Construction corner…
DECIDING ON the design of your dream home can be quite an exhilarating exercise, especially if you are someone with an eye for detail and fashion.

You may find yourself having a lot of clutter, in the form of sheets of paper, as what ever so often happens is that as fast as a new design idea comes to mind, the previous sketch you thought was the final draft is discarded and another takes its place.

Then, too, there may be these ‘agree-to-disagree’ discussions between you and your better half, if you have one, or with family members or a very close friend, which can very well influence the direction the design of the house may take.

Whichever way you look at it, a final decision has to be made in the putting together of a professional building plan.

There is, however, nothing wrong with learning a few tricks-of-the-trade when coming to building plans, paying keen attention to the specifics it must contain.

Building plans must be drawn to a scale of either 1:100 (⅛-inch to 1 ft), or 1:50 (¼-inch to 1 ft). All plans accompanying applications shall be scaled to print on one of the following paper sizes:

1. A1 (841mm x 594mm)/(31” x 23.5”)
2. A2 (594mm x 420mm)/(23.5” x 16.5”)
3. A3 (420mm x 297mm)/(16.5” x 11.75”)
4. A0 (1189mm x 841mm)/(47” x 33”)

Plans submitted must include the following information:

1. The scale of the drawings;
2. An individual reference number;
3. The date when the plan was drawn;
4. The name and address of the designer;
5. The name and address of the person on whose behalf the plan was drawn;
6. Direction (north/south arrow)
7. The boundaries of the lot for which planning permission is sought, should also be indicated.

All building plans must comprise of site, floor and elevations plans.

SITE PLAN
A fully dimensional site plan should show the following information:

1. The proposed location of all existing buildings;

2. The location of existing buildings to be demolished, or where additions are to be made;

3. The existing and proposed building set-back distance from all property boundaries;

4. The size of the existing and proposed building(s);

5. Existing and proposed site drainage and sewage disposal system for major developments;

6. Provision for parking and circulation, loading and unloading facilities for non-residential buildings;

7. Direction (north/south arrow);

8. Existing and proposed access to site;

9. Name of street adjacent to which building(s) is/are to be erected.

10. The scale of the site plan, which must be 1:200 (1/16-inch to 1 ft)

11. Cesspit, latrine, septic tanks, soak away etc and other means of sewage treatment or disposal.

FLOOR PLANS
1. Layout of the proposed rooms or other enclosed areas;

2. Dimension and use of each room and areas;

3. Existing and proposed uses of rooms and spaces of the existing and proposed building;

4. Type of material intended to be used; and

5. Proposed extension in red colours.

ELEVATIONS
1. Elevations showing facing materials to be used;

2. Height of building from ground floor to top of roof;

3. Any building or part of building which is proposed to be demolished; and

4. Floor level, plate level must be indicated.

CRITERIA FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Considerations by the authority include:

1. Conformity to existing by-laws, zoning plans or any other policy approved by CHPA, and

2. Conformity to known planning principles and practice to determine suitability of the proposed site for the intended use.

3. Further, before making an analysis of development plans, a site inspection must be done. Site inspections are sometimes carried out jointly by the various government agencies as the Authority thinks fit. During site visits, the public is consulted to give their input on the suitability of the development at the site. If there are issues to be clarified or discussed pertaining to certain aspects of the development proposal, the developer is called in for discussion and/or negotiations. Based upon the outcome of the consultation with the developer, the proposal/building plans are returned to the local authority for amendments.

4. An application cannot be approved if it does not comply with the planning criteria. If the application does not meet the criteria set out in the by-laws or statutory plans, the Planning Authority may consider asking for an amendment to them, so that the modus operandi of the proposed development is embodied in the proposal.

5. If the plans/application meet(s) the planning criteria, the next step is evaluation of the site characteristics for consideration by the CHPA Board.

6. In cases where the application is for development involving the subdivision of land into lots, assessment will be done with regard to input on planning design requirements and standards.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION/PARTICIPATION
For applications for major developments, or for those that may have significant impact on the surrounding area, residents are usually consulted by way of questionnaire surveys to solicit their comments/concerns, etc.

In certain cases, the Authority would hold joint public consultation meetings with other agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

DECISIONS OF THE CH&PA BOARD ON APPLICATIONS
1. The Authority may approve, refuse or defer an application. The Authority may also include a variety of conditions as it think fit.

2. If an application is refused, the planning authority must provide reasons for the refusal. An applicant may appeal any planning refusal, or any application containing unacceptable conditions.

3. Once the Board decided on an application, the CHPA dispatched letters of decision to applicants.

4. Building applications are then returned to the Local Authority and land subdivision to the Central Board of Health.

5. Outline Planning and Change of Use applications are directly uplifted from the CHPA.

FINAL CONDITIONS AFTER THE APPROVAL
The planning approval is valid for a period of two years. During that time, all conditions must be met. If they cannot be met, the applicant can make contact with the planning authority and request an extension prior to the one-year lapsing.

Extensions are discretionary, and may not always be granted. If during the two-year period the developer wishes to discontinue the development, or amend the proposal, he may do so by making contact with the Authority.

The Authority may grant, refuse or place conditions on permission.