XN000022-1982-09-03 — Page 6

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1982

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BUILDINGS ORDINANCE PROTECTS MAN IN THE STREET

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THE MAN IN THE STREET IS WELL PROTECTED BY THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE AS ALL BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL S ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH MINIMUM STANDARDS OF PROTECTION, THE ACTING PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR, MR CHRIS RILEY, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING AT A ROTARY CLUB LUNCH MEETING, HE SAID THAT THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE (BOO) WAS CONSTANTLY MONITORING DEVELOPERS AS WELL AS OCCUPANTS OF BUILDINGS TO SEE THAT THERE WERE NO MAJOR CONTRAVENTIONS OF THESE STANDARDS WHICH COVER SUCH SAFETY ASPECTS AS LIGHT AND AIR, STABILITY AND FIRE RISK.

HE SAID THE BOO FIRST SCRUTINISED NEW DEVELOPMENT PLANS TO ENSURE THAT THEY DID NOT CONFLICT WITH THE BROAD PLANNING STRATEGY OF THE TOWN PLANNING BOARD.

THIS STRATEGY PROVIDES FOR OPEN SPACES AND COMMUNITY USES AND ENSURES THAT THE MANY USES OF BUILDINGS ARE NOT BROUGHT INTO AN UNORGANISED MIXTURE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE AREA OF FLOOR SPACE IN A BUILDING, OR PLOT RATIO, WAS FAIRLY RIGIDLY CONTROLLED.

THIS TOGETHER WITH OTHER CONTROL ASPECTS, HAD LED TO ACCUSATIONS THAT THE AUTHORITY HAD BEEN INFLEXIBLE, INHIBITING +PROGRESSIVE ARCHITECTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OR SHOWING +LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF ACCOMMODATION PROBLEMS.

+MANY OF THESE ACCUSATIONS ARE FOUNDED ON FINANCIAL ARGUMENTS RATHER THAN ON THE MAINTENANCE OF STANDARDS WHICH ARE CONSIDERED THE MINIMUM.

+THE BUILDING AUTHORITY IS AWARE OF AND NOT UNSYMPATHETIC TO THE ARGUMENTS IN EACH TYPE OF CASE BUT HE MUST SEE TO IT THAT VARIATIONS TO THE NORM DOES NOT APPEAR GREAT, MR RILEY SAID.

+DEVELOPERS MAY WELL BE CONVINCED THAT THEIR SCHEMES ARE SO GOOD THAT A FEW CONTRAVENTIONS ARE INSIGNIFICANT AND WILL NOT PREJUDICE THE ENVIRONMENT GENERALLY WHILE THE MAN WITH AN UNAUTHORISED EXTENSION TO A BUILDING CONSIDERS THAT IT IS QUITE INSIGNIFICANT IN PROPORTION TO THE BUILDING, HE ADDED.

BUT HE STRESSED THAT A MULTIPLICATION OF THESE CONTRAVENTIONS COULD HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON NEIGHBOURS.

MR RILEY SAID THAT BEFORE PLANS WERE FINALLY APPROVED, SPECIALIST DIVISIONS MUST APPRAISE NOT ONLY THE BASIC STRUCTURAL DESIGN BUT ALSO THE EFFECTS OF MAJOR PROJECTS, SUCH AS THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, AND SPECIAL GEOTECHNICAL PROBLEMS.

/ONCE APPROVAL