The following is the question raised by Dr the Hon. Ho Chung-tai and the reply given by the Acting Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, Mr Patrick Lau, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question :
It is learnt that the Government will, upon completing the investigation of the collapse of a balcony in Swallow Garden, a small-house estate in Fanling, draw up measures to monitor the structural safety of small houses. The new measures will lay down building guidelines to govern the construction of small houses, specify the technology requirement for high risk structures and require that high risk structural works be undertaken by contractors authorised by the Government. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether consideration has been given to requiring registered structural engineers to submit the structural plans to the Buildings Department for approval, and that in such plans, the standard structural parts should be designed in accordance with guidelines issued by the Government, and detailed structural designs and plans be attached for the non-standard structural parts such as the foundation and balconies, so as to ensure that the materials and procedure for the construction of small houses are up to the required standard and that public safety is guaranteed; if not, why not;
(b) since the proposed new measures would not have any legal effect, how the Administration ensures that contractors will conform to such guidelines in the absence of professional supervision; and
(c) whether consideration will be given to re-drafting the guidelines and the approval criteria and discussing the supervisory details with engineering sectors?
Madam President,
(a) We have started to review the Buildings Ordinance (Application to the New Territories) Ordinance to see if tighter control is called for in relation to building works that are exempted under the Ordinance. As part of this review, we will consider whether registered structural engineers should be required to submit structural plans for small houses to the Buildings Department for approval and if so how such submission should be prepared;
(b) As announced on December 31, 1998, we will impose additional conditions relating to the technical requirements for the construction of certain critical structural elements such as balconies when granting certificates of exemption under the Ordinance for small houses. No certificates of compliance which are required for the occupation of these small houses will be issued in the event of non-compliance with these conditions. We will also require the owners of the small houses to employ contractors recognised by the Government to carry out building works involving critical structural elements. For small houses for which we have already issued certificates of exemption under the Ordinance and are about to be constructed or being constructed, it is not possible for us to impose conditions and requirements retroactively. However, we will issue to individual owners construction guidelines in respect of critical structural elements; and
(c) We are formulating the implementation details of the new measures and will consult the engineering sectors and Heung Yee Kuk. The Hong Kong Institute of Engineers has recently sent a letter containing proposals on the issue to the Land and Building Advisory Committee. The Government will consider these proposals in the committee's meetings.
End/Wednesday, January 20, 1999
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