The Buildings Department today announced the formation of Dedicated Processing Units (DPUs) and the reduction of information items for the first general building plan (GBP) submission in its ongoing effort to expedite the development process.

The formation of DPUs is one of the 2022 Policy Address initiatives to enhance speed and efficiency.

Targetting high-yield private residential projects with 500 residential units or more, seven DPUs would render assistance proactively and provide facilitation at an early stage, with the involvement of senior officers as appropriate.

Facilitation measures include holding pre-submission conferences with applicants, assisting them to identify suitable design proposals for compliance with Building Ordinance and subsidiary legislation requirements as well as liaison with other government departments to resolve crucial issues of concern, such as determination of site classification and dedication of public passage areas. 

The department's target is to approve around 80% of GBPs on their first or second submission, so it strongly encourages applicants to approach the DPUs early, even before the GBP submission, to identify issues of concern and explore possible options.

Separately, the department will issue later this month revised practice notes to significantly reduce the number of information items in the first GBP submission by around 30%, to less than 100 items.

Those items will be deferred to subsequent stages of approval, such as before superstructure works start or the application for an occupation permit.

The department said applicants will be able to save resources and time when preparing the first GBP submissions as fewer details are required and avoid abortive efforts due to changes in building design.

By obtaining the first GBP approval more expeditiously, applicants may further develop their design and commence works earlier, thereby speeding up the overall development process, it added.