Loss of Guangzhou house leads to lawsuit

A developer linked to Lai Sun group chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok (left) is being sued over the alleged illegal demolition of a historic Guangzhou house that was once the home of "King of Cantonese Opera" Sit Kok-sin.self storageThree owners of the building filed a civil claim against Guangzhou Cuihua Real Estate, with Lam listed as its representative.Plaintiffs Chen Zupei, Chen Zuchun and Chen Baorong , who own the estate on Shishu Road in Yuexiu district, are demanding compensation of 4.82 million yuan (HK$6.05 million), according to the document filed in Yuexiu District People's Court on Tuesday.Developer Nanfang Development, whose licence was earlier revoked by the government, is listed as second defendant.It is the latest development in a row that began when two historic buildings on the site were bulldozed in the early hours of June 17, sparking a public outcry.According to the writ, the plaintiffs signed an agreement with Nanfang in 1998, allowing it t迷你倉 demolish the building after paying them compensation. It would also allow them to move into the residential project to be completed on the site.But the transaction was never completed because the developer ran out of funds.Lam's company later secured the land at auction, but did not reach a settlement with the building's owners, the document says.It started drilling in the building in October 2009, removed part of the walls in May last year, and demolished the whole building in June without securing the plaintiffs' authorisation, the writ says, adding that this breached mainland property law.Sit, famed for revolutionising stage make-up, costumes and lighting in Cantonese opera, was said to have lived in the building for a few years in the 1950s.A temporary moratorium on development of the site was reported to have been imposed last year by Guangzhou authorities. Lam, also chairman of the Tourism Board, could not be reached for comment last night.文件倉