Blythe-Sanderson Group has recently merged with international development and construction consultants Davis Langdon. Managing Director Mark Beattie said the group added to the suite of skills provided by Davis Langdon.

“The provision of access consulting will be enabled across Davis Langdon’s Australian and New Zealand network of offices,” he said.

“This will be supported by our compatible services of building surveying, project management, town planning and cost management.”

Access for people with disabilities to both public and private facilities will improve significantly under the new ‘Access to Premises’ standard being considered by the Federal Government, according to an industry expert.

Blythe-Sanderson Group Director and Access Consultant, Andrew Sanderson, said the Federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 ( DDA) enacted in 1993 had been a significant step forward for people with a disability, but the new standards set to be implemented next year would make a great difference.

“Access for people with disabilities, particularly access to public buildings and the goods and services offered within them, is a major issue. The new standards which will probably be announced next year, with the access code also included in the Building Code of Australia in 2011, will see significant improvements,” he said.

Mr Sanderson said the new standards were not squarely aimed at wheelchair users or people with mobility issues, but covered all people with a disability, physical, cognitive and sensory.

He said Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed that one in five people had some form of disability.

“In terms of mobility and people with disabilities, there are more than 500,000 people or 2.6 percent of the population who require the use of a cane, walking frame or stick, crutches, manual or electronic wheelchairs, scooters, specially modified vehicle or other mobility aid,” he said.

Mr Sanderson said the 'Access to Premises' standard will apply to all new and existing public buildings and is likely to also incorporate access to and within the common areas of residential buildings.

He said the standard’s provisions will apply in their entirety to new buildings inclusive of new parts to existing buildings.

Areas to be covered will include accessible car parking, signage, hearing augmentation, wheelchair seating spaces, swimming pool access via ramps, aquatic wheelchairs and lifts, general ramps and landings, stairs glazing on access ways, lift installations, sanitary facilities, accessible showers and public transport facilities.“There is a large amount of uncertainty which exists for both building owners and for people with a disability,” he said.

“Building owners, developers, designers and the like have been unable to clearly determine their obligations under the DDA.

“In addition people with disabilities have been unable to fully participate in the community given the variance, inconsistency and in many cases inadequate amenity offered across public buildings.

“The new standards will go a long way towards rectifying that.”

 
For further information, contact Meaghan Jones on +61 3 9933 8800 or email mjones2@davislangdon.com.au