Expansion of Policies On Surplus Car Park Conversion and Computation of Surplus Parking Spaces as Gross Floor Area (GFA)

Circular No : URA/PB/2018/09-DCG

Our Ref : LTA/DBC/ F20.033.005
URA/DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_18

CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

Who Should Know:
Building owners, developers, architects and engineers

Effective Date:
1 February 2019

This circular is to be read in conjunction with Circular URA/PB/2020/06-CUDG dated 3 August 2020.

1. Today, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced changes to parking provision standards (circular entitled “Changes to LTA’s Car Parking Standards and Gazetting of Designated Car-Lite Precincts” dated 9 Nov 2018). The changes were to better calibrate the supply of car parking spaces in view of zero vehicle growth rate from February 2018. Under LTA’s new Range-based Parking Provision Standards (RPPS), developers will be granted flexibility to provide parking lots within a pre-defined range (upper bound and lower bound). In addition, the parking standards for some developments (upper bound) have been further reduced¹. As a result, existing buildings may have surplus parking spaces.

2. To align with the changes in parking provision policy, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has reviewed the guidelines and treatment for surplus parking spaces and will make the following changes that will take effect 1 Feb 2019.

Conversion of Surplus Car Parking Spaces to Other Uses

3. With the changes to the parking provision standards, surplus car parks in an existing development arise from:

   • reduction in the parking standards (e.g. reduction in the upper bound parking requirement – see portion labelled A in Figure 1)

   • flexibility to reduce car parking provision up to the lower bound of the parking provision range under the RPPS (see portion labelled B in Figure 1)

Figure 1: Diagram showing how surplus car parks arise in an existing development

4. Currently, URA allows surplus car parking spaces in existing Commercial, Mixed Use and Hotel developments within the Central Area (see boundary of Central Area in Appendix 1 [PDF, 5.74 MB] ↗ (opens in new tab)) to be permanently converted to additional GFA for other uses. Under RPPS, surplus carparks between the upper and lower bound parking requirement (portion labelled B in Figure 1) can also be considered for conversion.

5. In addition, URA will extend this policy to the following existing developments with convenient access to public transport:

   • Residential developments within the Central Area;

   • Commercial, Mixed Use, Hotel and Business Park developments within 400 meters of an MRT or LRT station

Application

6. Building owners need to note the following when applying for conversion of surplus car parking spaces:

   • The proposed uses must be in line with the Master Plan zoning for the site and the planning intention for the surrounding area;

   • The resultant car parking provision within the development must take into account the car parking provision from the additional GFA and proposed uses;

   • The existing infrastructure and traffic network must be able to support the increase in GFA, and take into consideration proposed measures to mitigate traffic generation; and

   • Payment of development charge / differential premium (based on the usual 70% of value enhancement) is required, where applicable, in relation to the additional GFA.

7. The additional GFA arising from the conversion of surplus car parking, detailed uses and any changes to the building form and design will be subject to evaluation by URA and the relevant agencies.

8. Requests for conversion of surplus car parks may not be supported for sites where there are specific conditions imposed in planning approval or the government land sale that restrict the conversion of the surplus car parking spaces, or sites located within or adjacent to Conservation Areas where additional car parking spaces are needed to support the uses within the conserved buildings.

Computing Surplus Car Parking and Motorcycle Parking Lots as Gross Floor Area

9. Currently, surplus parking spaces in new commercial, mixed-use and hotel developments are computed as GFA² to discourage the overprovision of parking spaces in these developments. Under LTA’s new RPPS, car park and motorcycle³ park spaces provided over and above the upper bound will be computed as GFA. The policy to count surplus parking spaces as GFA will be extended to new developments:

   • Residential developments within the Central Area;

   • Business Parks within 400 meters of MRT and LRT stations.

10. The table below summarises the list of developments that the two policies above apply to. The new changes that take effect 1 Feb 2019 are highlighted in bold:

Submission Details

11. Building owners of existing developments intending to convert surplus car parking spaces to other uses are to arrange for a pre-application consultation with LTA (via Corenet) before submitting a development application to URA. All applications are to include the completed forms attached in Appendices 2 [PDF, 47.91 KB] ↗ (opens in new tab) & 3 [PDF, 164.60 KB] ↗ (opens in new tab).

12. These revised guidelines will apply to all new applications submitted on and after 1 Feb 2019. Only formal development applications submitted before the effective date of 1 Feb 2019 which have already been granted Provisional Permission, or which will result in a Provisional Permission, will not be subject to the revised guidelines.

13. I would appreciate it if you could convey the contents of this circular to your members. We have updated the same in the Development Control Handbooks. You are advised to refer to these Handbooks for the most updated guidelines and procedures instead of referring to past circulars.

14. For other information on the master plan, urban design guidelines, private property use and approval, car park locations and availability, private residential property transactions, and conservation areas and buildings, use URA SPACE ↗ (opens in new tab) (Service Portal and Community e-Services). This is an online portal packed with useful data and visualisation to help building professionals, business operators and the general public in their decision-making. It consolidates detailed information on land use and private property into a one-stop platform presented on geospatial maps.

15. If you have any queries concerning this circular, please email LTA at lta-dbc_registry@lta.gov.sg and URA at https://eservice.ura.gov.sg/feedbackWeb/contactus_feedback.jsp ↗ (opens in new tab).

Thank You.

LINA LIM (MS)
GROUP DIRECTOR (POLICY & PLANNING)
for CHIEF EXECUTIVE
LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

GOH CHIN CHIN (MS)
GROUP DIRECTOR (DEVELOPMENT CONTROL)
for CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

^{1 The current Car Parking Standard (CPS) only stipulates a minimum. For some types of developments, the upper bound is set lower than the minimum under the current CPS.}

^{2 Each surplus car park lot is computed as 35m2, which is assumed to be the average area of each car park lot, inclusive of circulation space. Each surplus motorcycle lot is computed as 12m2.}

^{3 The new RPPS introduces mandatory requirements for motorcycle parking provision in all non-residential developments.}