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Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Engineering Society of Hong Kong, and the Institute of Structural Engineers (Hong Kong Branch). Such meetings enable the architectural and engineering professions to express their views and to resolve difficulties encountered in practice. The Group met twice during the year to discuss technical and professional matters of mutual interest.
5.05 The Office maintains two separate but related organisations to deal with emergencies resulting from fires, typhoons, rainstorms and other causes. The first of these organisations provides an 'on-call' service by professional and technical officers on a 24-hour basis to give advice to the Police and the Fire Services Department when an emergency affecting privately owned buildings occurs anywhere in the Colony. The second organisation provides, both on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon, a nucleus of professional and technical staff on a shift basis to take action on reports or damage in the event of typhoons or severe rainstorms.
5.06 In consideration of the complexity of modern building schemes, the Building (Administration) (Amendment) Regulations 1973 were enacted in the summer of 1973 to extend, to 60 days in the case of new building proposals and to 30 days in the case of amended or resubmitted plans, the statutory period within which plans may be rejected, and after which period, unless rejected, plans can be deemed to have been approved. The former statutory period of 28 days, suspended since September 1972, was abolished.
5.07 Traffic congestion in the Mid-Level areas having for some time given rise to concern, the Director of Public Works proposed legislation which would require the Building Authority to refuse to approve building plans for new building works for certain parts of the Mid-Levels and Pokfulam pending the outcome of a detailed traffic study in these areas. This legislation, known as the Temporary Restriction of Building Development (Pokfulam and Mid-Levels) Ordinance 1973, was passed in August 1973 for a period ending on 31st January 1974, but was further extended until July 1974. A number of proposed developments have in consequence been rejected by the Buildings Ordinance Office since the embargo came into force on 5th July 1973.
5.08 The total number (1,185) of approvals given for new building during the year shows an increase of some 70% over the previous year reflecting the difficulties of that year, when the diversion of staff to emergency duties as a result of landslide disasters caused the normal work of approving plans to fall seriously in arrears. The rate at which these approved projects will be constructed will depend on a number of factors including the availability of capital, the cost of material and labour, and of course demand, although there are indications that the demand for all types of buildings remains unsatisfied.
5.09 During the period under review, five Authorised Architects and five Registered Contractors were prosecuted, two of the Contractors being removed permanently from the register of Registered Contractors and one Authorised Architect suspended for twelve months (later reduced to four months on appeal); the remaining defendants were fined or reprimanded by disciplinary boards appointed by H.E. the Governor under the Buildings Ordinance.
5.10 The Working Party on Structural Regulations maintained steady progress in the task of metricating the proposed draft structural regulations. In addition, consideration was given to the incorporation of amendments in the
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