A consultancy study will be commissioned to examine the feasibility of private certification of building plans. The study will start in the third quarter and be completed in early 2006.

In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council, the Buildings Department said a task force has been formed to identify measures to speed up the construction cycle and reduce the cost of compliance with prevailing statutory requirements.

Presently anyone intending to conduct building works, other than works exempted under section 41 of the Buildings Ordinance, should submit building plans to and obtain prior approval from the Building Authority.

The authority, in response to an application for approval of a building plan submission, will vet the plans and then either approve or disapprove them.

Some industry stakeholders believe private certification might bring greater flexibility in the manner and timing of making building plan submissions and quicker turnaround time.

Implementation issues

However, the task force believes private certification may trigger some implementation issues. They include:

* independence of third party checkers;

* commercial viability of third party checking;

* availability of insurance to third party checkers;

* public confidence in third party checking;

* quality of work by third party checkers;

* uniformity of standards; and,

* co-ordination between government departments and third party checkers.

In the light of these issues and since private certification will involve a major change to the statutory framework for building plan approval, the task force has agreed that a consultancy study be commissioned to examine the subject holistically before formulating recommendations on the way forward.

Study scope

The scope of the study will include:

* documenting the current procedures for making, processing and approving building plan submissions;

* ascertaining the problems and issues affecting the cost and programme of property development;

* assessing the effectiveness of private certification in resolving these problems and issues;

* ascertaining the issues which may affect the implementation of private certification and formulating solutions; and,