Home of Hong Kong Science Park chief in luxury Redhill Peninsula estate found with unauthorised structures, government land illegally occupied

In Hong Kong, a high-profile individual named Sunny Chai Ngai-chiu has been found to be in violation of certain laws. Chai is the chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and a member of the Chief Executive’s Council of Advisers for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He owns a property in the luxurious Redhill Peninsula estate. The government authorities discovered that he had constructed unauthorised structures in his house and was illegally occupying public land. They have ordered him to rectify these violations. The authorities have also stated that they would issue a structural removal notice and order the restoration of the government land. Additionally, they have imposed a temporary ban on any sale of the house. Chai purchased this house in November 2019. The house has a garden that is suspected to have been built on government land. The house is quite large, with a gross floor area of 3,339 sq ft. He bought it for HK$96. 2 million. Satellite images revealed that work in the garden began in November 2020 and was extended to the adjacent hillside on government land by January 2021. This extended garden was not present before Chai purchased the house. According to the Land Registry, the extended garden is situated outside the lot of the Redhill Peninsula, and there is no record of a short-term lease. Satellite images also show that the turf in the garden was cleared away this month, but the foundations have not yet been restored. A veteran structural engineer named Ngai Hok-yan stated that in Chai's case, construction that went beyond the lot boundaries could be considered as being on government land. The Post has approached Chai through the Science Park for comment. Last month, a landslide triggered by record rainfall exposed breaches of planning rules at the upmarket estate. Authorities initially identified unauthorised structures at four seaside houses, three of which were also found to have occupied government land illegally. This discovery sparked public outrage over what was perceived as lax enforcement on luxury properties. The government has announced that it would commence another round of inspections later this week. Chan Kim-ching, founder of the Liber Research Community, an NGO focusing on land and development policy, said it was unclear whether Chai had attempted to restore the government land himself or because of an official order until authorities released a press statement. He suggested that the government should be more transparent on progress. He also recommended that the government should charge landowners whose properties encroached on public land and brought additional slope maintenance expenditure. Those convicted of continued occupancy of government land for the first time face a maximum penalty of up to six months’ jail and a HK$500,000 fine. They can also be fined HK$50,000 every day until they stop occupying the land. Upon a second conviction, they face up to six months’ imprisonment and a HK$1 million fine. They can also be fined HK$100,000 a day until they comply with the notice.