A third of new buildings inspected last year did not meet accessibility standards and the majority required alterations, according to the National Commission Persons with Disability.
In its annual report for 2013, the commission said 33 per cent of the 71 properties it examined were not given a compliance certificate and so could not be connected to the water and electricity mains.
The majority, 66 per cent, of the finished properties that did pass the commission’s checks were only certified after modifications were made.
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority works with the commission to ensure developments are vetted before being given the green light.
Assessment starts even before actual work commences.
Last year, the commission refused to recommend 63 per cent of the 1,060 building plans brought to its draughtsman’s attention.
Sixty-six per cent were only certified after modifications were made
The majority of the plans did not follow the Equal Opportunities Act building guidelines.
In its report, the commission notes that not all buildings can meet full accessibility requirements due to urban development constraints. In such cases, properties are assessed by a “reasonableness board”, which is tasked with determining whether the urban obstacles to accessibility are insurmountable.
Last year, the board, chaired by former commission chairman Joe Camilleri, found 47 per cent of the 72 building plans it saw faced reasonable restrictions to accessibility. The rest were not accepted or required further deliberation.
The commission said last month that buildings with limited access due to a steep street gradient or a flight of steps would be exempt from accessibility requirements.
The move formed part of a revision of the Access for All building requirements, carried out by Mepa and the commission.
The exemption comes at a cost and contractors must pay €20 for every square metre of inaccessible space, which goes into an inclusion fund administered by the commission.
Building accessibility is not the only bone of contention for the national commission, which is also responsible for accessible transport arrangements.
Last year, it was inundated with queries about the 7,000 blue parking badges used across the island.
According to its report, the commission received nearly 2,000 applications for new special parking badges in 2013.
More than half, 1,102, were handed out to pensioners and 84 to parents of disabled children.