.
The department said it will continue the enforcement action, noting that once warning letters have been issued, it reserves the right to trigger re-entry actions without further notice.
