I ntroduction to Cyprus Planning Laws and process-Streets and - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

“I ntroduction to Cyprus Planning

Laws and process-Streets and Buildings Legislation and Regulations”

Marios Panayides

Civil Engineer NTUA, MEng, MBA(PS)

M i n i s t r y o f I n t e r i o r Te c h n i c a l S e r v i c e s

“Introduction to Cyprus Planning Laws and process- Streets and Buildings Legislation and Regulations”

www.moi.gov.cy Marios Panayides

Civil Engineer NTUA, MEng, MBA(PS) tel: 22806400, 22806406 Fax: 22806401 mpanayides@moi.gov.cy marios@melesoft.com

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Introduction

• The Streets and Buildings Law is the main

Law which regulates the construction of all building and civil engineering works.

• According to this Law, the construction of

buildings and streets is illegal unless a building permit is issued.

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• It should be noted that this Act has the most

numerous modifications of any other law of Cyprus, which makes it difficult to understand to young engineers as well as

• lder, who have not received adequate

training or education.

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Amendments to the Law

14 του 1959 67 του 1963 6 του 1964 65 του 1964 12 του 1969 38 του 1969 13 του 1974 28 του 1974 24 του 1978 25 του 1979 80 του 1982 15 του 1983 9 του 1986 115 του 1986 199 του 1986 53 του 1987 87 του 1987 316 του 1987

108 του 1988 243 του 1988 122 του 1990 97(Ι) του 1992 45(Ι) του 1994 14(Ι) του 1996 52(I) του 1996 37(I) του 1997 72(I) του 1997 71(I) του 1998 35(I) του 1999 61(Ι) του 1999 81(I) του 1999 57(I) του 2000 66(I) του 2000 73(Ι) του 2000 126(I) του 2000 157(I) του 2000 26(Ι) του 2002 33(I) του 2002 202(I) του 2002 101(Ι) του 2006 21(Ι) του 2008 32(I) του 2008 47(Ι) του 2011 77(Ι) του 2011 131(Ι) του 2011. 152(Ι) του 2011 34 (Ι) του 2012 149(Ι)/2012

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50 Amendments

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• Understand its provisions

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• Get familiar with the building permit procedures in

Cyprus

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• Informed about the ongoing problems occurred during

implementation

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• Solving the problems?

Upon completion of this presentation, participants will have a basic knowledge of Cyprus Planning laws and on the Streets and Buildings Law and Regulations and will be able to:

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• The building control system and the

relevant legislation in Cyprus, as much

• ther legislation, have their roots in the

mid 40’s, when the then British Colonial administration adopted the Streets and Buildings Regulations.

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• The urgent need to enforce elementary rules

to regulate the chaotic development that took place up until then, the first signs of the expansion of cities outside their traditional boundaries after World War II, the outbreak of typhoid disease, compelled the administration to take urgent measures in order to improve hygienic conditions, as well as the ventilation and the water supply in new buildings.

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• More than six decades later, the Streets and

Buildings Regulation Law and relevant Regulations are the total sum of that original law, and an endless sequence of amendments and modifications, approved since then, in a rather incremental and piecemeal manner, in

• rder to meet changing needs and

circumstances.

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• Today, the Streets and Buildings Regulation

Law - first issued in 1959 – together with the Town and Country Planning Law - first approved in 1972, but enacted as late as 1990- define the development and building control system of Cyprus.

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• Before going into detail, I need to explain that

in order for any development or in fact any material change of use to take place, two distinctive and separate permits are needed:

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• First, an application needs to be submitted to

the competent Planning Authority, which should assess whether the proposed development is compatible with the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Legislation, the provisions of the relevant published Development Plan and any other material consideration.

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• After the issuing of the planning permit, an

application needs to be submitted to the designated Building Authority, and after its examination a building permit is granted.

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• At this point I think that I should explain the

allocation of powers to planning and building control authorities.

