CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES
PLANNING AUTHORISATION FOR CHANGE OF USE WITHIN COMMERCIAL, HDB SHOPS AND INDUSTRIAL PREMISES
Objective
To authorise change of use of premises located within commercial, HDB shops and industrial premises without the need for planning permission.
Effective Date
With effect from 20 July 2009
Who should know
Property owners, business operators, real estate agents and Qualified Persons
Existing Guidelines
- Currently, property owners or business operators have to submit a change of use application to URA and obtain approval before commencing the proposed use. They can also lodge the change of use proposal with URA and obtain instant approval provided the proposal meets the lodgment criteria under the Change of Use Lodgment Scheme.
Revised Guidelines
- As part of our continuous process to simplify change of use approvals and reduce business costs, the proposed change of uses as shown in Table A below, will be authorised without the need to submit an application.
- Applicants are required to seek prior written consent from HDB for proposed change of use within commercial premises leased or sold by HDB and comply with requirements of relevant technical agencies (e.g. NEA, FSSD, LTA) before commencing the use.
- URA has also decided to relax the change of use guidelines for food shops to allow operators to carry out simple light food preparation, such as steaming, baking and microwaving, without the need for planning permission. This is based on feedback from an e-consultation exercise; where close to 70 percent of the respondents supported having simple food preparation in the food shops. However, the food shop operator will have to comply with the National Environment Agency’s environmental health and hygiene requirements.
Table A
| S/N |
Development Type |
Authorised Change of Use |
| i |
Standalone commercial building; commercial podium block; and commercial block physically separated from residential uses on sites zoned Commercial, Commercial/Residential, Hotel or White
*excludes party-walled shophouses1 and shopflat
(Please refer to diagrams in Appendix 1) |
Change of use between the following uses:
a) Shop
b) Restaurant
c) Showroom |
| ii |
Commercial premises sold or leased by HDB |
Change of use between the following uses:
a) Shop
b) Showroom
c) Motor vehicle showroom
d) Community uses
(e.g. association, family service centre) |
| iii |
Factory and warehouse buildings zoned Business 1 or Business 2 |
Change of use from:
General industrial to Light industrial use only |
- The above authorisations apply to individual units/premises within the buildings and do not involve en-bloc conversions. For the authorisation under Table A items (i) and (ii), the premises must be originally approved for commercial use and computed as commercial GFA.
- I would appreciate it if you could convey the contents of this circular to the relevant members of your organisation. If you or your members have any queries concerning this circular, please do not hesitate to call our DCG Enquiry Line at Tel: 62234811 or e-mail us at ura_dcd@ura.gov.sg. We would be pleased to answer queries on this, and any other development control matter. For your information, the past circulars to the professional institutes are available from our website http://www.ura.gov.sg.
Thank you.
HAN YONG HOE
GROUP DIRECTOR (DEVELOPMENT CONTROL)
for CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
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1 Shophouse/shopflat refers to a building with a covered walkway or five footway at the front and with shop(s) at the first storey and commercial use or residential accommodation at the upper storey. Shophouses/shopflats are typically built with no or minimal carparking provision.
Appendix 1
Change of use between shops, restaurants and showrooms is authorised in the approved commercial component of the existing buildings:
- Stand alone commercial developments
- Mixed commercial/residential developments
where the commercial uses are segregated from the residential uses
- Hotel developments with independent commercial uses
R = Residential
C = Commercial
H = Hotel |
Circulars 2009
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