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Wednesday, July 5, 1972
The bill, he said, "sets out to remedy this situation.
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If enacted, with effect from June 15, no approval of plans or
consent to commence building works shall be deemed to have been given
and no occupation permit shall be deemed to have been granted where
these approvals, consents or permits have not been specially given within
the time limits laid down.
Mr. Robson said the amendment of the principal ordinance would
cease to have effect on September 30 unless some other date was specified
by the Governor in Council by notice in the Gazette.
During the committee stage, Mr. Oswald Cheung moved that the date
when the amendment would cease to have effect should be specified by
resolution but he later withdrew this.
An amendment proposed by the Attorney General, Mr. D.T.E. Roberts,
that the section concerned shall cease to have effect on September 30, 1972
or on such other date as may be specified by the Governor in Council by
regulations was accepted and passed.
Earlier, the Director of Public works had assured the Council that
Buildings Ordinance Office staff would be "diverted back to their normal
duties just as soon as possible."
He said they would then concentrate, in order of priority, on
(a) the issue of permits to occupy buildings; (b) authorities to commence
building works; and (c) the approval of building plans.
Mr. Robson also gave an assurance that "temporary occupation permits
will be issued by the Building Authority as freely as is reasonably possible
in order to ensure that completed buildings do not remain unoccupied
unnecessarily."
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