CAP. 123]
Openings through party or external walls etc.
Buildings.
16. (1) Openings may only be made in party walls to an extent not exceeding one half of their area on each storey unless in the opinion of the Building Authority a greater area may be allowed.
(2) When it is desired to close any openings previously made through any party wall, such openings shall be solidly stopped up with brick or stone-work of the full thickness of the party wall, and such brick or stone-work shall be built in lime-mortar or cement-mortar and properly bonded with such party wall. Any future openings through any such party wall shall be restricted to the removal, in whole or in part, of such stoppings, unless the previous openings did not extend to one half of the area of such wall, and additional openings shall only be made in such manner as to ensure that the total extent of the openings, inclusive of those previously made, shall not exceed one half of the area of such wall on each storey.
(3) Recesses may be made in party walls and in external walls: Provided that the aggregate area of such recesses does not exceed one half the whole area of the wall of the storey in which they are made, and that the backs of such recesses are of not less thickness than 13 inches in party walls, and 9 inches in external walls.
(4) In the case of a shop front left open to the street, the side walls or party walls shall be returned along such front for at least 12 inches where the house has more, and for at least 9 inches where the house has not more, than one storey above the ground storey, and such return walls shall be properly bonded into the side walls or party walls in cement-mortar. Where such shop front is in a corner building, the side wall shall be returned along such front for at least 2 feet.
(5) Every opening and every recess in any wall shall either be arched over with brick or stone-work in cement-mortar or spanned by a steel girder or ferro-concrete beam of such dimensions and construction as the Building Authority may consider necessary for the support of the superincumbent weight.
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