The DETR is sending out questionnaires and organising seminars to gauge opinion on Part M. Designers and developers will also be consulted.
The survey will consider whether the regulations should cover areas such as car parks, whether changes to the regulations should be made for existing buildings and how future regulations should fit in with the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act. It is also considering whether to widen the scope of the regulations to include the needs of children, women with pushchairs and people who fear heights.
The Part M regulations on non-domestic buildings have remained unchanged since 1992, although the regulations were extended to cover domestic dwellings last October. Seminars are to be held in Perth on 27 June, Belfast on 4 July, London on 11 and 12 July, Manchester on 13 July and Cardiff on 19 July.
