XN000022-1975-03-14 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 1975

HE GAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT THE PRIORITY SYSTEM WOULD NOT MEAN ANY UNDUE DELAYS FOR OTHER NEW BUILDING PROJECTS. HE SAID THAT HIS OFFICE HAD ELIMINATED THE BACKLOG OF PROPOSALS WHICH HAD RESULTED FROM THE RAINSTORM DISASTERS OF 1972. WE NO LONGER HAVE THIS BACKLOG, AND ALL PLANS ARE BEING PROCESSED WITHIN THE STATUTORY PERIOD LAID DOWN BY LAW.

THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE HAD A VERY GOOD RECORD FOR THE PACE AT WHICH IT PROCESSES PLANS, HE SAID, COMPARED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL AVERAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN SUCH PLACES AS NEW YORK, TOKYO, PARIS, LONDON ETC.

+I KNOW OF ONE PROJECT IN CENTRAL LONDON, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH HAS STILL NOT RECEIVED PERMISSION TO GO AHEAD SOME 10 FRUSTRATING YEARS AFTER GOING THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS.'+

IN HIS ADDRESS MR KENNARD ALSO TOUCHED ON THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS:

ANTI-LANDSLIDE MEASURES HE DISCLOSED THAT HE WAS FURTHER STRENGTHENING THE STAFF OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERING DIVISION WHICH WAS SET UP WITHIN THE B.0.0. AFTER THE 1972 DISASTERS. THIS DIVISION IS STAFFED BY CIVIL ENGINEERS WHO CHECK ALL PLANS FOR BUILDINGS WHERE A SITE STABILITY PROBLEM COULD ARISE.

UNAUTHORISED WORKS AND ALTERATIONS: HE EXPLAINED THAT BECAUSE OF THE LIMITATIONS OF AVAILABLE STAFF, HIS OFFICE STILL HAD TO CONCENTRATE ON THOSE IRREGULARITIES WHICH COULD ENDANGER LIFE AND LIMB. BUT HE ADDED: +WE ARE NOW CONSIDERING IN DEPTH THE WHOLE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL WORKS (INCLUDING THOSE WHICH ARE ANTI-SOCIAL AND NOT DANGEROUS) TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE MANPOWER WE ARE LIKELY TO HAVE AVAILABLE FOR ACTION IN THIS FIELD IN THE FORESEABLE FUTURE.+

MR KENNARD POINTED OUT THAT THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE NOW INCLUDED TWO FULLY QUALIFIED WOMEN BUILDING SURVEYORS AND THERE WAS A THIRD UNDER TRAINING, +BUILDING CONTROL, HE REMARKED, IS NO LONGER EXCLUSIVELY A MAN'S WORLD, AND I HOPE THAT MORE OF THE SO-CALLED 'GENTLE SEX' WILL BE JOINING OUR RANKS IN THE FUTURE.+

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