URA recently conducted a series of virtual seminars to share more with the industry about our development control (DC) guidelines on landed housing, commercial and flats and condominium developments. While we were unable to conduct the seminars in person due to the COVID-19 situation, hosting the seminars virtually enabled us to reach a wider audience than before. About 200 participants attended these online seminars.

An online seminar held in December 2021 covered DC guidelines on flats and condominiums.

Taking past industry feedback into account, we moved away from simply conveying DC guidelines to participants, since these are readily available online. Instead, the recent seminars focused on specific scenarios that Qualified Persons (QPs) frequently face on ground, with the speakers sharing more about our planning considerations and how URA officers would evaluate such proposals. We were encouraged by the very lively and fruitful discussions between our speakers and the participants during the Q&A segments, with many useful insights and suggestions shared by all parties.

Overall, the participants found the seminars useful and relevant to their work. In particular, many participants gave feedback that the use of case studies aided their understanding of URA’s planning considerations, and that the virtual format allowed for even better participant engagement than in a physical setting.

We are heartened by the support of the industry for these virtual seminars, and URA will continue our engagement of the industry via future runs.

Banner photo by J. Kelly Brito from Unsplash