To align with the work arrangement announced by the Government on 27 February 2020, the Buildings Department (BD), with implementation of targeted measures to reduce social contact and infection control measures, has been gradually resuming more public services in an orderly manner1.
Based on experience gained in the past few weeks, starting from 9 March 2020, the Receipt and Dispatch Counter at 7/F, 14 Taikoo Wan Road, Hong Kong will be opened for receipt of statutory submissions and related documents and forms for new building works on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. For plans and related documents processed, applicants would be individually contacted to collect the relevant plans and documents from the Receipt and Dispatch Counter on Tuesday or Thursday. All AP/RSE Rooms in NBDs’ office will continue to be closed temporarily.
Regarding submissions received before, BD will concentrate on processing applications for approval of plans, consent applications and occupation permit applications approaching due dates as well as the related site inspections. For statutory submissions received on or after 18 February 2020, priority will be accorded to more critical submissions2.
To facilitate processing of submissions under the current work arrangement, each submission should be accompanied with a DVD-ROM disc containing the soft copy of all the documents (plans, calculations, reports, etc.) and a set of A3-size hard copy of the submitted plans. If available, a hyperlink for access to the soft copy of the subject submitted plans and supporting documents would be furnished with the case officer via his/her office email address3 or NBDs’ dedicated email address at vhs@bd.gov.hk. The soft copy of the submitted Form BA8, Form BA13, Form BA14 and Form BA14A may be forwarded to the email address of the case senior officers and/or case officers. Nevertheless, the handling time of these submissions would inevitably be longer than usual, particularly those to be processed under the centralised processing system.
For clarification of queries on the plan submissions, the case officers may contact AP/RSE/RGE via telephone/email or accept invitation for case discussion via video conferencing. If the plans are considered as approvable under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) but subject to minor amendments, the plans would be approved and the issues to be rectified/ clarified would be listed out in the approval letter. AP/RSE/RGE are required to address these issues in future amendment submission for approval before applying for consent to the commencement of the works. In this connection, AP/RSE/RGE are reminded of their responsibility to ensure that all these issues be fully complied with the relevant regulations and codes of practice before commencement of the works as well as rectifying any contravention of the BO and its subsidiary regulations as and when they are discovered and in any event, before certification of completion of works.
Please contact us by email at vhs@bd.gov.hk for enquiries on urgent matters regarding statutory submissions of new development projects.
BD will continue to closely liaise with the relevant professional institutions and stakeholder organisations in our review on the above arrangement.
Buildings Department
7 March 2020
They refer to (i) first submission of general building plans, foundation plans, excavation and lateral support plans and pile cap plans; (ii) amendment plans required for re-application of occupation permits or related to site works being in progress; (iii) applications and re-applications of occupation permit; (iv) applications for consent for commencement of works that are critical milestone to enable works to continue; and (v) certification of completion of building works not resulting in a new building (e.g. alteration and addition works, foundation works, etc.).
Email address is available at https://tel.directory.gov.hk/index_BD_ENG.html)