Construction corner…
THE City of Georgetown is divided into Central and Greater Georgetown, with the former having as its boundaries Vlissengen Road to the east, the Demerara River on the west, Independence Boulevard on the south, and to the north, the Atlantic Ocean.
The layout of Central Georgetown is a maze of pipelines and concrete drainage systems, inclusive of an independent pipeline system that specifically deals with the disposal of waste.

Beyond Georgetown, waste disposal is by way of septic tanks and pit latrines, and to a lesser extent a small sewerage system located in the Tucville ward in the south-east reaches of the city. Within the City of Georgetown, the City Engineer’s Department is the agency that is vested with the responsibility of issuing permits to construct any type of building, and this is in accordance with Chapter 28:01 of the Municipal and District Council’s Act.

According to the guidelines on the ‘Application for Building Approval’ forms`, which are available at City Hall and can be uplifted there, the applicant (whether the owner or their authorised agent) is required to apply for approval “to build according to plans and specifications,” as stated on the document, and “agrees to comply with By-laws and Regulations.”

Said guidelines go on to say: “It is expressly understood that the granting of approval does not relieve the applicant with all said By-Laws and Regulations though not called for in the specifications or shown on plans submitted.”

The application form, when submitted, MUST state the location where the construction works will be carried out; the owner’s name; their contact numbers; the applicant’s name and address; the name and address of the architect or draughtsman; as well as the applicant’s nature of authority if he/she is not the owner.

Other specific requirements which should be stated on the application form includes the nature of the construction works to be carried out, whether it is a new edifice, an addition or alteration; the purpose for which the building is intended when completed, such as dwelling, private business, government business, or private business and dwelling; and the type of structure that is being erected, whether it will be mainly of clay-brick, wood, or steel; a mixture of concrete and wood, concrete and steel, or wood and steel; or just plain concrete or whatever other type of construction material is in use these days.

In addition to the completed application form, the applicant is also required to submit the following documents:

1. Copy of transport and/or Document of Authority to support proof of ownership or authorised agent

2. Three (3) copies of a Building Plan

3. Processing and Inspection fees as set out in the structure within which the development falls

4. Rates and Taxes receipt verifying payments for previous year.

5. Copy of Survey Plan of property

Once the applicant satisfies the above-mentioned requirements, the City Engineer would then give notice of approval in writing, following which the applicant is required to:

(a) Give seven (7) days notice in writing to the City Engineer of their intention to commence building operations;

(b) Give 14 days notice in writing to the City Engineer on completion of said building operations.

SOME IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE: Any plan approved by the City Engineer is of no use if building operations to which the plan relates are not commenced within 12 months of the date of approval, which then means that a fresh application would become necessary.

Alternatively, the applicant may apply for an extension of time on the said approved plan, but then approval would depend on merit.

And, depending on the nature of construction works, applicants may well have cause to seek permission from such agencies as the Guyana Water Inc; Guyana Power & Light or the Guyana Telephone or Telegraph Company (GT&T) so as to ensure their plans are in line with the other party’s requirements.

In the interest of time, it would be wise to address the foregoing issues at around the same time you’re submitting your completed application to the City Engineer’s.

In an interview with Mr Patrick Vincente, Building Inspection Supervisor in the City Engineers Department at City Hall, it was learnt that the City of Georgetown, which boasts 52 wards, has in place bylaws to deal specifically with building works in each area.

The arduous task of monitoring construction works in the City of Georgetown, he said, is at present being undertaken by just eight building inspectors/field officers, which number is woefully inadequate to ensure effective policing.

As Vincente explained, the bylaws of the City are of such that before one erects any form of construction, even something as simple as a water trestle, one first needs to seek permission to do so.

A case in point, he said, is that for areas approved by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA), the bylaws clearly specify that a distance of no less than 10 feet must be left at both the front and back of a property, “regardless of the proposed development.”

With respect to side boundaries, however, Vincente said if the façade is less than 50 feet, one sixth the width of land must be left minimally. But on the other hand, if the façade is 50 feet and more, a minimum distance of 10 feet must be left on either side.

The same requirements, he said, also apply to Central Georgetown, but can vary if the façade is 33 feet and under. In that case, the requirement will be four feet all around.

There is, however, an exception to the rule, whereby in Lamaha Gardens, the requirement is for a minimum of 15feet from the front boundary.

In emphasising the need for strict adherence to the bylaws, Vincente pointed out that the space requirement (distance-to-boundary) was not made idly but with some specific purposes in mind, one of which is that it can help contain the blaze in the event of a fire.

He is urging applicants to ensure that all of the required documentation are in place at the time of submission, as this would aid greatly in accelerating the processing time of the application.

He further advises that applicants should feel free to visit the City Engineer’s Department at City Hall to have discussions with or seek advice from the City Engineer, himself or any of his officers regarding any issue relating to building works in the city.

Additionally, building inspectors make themselves available to the public every Wednesday for that purpose, he said.

In areas outside of the capital, which are governed by Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), monitoring is done by the overseer.

NEXT WEEK’S TOPIC: TIPS on what you need to have in your possession when applying to a financial institution (bank) for a loan to construct/renovate a home.