Disabled access in shopping centres
Older style shopping centres and local shops were not originally designed to provide disabled access in terms of wheelchair access, ramps and landings, door widths, continuous travel paths, corridor widths, parking spaces and garages, lighting, alarm systems and toilets.
State Government land use planning strategies and local Council’s built environment design guidelines seek to correct this imbalance by requiring disabled access and related facilities in all new and upgraded existing shopping centres.
The Australian Government is also considering draft changes to the Commonwealth Disabilities Discrimination Act to make building owners, property managers and tenants potentially liable to discrimination claims if disabled persons access and related facilities are not provided to new buildings and existing building alterations, approved after the Act’s gazettal date.
Wayne Boyle, Principal Consultant of Australian Disabled Access Consultants says, “All property developers, building designers, building owners and property managers should provide disabled access and related facilities within new shopping centres and new local shops.
“Shop owners should provide disabled access and related facilities within their shops to ensure that fit-outs or display layouts do not obstruct disabled access.
“Audits should be regularly undertaken on existing shopping centres and local shops to ensure that disabled access and related facilities are provided at all times to comply with Australian Standards, local Council guidelines and the Building Code of Australia.”
19-Jul-2006