Power, water to be cut off to homes expanded without approval: official

Villa owners who refuse to demolish illegal structures are to be fined and banned from putting their properties on the market.

From April 1, authorities can even cut off power and water supplies to rule breakers' homes under new regulations aimed at clamping down on unapproved construction projects. Official data suggests up to 90 percent of villa owners in Beijing have illegally expanded their properties.

"Some owners even pull down houses and use the land to build larger ones," an unnamed senior official with the urban planning commission told Beijing News.

Guo Degang, an famous comedy performer, made headlines last July when he used a public green area to build a private garden for his luxury villa in Daxing district. Such reports are now common in the countryside and urban areas, with unused public land often commandeered by private homeowners and restaurants.

Zhang Zhen, deputy director-general of the Daxing's urban planning commission, said illegal construction seriously affects surrounding environments and creates sanitation problems.

"When an illegal house is built, there will be illegally built restaurants, parking places and rubbish piles nearby. Such constructions must be demolished," he said. Roughly 3,500 square meters of buildings along Liangshui River in Daxing was razed last year and converted into green space for residents.

Statistics from the municipal commission show the government has so far dealt with 3,796 cases on illegal construction and demolished 1.5 million square meters of property.

However, the new rules have caused concern among home owners, including Zhao Xinsheng, 58-year-old in Fengtai district, who said most villa owners do not care about the regulations as the properties are for living in, rather than investments.

"I've lived in my villa for almost 10 years and during that time the expansion of villas in my community has never stopped," he said. "Just a few days ago, two of my neighbors burst into a scuffle as both wanted to build on a piece of public land.

"The property managers or chengguan (urban management officers) never intervene or stop the illegal projects. Maybe because it's so common."

Zhao added that he hopes the trend will be halted, and urged the authorities to unleash more strict regulations.

Hu Jinghui, vice-president of Weiye Wo Ai Wo Jia, a major real estate agency with branches nationwide, said property companies will never say no to someone looking to sell their home, although they would have no objection to informing buyers if the homes have been illegally expanded.