XN000022-1996-05-13 — Page 17

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Land and Building Advisory Committee meets

The Land and Building Advisory Committee (LBAC) held its 41st meeting today (Monday) and discussed a draft design manual for the disabled.

Chaired by Mr Cheng Hon-kwan, the meeting noted that the Design Manual: Access for the Disabled 1984 had been reviewed with a view to improving building access and facilities for the public, including people with a disability.

The new design manual would generally apply to newly constructed and substantially renovated private buildings. The Government and Housing Authority would also make reference to the design manual in the design of buildings.

The design manual contains obligatory requirements and recommended requirements to take care of distinct characteristics of individual buildings and building sites. All obligatory requirements should be complied with, unless the owner is able to show that any of these requirements would, individually or jointly, impose unjustified hardship to him. Recommended requirements are for the reference of owners and building professionals who intend to upgrade the standards of access and special facilities for the disabled.

To ensure the effective enforcement of the obligatory requirements, the Government would, where appropriate, put them into the relevant legislation. Non compliance would entail the disapproval of the building plan and/or rejection to issue an occupation permit by the Building Authority.

The draft manual will be issued for consultation. It is expected the manual will be finalised later this year.

LBAC members were also briefed on the progress of the Buildings Amendment (No 3) Bill and noted that discussion was being conducted between the Director of Buildings and the professions on the structure and content of the supervision plan for building works.

End