What concerns have designers been expressing in relation to the Disability Access Certificates – Ten months on!
A number of concerns have been raised by professional organisations and designers in relation to the implementation of the Disability Access Certificate application process introduced by the Department of Environment in January 2010. The following is a brief overview of some of these concerns including:
- Lack of national consistency by different Building Control Authorities (BCA) in reviewing Disability Access Certificate Applications has been a major concern by applicants.
- How far does the design need to go when building an extension to an existing building? Does the design need to consider existing car parking, entrances, approach routes etc. Section 0.5 of the current Technical Guidance Document M sets out the requirements in relation to extensions to buildings and how to make approaches accessible yet there is still confusion on the extent of the works as part of DAC process.
- Currently applicants are unsure how to comply with the requirements of Part M when renovating or building extensions onto protected structures. They are also unsure of what guidance they should be using when renovating or building extensions onto protected structures to meet the requirements of Part M of the Building Regulations.
- The conditions placed on Granted Disability Access Certificates can sometimes be onerous and difficult to achieve. The concern raised here is how can the conditions be balanced and easily achieved to ensure they comply with M1 of the Building Regulations which states “Adequate provision shall be made to enable people with disabilities to safely and independently access and use a building”. Also, If additional information is requested as part of the conditions, there is currently no procedure in place for the applicant to verify if this information is sufficient to meet the requirements of the regulations.
In next months newsletter we will outline some ways in which the Disability Access Certificate Application Process could be improved to make the process easier for all parties involved. In the meantime if you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team on 01-4151285 or e-mail [email protected].