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Planning Control

• Legislation defines the Minister of the Interior as

the Planning Authority for examining any application for the grant of a planning permit, but since 1990 the Minister has designated most of his powers to the four oldest urban Municipalities, for their respective administrative areas, and the five District Planning Officers, for the rest of the island’s territory.

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• At the same time, the Director of the

Department of Town Planning and Housing has been designated as the island-wide Planning Authority for large- scale and complex developments. This balance of powers is one of the prominent characteristics of our control system.

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• In terms of planning control, the power

mainly rests with central government agencies, despite their obligation to ask for the local authority’s opinion and comments for most types of development.

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• One might argue of whether this allocation of

planning powers to the above mentioned authorities is correct and compatible with the contemporary principle of subsidiarity and the charter of local democracy, enshrined and effectively implemented in most European states and world wide.

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• I will not try to justify or defend our

system, although obviously it has some merits in terms of economies of staff, impartiality in respect to the criteria used for examining applications, etc.

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• Nevertheless, it might help to understand

the current setup in Cyprus, if I stress that Municipalities in Cyprus are in general of a small scale, in comparison to most local authorities in other countries.

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• Irrespective of the reasons and the

explanations for this structure, we are currently working for the drafting of a new legislation which will enable the establishment of unitary planning authorities, at the local government level, which will empower the exercise of planning control by bodies representing all local authorities in each particular urban center.

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• As already mentioned, planning decisions are taken
• n the basis of the provisions of published

Development Plans. Planning legislation defines a specific three-tier hierarchy of Development Plans, with the Island Plan on the highest tier, Local Plans and Area Schemes at lower tiers and a general policy document called the Statement of Policy for the Countryside for parts of the island’s territory not covered by any other development plan.

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• According to law, the Island Plan covers the

entire insular territory, which is under the control of the Government. The Island Plan is a statement of the broad national strategy in the area of regional spatial planning with strong links to overall national economic and social policy.

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• It signifies the Government’s intentions in respect to

the efficient and sustainable use of land throughout the island and refers especially to the population’s regional distribution, regional-level spatial policies in relation to industry, commerce, tourism and other major sectors of the economy, the designation of areas of special social, historic, architectural or cultural interest, the designation of areas of special natural and environmental value, as well as the pattern of regional transportation networks and other public services.

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• To-date, no Island Plan has been published,

due to the continuing Turkish occupation of a large proportion of national territory. Instead, strategic planning for socioeconomic development takes the form of three-year Strategic Development Frameworks.

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Local Plans

• There are 10 Local Plans published until today,

and at least four additional new plans are in the process of being prepared, following the procedures defined by law and special Government directives.

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Local Plans

• Local Plans cover all major urban or urbanised

areas of the island, undergoing significant development pressure, as well as areas of exceptional importance and areas lacking behind in terms of physical and economic development.

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• At present, the Planning Board, a 13-

member body appointed by the Council

• f Ministers, is busy with the task of

amending a number of the published Local Plans and issuing new ones.

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Area Schemes

• Area Schemes are more detailed

Development Plans, defining special measures, projects, opportunities, sets of incentives and other provisions, and directing major new development to specific locations.

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• As already mentioned, for all national

territory, where neither a Local plan nor an Area Scheme is in force, an additional type of development plan was introduced to the planning system in 1982.

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• The Policy Statement for the Countryside, is a

legally binding document which defines the planning strategy and detailed policies for the control of development and the protection of the environment, generally in small towns, villages and rural areas..

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• Along with this policy document,

a comprehensive set of planning zones have been published for the almost all administrative areas.

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• In addition to that, other published plans

define areas of outstanding environmental value, selected coastlines and nature protection areas, as well as areas of protected landscapes.

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A few words about the performance of the planning control system:

• During the last five years, the system has

come under intense pressure and backlogs of applications have been worsening continuously.

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• Despite the legal obligation for any

application to be examined and decided within a maximum period of three months by the relevant authority, in most cases decisions were not reached before 8-10 months.

