LAW enforcers in Futian Subdistrict recently recovered 317,000 yuan (US$45,295) in demolition costs from an illegal structure owner in Tianze Garden, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

The case marks the first time that Futian District has succeeded in recovering the demolition costs for an illegal structure, and the sum is also the largest amount of demolition costs for an unauthorized structure ever retrieved in Shenzhen.

Tianze Garden, which was put into use in 1999, is a residential estate in Futian Subdistrict, Futian District. The demolished illegal structure, a two-and-one-half story construction, was located on the roof of a residential building and was built between 1999 and 2006.

The subdistrict’s law enforcement squadron launched an investigation into the illegal structure in August 2015, made a penalty decision in December the same year, and froze the real estate rights of the owner of the illegal structure.

The owner verbally agreed to dismantle the illegal construction this February but took no action. Therefore, the law enforcers launched a compulsory demolition action June 20.

By July 19, the illegal structure with an area of 311.93 square meters was demolished, producing 120 truck loads of construction waste.

In another case, the law enforcement squadron in Meilin Subdistrict recovered 97,000 yuan in demolition costs from an owner of an illegal structure at an auto parts industrial park in Futian.

The unauthorized construction for temporary use covered an area of about 3,790 square meters.

(Zhang Yu)