The Development Bureau today (December 31) released updated information on private columbaria (the Information). Three columbaria have been added to the list and relevant details of some other columbaria have been updated including change of name.
The Information covers the relevant land/lease (user restrictions) and planning information relating to those private columbaria that are made known to the Lands Department or Planning Department, and those which the departments have reason to believe are operating as columbaria. Cases subsequently confirmed will be included when the Information is updated.
Among the private columbaria included in the Information, 22 are applying to the Lands Department for regularisation of land use and/or the Town Planning Board for planning permission. The Information is available on the Development Bureau's website at www.devb.gov.hk .
"Members of the public who wish to purchase niches at private columbaria are reminded of the importance of obtaining from the operators full and complete information in order to check whether the columbaria are compliant with all the relevant statutory requirements and land lease and/or town planning requirements," a spokesman for the Bureau said.
"To protect their own interests, members of the public are also reminded to ascertain from the operators how they will look after the interests of their customers, such as whether and how they would refund or otherwise compensate their customers in cases in which the respective private columbarium subsequently closes down or is disallowed from operating. Members of the public should seek independent legal advice on their rights when necessary," the spokesman continued.
The Information will next be updated in March 2015.
For related enquiries, please call the enquiry hotline at 3142 2255.
Ends/Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:00
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