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1. Changes to minor building works system proposed

1. Changes to minor building works system proposed
Hong Kong Government, 22 April 2003

The Buildings Department has proposed a new control system for small building works to be carried out by Registered Minor Works Contractors.

"The purpose is to rationalise the building control regime and bring about a better living environment," the Director of Buildings, Mr Marco Wu Moon-hoi, told a press conference today (April 22).

Minor works contractors may carry out such work on their own or under the supervision of an Authorised Person and a Registered Structural Engineer (if required), without having to submit building plans for approval by the Building Authority.

"Examples of minor works include internal staircases, small lightweight canopies and most signboards - except the very large ones," Mr Wu said.

"The Building Authority will specify the different types of minor works and revise these specifications should the need arise," he said.

"The qualification and experience requirements for minor works contractors will be commensurate with the nature of minor works," he added.

The Buildings Department will conduct audit checks on minor works to ensure that they comply with the technical standards of the Buildings Ordinance.

"The simplified minor works procedures will result in time and cost savings for building owners and the industry alike while ensuring safety," Mr Wu said.

Details of the proposals are contained in the Buildings (Amendment) Bill 2003 gazetted on April 17.

To facilitate enforcement of the laws to stop unauthorised buildings works, the Bill also seeks to identify the person responsible for the removal of unauthorised building works and to empower the Building Authority to issue a warning notice on such works and to register the notice in the Land Registry.

"Apart from encouraging owners to remove unauthorised building works voluntarily, this will have the added advantage of providing a measure of consumer protection to prospective property buyers who will become aware of the existence of unauthorised building works in the premises through a land search at the Land Registry," Mr Wu said.

To enable Owners' Corporations to comply with statutory orders more easily, the Bill also contains amendments that provide for the prosecution of owners who hinder Owners' Corporations from carrying out orders served by the Building Authority.

Other proposals of the Bill include the registration of geo-technical engineers; the provision of emergency vehicular access to all new buildings with specified design standards; and a four- to six-fold increase in fines to act as a deterrent against serious offences involving substandard building works or construction danger.

The Bill will be introduced in the Legislative Council for first and second readings next Wednesday (April 30).