Assessment of the Impact of Contraventions of Building Regulations on the Architecture of Mixed Landuse Areas of Kano Metropolis

(A CASE STUDY OF Nigeria (1990-2009))

By

Author

Presented To

Department of Environmental Design

ABSTRACT
The orderly growth of cities involves the design and construction of buildings for various purposes such as residential, commercial and industrial. This calls for development control regulations which include land use and building regulations. The study was set out to identify the nature of contraventions of the regulations in the selected districts of Kano metropolis. Secondly the study is to assess the impact of the contraventions on Architecture and facilities in the mixed land use areas. The pilot study, using Archival (archives of planning Authority) method, confirmed existence of contraventions of 75.26% reported cases within 20 year period (1990 – 2009). Furthermore, for the main study, questionnaires were employed and three groups considered; that is the occupants/owners, principal officers of the Planning Agency and consultants submitting building drawings for approval. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to analyze the findings of the questionnaire. The identified contraventions were; set back (25%), land use not in conformity (12.4%), building without approval (13.4%), plot development ratio (11%) and insufficient parking space (8%). The study confirmed the existence of contraventions of building regulations in mixed land use areas of Kano metropolis where impact on Architecture and facilities was availed through detailed study of 22 defaulters. Reasons adduced for contraventions were lack of enforcement of the regulations (18.1%); cumbersome process of obtaining approval (7%), lack of awareness of building regulations (11.2%), lack of publicity and absence of monitoring unit (6.2%) and rapid growth of population which resulted in increase in need of building developments (7%). These resulted in construction of substandard structures (impact on architecture) as buildings without approval accounted for 100%, defaulters on set back 86.4%, development ratio (overdevelopment) 59.1%, ventilation and privacy due to buildings without proper set back accounting for 77.3% and 45.5% respectively, and room sizes below approved standard is 18.2% while impact on infrastructure which relates the inadequate parking spaces accounting for 59.1%, services 50% and unilateral changes of purpose from approved purpose as per certificate of occupancy accounted for 31.8%. It is recommended that building regulations should be enforced so as to reduce the negative impact of contraventions, through improved architectural practice within the ambit of the law as regulated by Architects Registration Council of Nigeria. Awareness campaign by the government in promoting adequate respect to the professional practices and compliance with use of professionals in all physical developmental programmes. The process of building plan approval needs to be simplified while the Agency responsible for building plan approval should promote what is enshrined in the building regulation, and the National Building Code of 2006. The study is on Kano metropolis planned areas where building regulations are applicable and about 10 locations where selected based on the fact that they are planned areas with implemented layouts. On the other hand; the areas of further research could be on standard or building regulation to respect the socio – cultural values of the people, the concept of building regulations reducing or otherwise contraventions of building approval plans and reassessment of the tools of development control activities in planned areas.