To align with the Government's announcement on December 21 that the special work arrangements for government employees will be extended until January 6, 2021, the Buildings Department (BD) announced today (December 23) that it will continue to provide emergency and essential public services during this period. The services will be mainly handling public reports on building safety and unauthorised building works in progress, processing critical statutory submissions for new developments and applications for registration of building professionals and contractors, providing advisory services for licensing authorities, implementing Operation Building Bright 2.0, and conducting the special operation to inspect the fire safety of old domestic and composite buildings.

     Submission of the following applications and documents in person should be through:

(1) A drop-in box located at G/F, BD Headquarters, North Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, for receiving documents from members of the public from 10am to 4pm from Monday to Friday. The BD will issue receipts/acknowledgements of submissions in due course;

(2) A tender/quotation box located at the ground floor of BD Headquarters for receiving tender/quotation documents from 8.30am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday; and

(3) The receipt and dispatch counter at the office of the BD's New Buildings Division on 7/F, 14 Taikoo Wan Road, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong, for collection of statutory applications and related documents and forms for new building works from 9.30am to 3.30pm from Monday to Friday. Applicants will collect the processed plans and related documents from the receipt and dispatch counter by appointment.

     Under the special work arrangements, the handling time of the BD's services may be longer than usual. There will be continued communication between BD officers and members of the public/the sector regarding their cases and applications through email and telephone contact.

     The Building Information Centre at 2/F, BD Headquarters (a hotline on 3842 5375 has been set up to handle enquiries on requests for inspection and viewing of building records), the receipt counter and general enquiry counter at G/F, BD Headquarters, and all meeting rooms of the BD will not be open to the public until further notice. All appointments, meetings (except meetings essential to meet statutory requirements such as Minor Works Contractors Registration Committee meetings) and inspections scheduled for the period will be rescheduled to later dates and the individuals concerned will be notified in due course.
      
     The BD appeals to the public to minimise visiting the department's offices in person unless they genuinely require its public services urgently. The public may call 1823 to make emergency reports. For general enquiries and reports, members of the public may call 1823 or inform the department by email (enquiry@bd.gov.hk), online reporting (eform.one.gov.hk/form/bd0001/en/), fax (2537 4992) or post (North Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon). In addition, electronic information can be submitted to the BD via receipt@bd.gov.hk.

Ends/Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Issued at HKT 11:00

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