Why is it important to design buildings beyond the current Part M and the accompanying Technical Guidance Document M?
Since the introduction of the requirement to submit a Disability Access Certificate in January 2010, O’Herlihy Access Consultancy has received a number of queries on whether designing to the current Technical Guidance Document (TGD) of Part M of the Building Regulations will make buildings accessible. The following are some reasons why it is important to design our buildings to a standard well beyond the existing TGD M.
- TGD M is 10 years old and there have been a number of developments in relation to physical access and design standards. For example, best practice now recommends that accessible toilet doors should open out and not in as shown in TGD M 2000;
- The guidance in TGD M is the minimum standard to make buildings accessible and it focuses on the needs of people with physical disabilities but does not address for example the needs of people with sensory or intellectual impairments.
- Under equality legislation (Equal Status Act 2000), service providers cannot discriminate against people with disabilities. Therefore buildings designing to the existing TGD M may not go far enough to ensure all services within the building are accessible (i.e. access to the swimming pool or sauna);
- Section 25 of the Disability Act states that if Part M of the Building Regulations is updated, public bodies have 10 years to bring their buildings up to the amended Part M. The Existing Part M is currently under review and a new Part M could be in place as early as July 2010.