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• As a result, the Ministry of the Interior was obliged

to take initiatives and introduce a considerable number of new procedural rules and norms, which were aiming for the updating, the simplification and the acceleration of procedures followed be planning authorities for examining applications. Since the beginning of this year, we have managed to bring down the period needed for assessing applications to 3-4 months and at this stage we are trying to stabilize on these results.

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The Building Control System

• As already mentioned, after the issuing of the

planning permit, an application needs to be submitted to the relevant building control authority, which is defined by legislation.

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The Building Control System…

• In fact, every Municipality within its own

administrative area, and the District Officers for the rest of the island’s territory are defined as Building Authorities.

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• In this instance we have a mixed system of

power allocation to both the municipalities and central government agencies, for areas

• ther than municipal.

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• Again, I need to stress that community

councils, which are the second type of local authority in our administrative system, are indeed of a very small population scale and it is not really possible for every community council to be staffed in a sufficient manner, in

• rder to be able to perform as building control

authority.

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• Applications for a building permit should

in general be in conformity with the planning permit and the conditions included in the permit and the provisions

• f the Streets and Buildings Regulation

Law and relevant Regulations, and the Building Authority.

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Every such application is accompanied by the following documents:

• The title deed of the land comprising the

building site,

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• A site plan of the largest scale Government

Survey Plan showing:

–The boundaries of the building site, –The outline of the proposed building or the alteration or addition to any existing building in relation to those boundaries, –The legal access to the plot, –The area of the plot and the area covered by existing buildings and proposed buildings,

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• The Planning Permit, including the

relevant conditions and the approved architectural plans,

• Structural Drawings and Calculations,
• Plans and Calculations for the electrical

system of the building,

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• Plans and Calculations for the mechanical

installations of the building,

• Sewage Plans and details,

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• Other documents related to the

authorization of the professional who is responsible for the design and the supervision of the building works on site,

• Energy Efficiency Certificate and

calculations.

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• In terms of the statistics related to the operation
• f the building control system, I need only to

indicate that during 2011, 9,000 building permits were issued by all Building Authorities. Out of these, almost 7,000 permits concerned residential buildings, 1,000 non-residential buildings, 400 Civil Engineering works and 600 building-plot parcellations (land division).

• Total area = 3 millions m sq.
• Total value = 2.7 bill. €

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• The application is processed through a rather

complex procedure, where both administrative and technical staff are involved.

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• I will not go into the details of this procedure

at this point. I only want to stress that long delays are the causes of intensive complaints by applicants, developers and professionals.

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• In fact, in the legislation there is no limitation

as to the completion of building control and the reaching of a decision by the building

• authority. It is for this reason that the Ministry
• f the Interior, has recently taken the

initiative to discuss with building authorities, mainly the Municipalities, for the definition of such a period, by issuing a Ministerial Degree, which has been made possible after the most recent amendment of the Legislation.

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• Consultations with numerous other

authorities are amongst the most prominent causes of the long delays during the processing of applications. We, therefore, focus our recent work on the need to avoid all consultations which are not necessary for a decision to be reached and, in addition, on the need to avoid the duplication of consultations which take place during the exercise of the planning and the building control procedures.

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• At the same time, the Ministry of the Interior

is working in close cooperation with the Technical Chamber of Cyprus, a legal body representing all registered engineers, in order to provide a well structured series of seminars, specifically addressed to professionals in order to update their knowledge and understanding of the provisions of the legislations and the

• bligations stemming from it.

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• A few years ago, we have signed a contact

with the Technical Chamber under which the Chamber submitted concrete proposals for the introduction of Fire Safety Regulations for all types of buildings and a new, updated Regulation concerning the safe access to buildings, especially focusing on the needs of the disabled.

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Problems occured

• In Cyprus, there is no independent inspection
• f property as it is being built. It is the

responsibility of the Engeneer in charge to monitor the construction & ensure it is carried

• ut in accordance with the regulations and

building permits. Independent inspection only

• ccurs when the property's finished (which of

course, may be too late).

