As part of our ongoing series of "Tuesday Mornings for Construction," in today's issue we'd like to introduce you to the proposed operation of the System for Handling Administrative Proceedings in Construction, known as SOPAB. It's worth remembering this acronym.
The introduction of the system is discussed in the draft bill amending the Building Law and certain other acts, published on the Government Legislation Centre website under the list number UD427. This bill envisages, among other things, the creation of a system for comprehensive management of the investment and construction process. The legal basis for SOPAB's operation will be the new "Chapter 7b" of the Building Law, which will encompass articles 79l to 79v. According to the proposed amendment, the Chief Inspector of Building Control will be responsible for implementing and maintaining the system.
Under current law, applications, notifications, and notices submitted in proceedings under the Building Law can be submitted in paper format or via the E-Budownictwo system. The introduction of the SOPAB system is intended to enable the submission of complete documentation directly to the relevant architectural and construction administration authority in electronic form. The intention is for SOPAB to be accessible not only to construction supervision authorities and architectural and construction administration authorities, but also to other public entities. The scope of available data will be limited in their case, in accordance with their territorial and subject-matter jurisdiction.
One of the tasks of the newly designed system will be to manage the Construction Project Database, which we wrote about last week ( #140 ). Investors will be able to upload all technical documentation to the Project Database via the E-Budownictwo system. The SOPAB system will assign individual identifiers to uploaded files, allowing authorities to quickly and efficiently locate the correct documentation. This solution is intended to simplify procedures by minimizing the amount of documentation submitted, particularly the attachments investors submit with their applications. The introduction of the SOPAB system is expected to have a positive impact on the work of architectural and construction administration and make it easier for investors to obtain required permits and notifications.
According to information provided by the General Office of Building Control, although the legal provisions governing SOPAB have not yet entered into force, work on the system is currently at an increasingly advanced stage. Recently, the General Office of Building Control (GUNB) secured funding under the "Digital Poland" operational program to implement the system. As announced, a basic version of the system is expected to be developed by June 30, 2023, enabling a streamlined version to conduct key procedures in the investment and construction process.
Like the previously described changes aimed at digitization, the project to introduce a comprehensive IT system for handling administrative proceedings in the field of architecture and construction should, in our opinion, be viewed positively. Its efficient operation, as intended, could significantly improve the work of offices and, consequently, accelerate the processing of submitted applications.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Legal status as of February 20, 2023
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