Proposed amendments to the Building Bye-Law requirements relating to access and facilities for disabled persons.

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A decision made (10/04/2006) regarding Amendment to Building Bye-Laws (Jersey) 2004.

Subject:	Amendment to Building Bye-laws (Jersey) 2004
Decision Reference:	MD-PE-2006-0051	Exempt clause(s):
Type of Report (oral or written):	Written	Person Giving Report (if oral):		Morris Roscouet
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?		Report File ref:		3/09/6
Written Report Title:	Proposed amendments to the building bye-law requirements relating to access and facilities for disabled persons.	Written report – Author:		Morris Roscouet
Decision(s To commence work on producing law drafting instructions to effect changes to the bye-laws as detailed in the above report dated 10/10/2005, and to produce a detailed technical guidance document that provides practical guidance on meeting the proposed bye-law requirements so that it can be issued for further public comment.
Reason(s) for decision: To help achieve the States aim of having a more inclusive society by improving building standards to achieve better access to, and use of buildings.
Action required: Law drafting instructions and technical guidance to be produced.
Signature: (Minister)			Date of Decision: 10 April 2006

Proposed amendments to the Building Bye-Law requirements relating to access and facilities for disabled persons.

REPORT TO THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT.

3/09/6	10 October 2005

Proposed amendments to the building bye-law requirements relating to access and facilities for disabled persons.

Purpose of the Report.

This report advises the Minister of the comments received following the issue of a consultation paper outlining proposals to amend the building bye-law requirements relating to access and facilities for disabled persons, and makes recommendations for the implementation of amended bye-law requirements.

Background.

In Jersey, projections indicate that the 65+ years age cohort will increase by over 85% over the next 30 years. Given increased frailty and mobility issues experienced as a result of longer life, issues of disabled access and facilities will become increasingly significant.

The implications of the ageing population for issues of access and housing have already been acknowledged by the Interdepartmental Strategy for an Ageing Society (ISAS), which is a corporate working group of officers from various States departments, including a representative of Policy and Projects Section of P&E. This has been reflected in both the Island Plan 2002 and the States Strategic Plan which requires the States to;

Develop policies to ensure that States’ planning and resource priorities reflect the needs of an increasingly ageing population

Building bye-laws, for some years, have required new public buildings to be accessible to everyone including those who are frail or disabled, but this not apply to housing. Proposals aimed at making all new homes more accessible and convenient were published in June 2004 and the following organisations / persons were invited to comment:

Mr M Dun.	Halcyon Yard, Westhill, St Helier
Association of Jersey Architects.	Mr P Harding, BDK Architects, White Lodge, Wellington Road, St Saviour JE2 7TE
Jersey Branch of BIAT	Mr B Le Beuvant, Arkitecture, 15 La Rue de la Forge, Grouville, JE3 9BH
Jersey Group of the RICS	Mr G Blackstone, Geoffrey Wills Associates, Mulcaster Chambers, 16/17 Mulcaster St. St Helier JE2 3NJ
Jersey Federation of Consulting Engineers	Mr P Cadiou, Jersey Energy, CTV House, La Pouquelaye, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3TP
Construction industry Board	Chairman Deputy P Ryan
The Jersey Building and Allied Trades Employers Federation.	Mr T Cartwright
Jersey Group of the CIOB	Mr S Matthews. Camerons, Kirkella House, 18 Val Plaisant, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4TA
Mrs Anne Picot	12 Clos de L’eglise, la Rue des Fonds, Grouville, JE3 9HJ
Mr C Tadier	Hartigans, Norman House, La Grande Route de St Martin, St Saviour JE2 7GR
Dandara Jersey Ltd	Mr M Clancy Century Buildings, Patriotic Place St Helier, Jersey, JE2 AF
Antler Property C.I Ltd	Beachside business Centre, La Rue du Hocq St Clement, JE2 6LF
ISAS Public Steering Group	Mrs I le Feuvre, St Lawrence
Housing Dept	Steve Read
Jersey Blind Society	Mrs J Carter, St Martin
Dept of Employment & Social Security	Tom Gales
Dept of Health	Mrs Gill Rattle O/T
Jacinta Krigu	Jersey Access Group. 16 Leslie Sinel Close, Rouge bouillion, St Helier JE2 3ZT
Premier Contracting.	Mr R Brocken, La Rue de la Dame, St Saviour JE2 7NH
G R Langlois Ltd	19 Oxford Road, St Helier JE2 4LJ
J F Marett Building Contractors	Les Chenes, La Longue Rue, St Martin JE3 6ED
Mr John Poole	 Instructs work to commence on producing the supporting technical guidance to be published in support of the new Part 8 requirements that incorporates the technical guidance given in the 2004 edition of Approved Document M and the Life Time Home Standards as detailed in Figure 27 of the report entitled Supplementary Planning Guidance No 1, with the aim of introducing new Part 8 requirements in 2007. Report prepared by Morris Roscouet Assistant Director Building Control.