The Building Authority is enforcing an “across-the-board stop notice on all final works on buildings across the territory,” government announced Thursday afternoon.
Anyone planning to rebuild sections of structures must first obtain the agency’s permission, and residents are asked to follow all existing laws and processes to ensure safety, according to Government Information Services.
“There have been many instances where persons are looking to replace timber roofs with concrete roofs,” Building Committee Board Chairman Tony Scatliffe said in a press release. “This in particular must not be undertaken without the guidance of a qualified structural engineer to ensure the existing walls/columns are able to withstand the forces of earthquakes. Simply placing concrete on a structure could pose a serious risk to occupants.”
The stop notice excludes “temporary remedial measures for security and protection” on buildings that sustained damage due to the passage of hurricanes Irma or Maria.
The Building Authority has been relocated to the Public Works Department in Baughers Bay, and applications will be reviewed in “as timely a manner as possible,” according to the press release.
{fcomment}