The Buildings Department (BD) on Monday said three homeowners at Redhill Peninsula have been convicted and fined a total of HK$275,000 for knowingly carrying out unauthorised building works. The owners of three detached houses pleaded guilty at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on January 8, the department said in a statement. The department spokesman said they were found to have undertaken significant structural modifications without approval from the department, which included extensions to gardens, living rooms, bedrooms and rooftops. These convictions result from a large-scale inspection operation launched by the BD in September 2023, targetting the coastal area of Redhill Peninsula on the southside of Hong Kong Island. Prosecutions, the spokesman said, were initiated in August and September 2024, culminating in last week’s fines of HK$130,000, HK$85,000 and HK$60,000 respectively. "The BD has already instigated prosecution actions against 30 detached houses on Redhill Peninsula. So far, 24 cases have been convicted by the courts for contravening section 14(1) of the Buildings Ordinance. Court hearings for the remaining cases are being rolled out," the spokesman said. The department reiterated that property owners should consult professionals to ensure all building works comply with regulations. It also said that authorities will submit a bill to the Legislative Council this year to amend the Buildings Ordinance, with the aim to increase penalties for serious unauthorised building works and strengthen deterrence.