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Problems occurred …

• Some property developers ignore the law

and build properties before the required permissions and permits have been issued. People buying off-plan property are usually unaware of this (particularly if they've used the developers pet lawyer). Illegal building is a serious and widespread problem!

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Problems occurred …

• If the property developer has built illegally,

the authorities have the power to issue a 'Demolition Order' requiring the illegal building to be pulled down!

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I gnoring the planning law

• As mentioned above, some property

developers choose to ignore the law and start construction work illegally. This causes problems for those buying property; particularly for those who are buying off-plan.

• Such problems include:

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I gnoring the planning law …

• The finished property may be different

to that shown in the plan sketches or artist's impression (because the planning authority has required the plans to be changed).).

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I gnoring the planning law …

• The Cyprus Electricity Authority will not

connect a property to the supply unless it's Building Permits have been issued. (You can see many blocks of apartments and other properties running off a temporary electricity supply provided by the developer).

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I gnoring the planning law …

• If the inspectors refuse to issue a

'Certificate of Final Approval', the issuance of Title Deeds will be delayed until the matter has been resolved. (This can take many, many years - even with Government amnesties). Illegal buildings may also be demolished.

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I gnoring the planning law …

Buyers ignore the planning laws

• Property developers are not the only

people who break the law - some property buyers also choose to ignore the regulations. They build swimming pools, add extensions and make other changes illegally.

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I gnoring the planning law …

• This illegal construction further complicates
• matters. Even though the developer may

have constructed the development in accordance with the regulations, the inspectors will not issue a 'Certificate of Final Approval' until matters are resolved by the removal or demolition of the illegal changes

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Buyers ignore the planning laws

• Property developers are not the only

people who break the law - some property buyers also choose to ignore the regulations. They build swimming pools, add extensions and make other changes illegally.

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Buyers ignore the planning laws

• This illegal construction further complicates
• matters. Even though the developer may

have constructed the development in accordance with the regulations, the inspectors will not issue a 'Certificate of Final Approval' until matters are resolved by the removal or demolition of the illegal changes

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Problems for the authorities

• PAPERWORK AND CONSULTATION WITH

TOO MANY PARTIES

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Problems for the authorities…

• DRAWINGS AND CALCULATIONS

SUBMITTED DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE STREETS AND BUILDINGS LEGISLATION MAINLY BECAUSE :

• Architects and Engineers do not know

the legislation WELL enough,

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Problems for the authorities…

• There are no repercussions to applicants
• r their engineers for submitting

incomplete or wrong documents.

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Problems for the authorities…

• DRAWINGS DO NOT SATISFY THE

REQUIREMENTS OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS,

• DIFFERENT BUILDING AUTHORITIES

REQUIRE DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS,

• UNDERSTAFFED.

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Reasons that contributed to the construction of buildings without building permit

• THE 1974 TURKISH INVASION
• CULTURE
• UNDERSTAFFING OF BUILDING AUTHORITIES
• LOW FINES FOR ILLEGAL STRUCTURES
• LEGISLATION WEAKNESSES REGARDING SUPERVISION OF BUILDINGS
• COST TO EMPLOY AN ARCHITECT/ENGINEER FOR A SMALL EXTENSION
• DIFFICULTY TO OBTAIN PLANNING PERMIT FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF

DEVELOPMENTS

• RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY

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Solutions

• BUILDINGS AMNESTY
• ENGINEERS TO BECOME MORE ACCOUNTABLE
• HIGHER FINES
• EDUCATION OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES
• MAKE IT EASIER TO OBTAIN PLANNING PERMITS
• MORE STAFF FOR BUILDING AUTHORITIES
• TIME

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Building and Planning Amnesty

• Following a two-year period of comprehensive

work and intensive, coordinated effort, with the involvement and contribution of numerous authorities, organisations and institutions involved in the construction industry, the House of Representatives has approved amendments of the Town and Country Planning, the Streets and Buildings Regulation, and the Immovable Property Legislations, which were submitted by the Ministry f th I t i

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Building and Planning Amnesty

• The legislation, which aims at the

simplification and modernisation of procedures and legal provisions that eventually lead to the securing of updated title deeds by respective property owners, came into force on April 8, 2011. All deadlines defined in the amended legislation count from that date on.

