Land Dept inspected Bishop Hill 33 times in 3 months over illegal structures

The Lands Department conducted 33 inspections and took multiple enforcement actions on Bishop Hill in Sham Shui Po over the past three months regarding illegal occupation of government land and unauthorized structures, it said in a statement.

The department stated most land in the Bishop Hill area is government-owned. Regarding various facilities, structures, and items—including recreational equipment and religious objects—that were built or placed there years ago, the Sham Shui Po District Management Committee once planned a clearance operation in June 2022. The plan was postponed due to strong resident opposition, and different solutions are being explored.

For new structures illegally occupying government land after June 2022, the Kowloon West Lands Office will take land control action under the Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance.

The Sham Shui Po District Office said it received about 10 complaints regarding illegal structures in the Bishop Hill and Tong Yam Street hillside recreation areas since June 2022. The previous district council discussed the issue in June 2022 but members disagreed on whether to handle the structures. Some suggested adding recreational facilities and planning for the area.

In response, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has completed improvement works for an elderly fitness area at the nearby Tong Yam Street hillside recreation site.

Legislative Council member for Kowloon West, Scott Leung Man-kwong, said the illegal structures problem has persisted for over 10 years, partly due to past obstruction by opposition lawmakers. He acknowledged a shortage of recreational facilities but emphasized the need to remove illegal structures due to safety risks, suggesting the government later consider adding officially managed facilities.

Engineering sector legislator Aaron Bok Kwok-ming warned that illegal hill farming removes vegetation that protects slopes, increasing landslide risks during heavy rain. He urged the government to prosecute offenders and demand restoration.