WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 1979
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→THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE RECEIVES 300 TO 400 COMPLAINTS EVERY MONTH CONCERNING ILLEGAL BUILDING WORKS AND ALL OF THESE MUST BE INVESTIGATED TO SEE WHETHER THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF DANGER, HE SAID.
+ALTOGETHER THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE IS CURRENTLY MAKING SOME 400 TO 500 INSPECTIONS EVERY MONTH, INCLUDING THE INSPECTION OF BUILDINGS COMPLETED SINCE AUGUST 1, 1975.+
HOWEVER, MR. BELL SAID THAT THIS PERFORMANCE FELL SUBSTANTIALLY SHORT OF MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE POLICY ON ILLEGAL STRUCTURES AS THE PACE OF DEVELOPMENT HAD OUT-STRIPPED THE ABILITY OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE TO CARRY OUT THE NECESSARY INSPECTIONS AND DEAL ADEQUATELY WITH THE PROBLEM.
HE POINTED OUT THAT BETWEEN AUGUST 1975 AND THE END OF APRIL THIS YEAR 2,355 NEW BUILDINGS COMPRISING OVER 105,000 INDIVIDUAL UNITS OF ACCOMMODATION HAD BEEN COMPLETED.
+THE BUILDING SURVEYORS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INSPECTIONS OF BUILDINGS FOLLOWING COMPLAINTS AND THE PERIODIC INSPECTIONS OF BUILDINGS COMPLETED SINCE AUGUST 1975 HAVE, AS THE IR PRIMARY TASK, THE DUTY OF PROCESSING APPLICATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH NEW BUILDINGS INCLUDING THE APPROVAL OF PLANS. THE ISSUE OF CONSENTS TO COMMENCE WORK AND THE ISSUE OF OCCUPATION PERMITS, ALL OF WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO STATUTORY TIME LIMITS,+ MR. BELL SAID.
+ADDITIONALLY THEY ARE REQUIRED TO INSPECT NEW BUILDINGS UNDER CONSTRUCTION,+
SINCE ALL OF THESE DUTIES MUST TAKE PRECEDENCE, HE ADDED, THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT RESOURCES WAS FELT MOST NOTICEABLY IN THE AREA OF POST-OCCUPATION PERMIT INSPECTIONS.
+CLEARLY THIS IS AN UNSATISFACTORY SITUATION AND PROPOSAL FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF TO HELP TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF UNAUTHORISED WORK HAVE ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED TO GOVERNMENT,+ MR. BELL SAID.
+ONLY WHEN THESE PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND ADDITIONAL STAFF RECRUITED CAN AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE RATE OF INSPECTIONS, AND CONSEQUENTLY IN DEALING WITH THIS MASSIVE PROBLEM BE EXPECTED.+
MR. BELL SAID THAT IN ADDITION TO INSPECTIONS, A CAMPAIGN HAD BEEN LAUNCHED TO INFORM THOSE OCCUPYING NEW BUILDINGS OF THE DANGERS OF CARRYING OUT WORK ILLEGALLY, BY DISPLAYING IN THE BUILDINGS AND DISTRIBUTING TO THE PARTIES CONCERNED A SERIES OF POSTERS DEPICTING THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF UNAUTHORISED WORK.
THIS MEASURE, HE ADDED, APPEARED TO BE MEETING WITH SOME SUCCESS AS EVIDENT FROM THE CONTINUING DEMAND FOR THE POSTERS, AND DISPLAY BOARDS HAD BEEN SEEN IN THE ENTRANCES OF NEW BUILDINGS.
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