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• The need for the introduction of the amended Laws

arose, as it became evident that a large number of buildings or building complexes, as well as divided plots, which have been built or constructed on the basis of a planning permit and/ or a building/ division permit, could not be registered by the Land and Surveys Department, so that appropriate certificates of registration could be issued, due to various reasons, related – in some cases – to the need to legalise minor irregularities.

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• For the first time, the legislation is

strengthened with temporary provisions, enabling the legalisation of irregularities of specific type, nature, scale and significance, in existing buildings, under certain conditions. The main condition is the existence of a relevant planning permit and/ or building permit for the development.

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Key Features of the Legislation (a) The legality of the building is no longer a prerequisite for the issuing of an updated title

• deed. It is made possible for a certificate of

registration to be issued for a building with certain irregularities; however, these irregularities are to be recorded on the title deed.

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Key Features of the Legislation … (b) Updated title deeds can be issued, despite any building irregularities, provided that an application is submitted to the Building Authority, together with an accurate description

• f the building as well as any irregularities that

may appear, in comparison to the building or the planning permit issued.

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Key Features of the Legislation … (c) The issuing of a title deed with notes does not render the relevant building legal. Where irregularities exist, substantial or otherwise, the Building Authority and/ or the Planning Authority, and/ or the Director of the Land and Surveys Department, are empowered to take measures against the owner, so that he can be persuaded to fulfil all obligations arising from the legislation and the permit.

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Key Features of the Legislation … (d) The owner of the development, as well as the supervising engineer, are obliged to inform the Building Authority, within a specified period, as to the completion and beginning of use of the building, and to any alterations which may not conform with approved plans and conditions of the permits.

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Key Features of the Legislation … (e) The right to activate necessary procedures for the legalisation of the development or for the issuing of updated title deeds, is extended – apart from the owner – to the purchaser (under certain conditions), as well as to the Competent Authority (Planning Authority, Building Authority, or the Director of the Land and Surveys Department).

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Key Features of the Legislation … (f) Updated title deeds are issued in the name of the original owner, and not in the name of purchasers. (g) Concerned Authorities shall inform each

• ther directly on any actions taken towards the

legalisation of the buildings, and will not depend

• n the owner´s initiative.

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Key Features of the Legislation …

(h) In all three amended laws, Competent Authorities (Planning Authority, Building Authority and the Director

• f the Land and Surveys Department) are empowered to

impose administrative fines, in cases where the owner is reluctant or unwilling to submit the required declarations or applications for the legalisation of buildings, or irregularities in buildings, or for the issue of certificates of approval or certificates of unauthorised works or updated title deeds.

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• Streets and Buildings Legislation
• The main provisions of the Law in its present

form includes the following provisions:

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Article 3

• the construction of any building and street is illegal unless a

building permit is issued by the Local Authority. Article 8

• the Local Authority has the right to ask for any drawings,

sketches, calculation and any other information which is considered necessary to ensure that the building to be constructed provides for the health and safety of the users.

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• The application to the Local Authority must be signed by

Architect/Civil Engineering, member of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber.

• The application must include among other information,

I. architectural and structural drawings II. calculations

• III. any other information depending on the type of the construction

(eg. Electrical installation studies, environmental studies)

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Article 9

• the Local Authority has the right to impose terms to ensure that the

proposed building is fit for the proposed use. These terms may concern eg. the sufficient provision of water, electricity, safety of disable people, the safety of mechanical and electrical installation, fire safety. Article 9A

• any building permit issued under article 3 of the Law must not be

materialized until the Local Authority is satisfied that the owner of the building has appointed a supervising engineer. The owner should also satisfied the Local Authority that the supervising engineer has been informed of the commencement of the works.

