The Shrine loses court appeal

The Court of Appeal has rejected the application by the operator of the illegal columbarium, The

Shrine for leave to appeal its judgment.

Celebrate International, formerly the Hong Kong Life Group Holdings, earlier filed a judicial review

on the Planning Department’s order to close The Shrine, a converted building in a Yuen Long village,

housing more than 1,500 niches for human ashes.

The company argued that The Shrine was really a site that allowed people to worship or venerate

deities, saints or persons and hence permissible under the zoning plan. The appellate judges refused

to accept the argument and upheld the ruling of the Court of First Instance.

Celebrate International said it’s seeking a legal opinion on making application to the Court of

Final Appeal for leave to appeal.

China Daily