The Buildings Department approved 10 building plans in October, with four on Hong Kong Island, three in Kowloon and three in the New Territories.

     Of the approved plans, three were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, two were for commercial developments, three was for factory and industrial developments, and two were for community services developments.

     In the same month, consent was given for works to start on 16 building projects which, when completed, will provide 127 565 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 3 024 units, and 153 470 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of superstructure works for six building projects.

     The department also issued 14 occupation permits, with one on Hong Kong Island, seven in Kowloon and six in the New Territories.

     Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 15 368 sq m involving 480 units, and 82 267 sq m was for non-domestic use.

     The declared cost of new buildings completed in October totalled about $3.1 billion.

     In addition, nine demolition consents involving nine building structures were issued.

     The department received 2 974 reports about unauthorised building works (UBWs) in October and issued 553 removal orders on UBWs.

     The full version of the Monthly Digest for October can be viewed on the Buildings Department's homepage (www.bd.gov.hk).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Nanyang Commercial Bank, Limited relating to phishing instant messages, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the instant messages concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     Result of the tenders of the People's Bank of China RMB Bills held on December 20, 2023:
 

     To encourage recycling and upcycling of yard waste in the community, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (December 20) called on members of the public and commercial and industrial (C&I) organisations to recycle natural Christmas trees (NCTs) intended for disposal under 2023-24 NCTs Recycling Programme. The Programme arrangements are as follows:

Collection period: January 3 to 7, 2024 (five days)
Collection points: The following Central Collection Point and District Collection Points
 

Note: If members of the public and C&I organisations have to recycle NCTs before January 3 or during 8 to 20, 2024, please deliver them to Y·PARK during operating hours (9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, except public holidays).

     An EPD spokesman said to facilitate public participation, the collection time for all DCPs will be extended. The NCTs collected and other yard waste will be turned into various recyclable products at Y·PARK to facilitate their reuse, recycling or upcycling into decorations, wooden furniture, wood art products and more.

     The Programme is limited to the recycling of NCTs, and all lighting, plastic stands, decorations and tape on the NCTs should be removed before delivery to facilitate the subsequent recycling processes. The public are also encouraged to replant small potted plants such as poinsettias, and keep artificial Christmas trees and other festival decorations for reuse to help reduce waste and conserve resources. 

     An e-certificate will be issued to the participants who deliver NCTs to the CCP or the Recycling Stations for recycling. Participants will also receive a gift upon delivery of NCTs to the Recycling Stations while stocks last. For details of the NCTs Recycling Programme, please visit the Hong Kong Waste Reduction website at www.wastereduction.gov.hk/en-hk/article/2023-24-natural-christmas-trees-recycling-programme.

     The EPD also welcomes other organisations and associations to provide recycling services for NCTs to help the public and C&I organisations to participate and enhance waste reduction efforts for all.

     The online voting stage of the Tropical Cyclone Name Collection Activity organised by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) commenced today (December 20).

     The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific/World Meteorological Organization Typhoon Committee has adopted a list of tropical cyclone names with local characteristics nominated by its 14 Members to designate tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea since 2000. The list includes 10 names provided by Hong Kong, China. When a tropical cyclone name is requested to be retired by the Typhoon Committee due to serious casualties and economic losses, the Member who provided that name will submit proposed replacement names to the Typhoon Committee for consideration.

     After consolidation and initial assessment of the suggested names collected from the public at the first stage of the Activity, there are 40 shortlisted names. The activity now proceeds to the second stage. Members of the public can vote online to select 20 suitable tropical cyclone names with Hong Kong characteristics from the shortlisted names. Participants of the voting may have a chance to receive an HKO souvenir.

     The 20 names with the highest number of votes will be incorporated into the reserve list of tropical cyclone names of Hong Kong, China. The website of the online voting is eforms.weather.gov.hk/tcname/index.fm. The online voting will end on January 7, 2024. Voting results will be announced tentatively within January 2024.