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• The supervising engineer must ensure that no construction begins or

is executed prior to the issue of a building permit.

• The supervising engineer must supervise all the stages of the works

until the project is completed.

• The rights, duties and liabilities of the supervising engineer and the

rules the govern the relationship between the engineer and the Local Authority are included in regulation 61 (61Θ) of streets and buildings regulations as issued under article 19 of the Law.

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Article 10

• upon completion of the works and before the use of the building a

Certificate of Approval must be issued by the Local Authority. The use

• f the building before the issue of the certificate is illegal.
• The holder of the building permit must, within 21 days of the

completion of the works inform the Local Authority for the completion and apply for the issue of a Certificate of Approval.

• The supervising engineer, within 30 days of the completion of the

works must submit to the Local Authority a certificate to verify the completion of the works which must include a statement on the level

• f compliance of the completed works to the provisions of the

building permit.

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Article 10B

• If the Local Authority finds that the building works

are completed with minor deviations from the provisions of the building permit, they must issue a Certificate with Defects.

• This certificate will include a list of the parts of the

building not in accordance with the building permit.

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Article 10C :

• If the Local Authority finds that the building works are completed

with deviations from the provisions of the building permit which are considered of major importance as far as the safety in use of the building is concern, then the Local Authority must issue a Certificate

• f Unauthorized Works.
• This Certificate will include a list of the parts of works which are not

according to the provisions of the building permit.

• Upon the issue of such a certificate, the Land and Survey Department

will issue a title deed containing a list of the deviations. The property can not be sold to any person other than those related to the original

• wner to a 3rd degree level.

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Article 15

• The Local Authority may, through an order, close down any

building, which, considers to be prejudicial to health due to eg. bad ventilation, or dangerous due to eg. structural defects.

• Further, they may prohibit the use of the building until all

necessary measures are taken for the reconstruction, alteration or repair in such a manner as defined by the authority.

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Article 15A

• If the Local Authority determines that a structure is in such a

condition as to be dangerous they may issue an order to the person who has an interest in the use of the structure. The order must explain the reasons for the decision and include the measures that must be taken to obviate the danger.

• If the person to whom the order is served refuses to take the

measures included in the order the Local Authority may proceed in executing the order and claim all cost incurred from that person.

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ΚΑΤΑΤΑΞΗ ΑΡΘΡΩΝ ….

Article 20:

• Any person who breaches any of the provision of articles 3, 9A,

10,15 and 15A commits a crime punishable with imprisonment or with a fine up to 1700 euro, or both.

• If such an act is committed by a supervising engineer in his capacity

as an employee or as a collaborator to a Developer, the Developer is consider as accomplice to the crime.

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ΚΑΤΑΤΑΞΗ ΑΡΘΡΩΝ ….

Article 21

• If the Local Authority failed to comply with any of the provision of this Law, a

complaint may be submitted to the Cabinet. If the Cabinet is satisfied that the complain is valid then they issue an order in which a dead line is set for the Local Authority to take steps to amended the non – compliance.

• If the Local Authority does not comply within the set time limit, the Cabinet must

appoint a three member committee to take steps to amend the non-compliance. Any expenses incurred from the acts of the committee will be payable by the Local Authority.

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Article 18

• Any person who is not satisfied with any decision of the Local

Authority under articles 3, 6, 9, 15, 15A may, within 21 days of the issue of such decision, apply in writing to the Minister of

• Interior. The application must include the reasons that

support the claim against the Local Authority’s decision.

• The Minister of Interior must reach a decision within 21 days

from the date of the application.

• If the applicant is not satisfied with decision they may apply to

the Court.

