FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1976
NEW SCHEME TO CUT PROCESSING TIME OF BUILDING PLANS
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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS TO INTRODUCE A NEW SCHEME NEXT MONTH TO SPEED UP THE PROCESSING AND APPROVAL OF BUILDING PLANS.
THE P.W.D.'S DIRECTOR OF BUILDING DEVELOPMENT, MR. JACK STEAN, ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT UNDER REVISED REGULATIONS PUBLISHED TODAY THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF CLEARING PLANS FOR NEW BUILDING PROJECTS WOULD BE SIMPLIFIED SO AS TO CUT PROCESSING TIME TO THE MINIMUM.
BASICALLY, HE SAID, THE AMENDED BUILDING (ADMINISTRATION) REGULATIONS, DUE TO COME INTO FORCE ON OCTOBER 8, PROVIDED FOR ALL GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE APPROVAL OF BUILDING PROJECTS TO BE CO-ORDINATED THROUGH ONE OFFICE THE P.W.D.'S BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE.
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+THIS MEANS THAT PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS WILL NO LONGER BE OBLIGED, AS AT PRESENT, TO REFER THEIR BUILDING PLANS TO VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AS THIS WILL BE DONE DIRECTLY BY THE B.0.0.
+HOWEVER, IT WILL OF COURSE BE ADVISABLE FOR PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS TO DO SOME BASIC RESEARCH AND ESTABLISH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE GROUNDWORK BEFORE ANY SUBMISSION IS MADE,+ HE ADDED.
+ IN FUTURE, THE APPLICANT WILL SIMPLY HAVE TO SUBMIT SEVERAL COPIES OF HIS PLANS TO THE 3.0.0. WHICH WILL THEN LIAISE DIRECTLY WITH ALL INTERESTED GOVERNMENT OFFICES TO OBTAIN THEIR COMMENTS OR APPROVAL, WHILE CONCURRENTLY CARRYING OUT ITS OWN CHECKS.
+THOSE OFFICES CONSULTED WILL BE OBLIGED TO REPLY IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO ALLOW THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE TO CO-ORDINATE AND RECONCILE ALL COMMENTS AND COMPLETE ALL PROCESSING WITHIN THE 60-DAY STATUTORY PERIOD, HE SAID.
+THIS WILL OF COURSE MEAN A CONSIDERABLE SAVING IN TIME AS WELL AS SPARE THE APPLICANT THE TROUBLE OF GOING FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER BEFORE FORMALLY SUBMITTING HIS PLAN TO THE BUILDING AUTHORITY FOR APPROVAL, HE ADDED.
MR. STEAN EXPLAINED THAT UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM, EVEN BEFORE AN APPLICANT COULD SUBMIT HIS BUILDING PLANS TO THE BUILDING AUTHORITY FOR APPROVAL, HE WAS LEGALLY BOUND TO CONSULT VARIOUS GOVERNMENT OFFICES TO ESTABLISH VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION, USE, REGISTRATION OR LICENSING OF PREMISES.
+BUT EVEN AFTER THESE PRIOR CONSULTATIONS, IT WAS FOUND IN PRACTICE THAT REFERENCE HAD OFTEN HAD TO BE MADE BY THE B.0.0. TO OTHER OFFICES EITHER FOR CONFIRMATION OR CLARIFICATION OF THEIR REQUIREMENTS OR TO DEAL WITH MATTERS NOT COVERED BY THE CONSULTATIONS.
/+THE NEW.....