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Article 19

• The Cabinet has the power to issue regulations to regulate a

number of issues such as:

• The annexation of terms
• Means of supervision and controlling
• Dimensions of building plots
• Maximum number of plots and maximum height of builidng
• Specification of materials
• Dimension and number of parking spaces

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• Electrical and mechanical installations
• Access and use by disable people
• Energy efficiency of buildings
• Safety in the use of any building
• Fees payable for the issue of a building permit
• Any other issue which ensures the proper implementation of

the regulations

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The following regulations have been issued:

• Streets and Building Regulations
• Streets and Buildings (Energy efficiency of Buildings)

Regulations

• Streets and Buildings (Electrical and Mechanical

Installations) Regulations

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• Streets and Buildings (Energy efficiency of Buildings)

Regulations are issued in order to regulate the requirements and procedures for the issue of building permit with to the provision of Directive 2002/91/EC of the European Council for the energy efficiency of buildings

• Streets and Buildings (Electrical and Mechanical Installations)

Regulations regulate the certification of these type of installation and the qualification of the eligible engineers.

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Streets and Buildings Regulations include mainly the following provisions:

• Regulation 5 states the documents that must be

included in the application for building permit.

• Regulations 6-60 contain minimum requirements for

the design of various elements of the building eg. Room dimensions, height of building, staircases, drainage systems, sewerage systems, ventilation systems, fire safety etc

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• Regulation 61 to 61E

they include information regarding the size of the parking spaces, the required number of spaces in relation to the use of the building and entrance and exit routes to the parking.

• Regulation 61st and 61Z

refers to the structural design of the building, the codes of practice to be used. Since 1/1/2012 this regulation states that the structural design of buildings must be done using Eurocodes.

• Regulation 61H

states the requirements for the safety in use of buildings by disable people. This regulation is currently under revision in order to introduce the Approved Document for the Safety in Use and Accessibility of Buildings.

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Regulation 61th(61Θ)

• It includes the procedure to appoint or replace the

supervising engineer and the related duties and

• responsibilities. The regulation is currently under

revision in order to provide the necessary power to handle construction products which do not comply with the accompanying CE marking

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Regulation 62

• It includes the procedure το calculate the fees

payable for the issuance of a building permit. It is currently under revision in order to simplify the

• procedure. The revision also includes a change of the

time period which the fees have to be paid.

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• Streets and Buildings Law and Streets

and Buildings Regulations are about to undergo revision in order to include provisions so that buildings and streets are design and constructed to implement the basic requirements of Directive 89/106/EC of the European Council for the Construction products.

These requirements are:

• I. Mechanical resistance and stability
• II. Safety in case of fire
• III. Hygiene Health and the Environment
• IV. Safety in Use
• V. Protection against noise
• VI. Energy economy and heat retention

• Mechanical resistance and stability is

included in the revision of regulation 61ΣΤ and 61Ζ which was enforced on the 1/1/2012.

• This revision referred to the use of

Eurocodes for the structural design of building and civil engineering works.

• Safety in use is included in the revision of

articles 8, 9 and 19 of the Law and regulation 61H. The most important is the revision of regulation 61H which will introduce the use of ‘Approved Document for Safety in Use and Accessibility’, in the design of buildings and streets.

• This document includes design methods

and specifications which must be considered during the design of buildings and streets so that they comply with the requirements of the Law which state that all buildingw and streets must be safe in use and accessible to all users including disable people.

• Safety in case of fire is included in the

revision of articles 8,9,15 and 19 of the Law and the introduction of regulation 61K which will introduce the use of ‘Approved Document for Fire Safety’ in the design of buildings

• This document includes design methods and

specifications which must be considered during the design of buildings: I. the structural stability of the building remains intact for a given type period· II. the start and spread of fire and smoke within the building is limited

• III. the spread of fire to neighboring structures is limited·
• IV. the users of the building can escape safely within a

given time period· V. the safety of rescue teams is ensured

• Similar revisions to the Law and the

Regulations will be applied in the near future to implement the rest of the requirements.

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