This Circular supersedes the earlier Circular URA/PB/2016/03-PCUDG released on 11 March 2016.

1. Singapore’s city centre is planned as a pedestrian-friendly city, where people can move around seamlessly and in all-weather comfort. Central to this vision is the development of a comprehensive pedestrian network both below and above-ground that connects developments and links them to nearby Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations.

2. Plans have been drawn up to guide the construction of Underground Pedestrian Links (UPLs) within the Orchard Road and the Central Business District (CBD) areas (Appendices 1-1 to 1-4). Developers of existing buildings located adjacent to the identified UPLs will generally be required to construct the part(s) of the identified UPLs that are linked to their development, as a condition for the grant of Provisional Permission (PP) / Written Permission (WP) for the redevelopment of sites or for major Addition and Alteration works to their developments.

3. To facilitate the implementation of the planned Underground Pedestrian Network (UPN), URA introduced a Cash Grant Incentive Scheme in March 2004 to co-fund the construction of identified strategic UPLs in these areas. The Scheme was revised in 2012 and 2016.

4. URA has recently reviewed the Scheme to align with the Circular URA/PB/2019/18-CUDG on the “Updated Urban Design Guidelines and Plans for Urban Design Areas” released on 27 November 2019. The Scheme will be reintroduced as the “Cash Grant Reimbursement Scheme” to better reflect the intent of the scheme, which is to co-fund the cost of implementing UPLs at strategic locations within the city centre. Each application is subject to evaluation of the detailed design and funding availability.
   
   
   To provide developers with greater certainty and clarity regarding the amount of cash grant reimbursement and the validity period of the approval, a formal in-principle approval letter will now be issued to the developer along with the planning approval for their redevelopment. To ensure public funds are used effectively, construction works on site must commence within one year of the approval, failing which the in-principle funding support would lapse. The revised application procedure for the cash grant is reflected in Appendix 2-1.

Reimbursement for the Implementation of Underground Pedestrian Links in the City Centre

5. Under the Scheme, developers may apply for the cash grant to offset the  construction costs for the pedestrian walkway component of the identified links (see Appendices 1-2 to 1-4), and be eligible to be reimbursed up to S$28,700 per square metre (psm) for the cost of constructing the pedestrian walkway component of the UPL located under State land, and/or up to S$14,400 psm based on 50-50 co-sharing, for the pedestrian walkway component of the UPL located under private land. All applications will be subject to evaluation by URA and approval granted based on the merits of each proposal.

6. Apart from the identified strategic links, developers can also propose other links to be considered under the Cash Grant Reimbursement Scheme. The eligibility of these additional links for any cash grant under the Scheme will be assessed by URA based on the extent these additional links contribute towards enhancing the overall connectivity and experience of the planned UPN. For example, UPLs that can enhance the overall network, by plugging existing connectivity gaps between developments and MRT stations, will be favourably considered.

GFA Computation for Underground Pedestrian Links

7. The pedestrian walkway component of UPLs under both State and private land can be considered for Gross Floor Area (GFA) exemption if the UPL forms part of the larger network in the planned UPN, subject to the prevailing Development Control Guidelines on GFA exemption as may be issued by the Competent Authority under the Planning Act. The extent of GFA exemption shall be evaluated based on the formal plans submitted to URA.

8. As a guide, such UPLs must provide the most direct connection from the basement level to the street level. For existing developments, UPLs should connect to the main existing dedicated vertical circulation points.

Submission Process

9. All proposals for the construction of UPLs and applications under the Cash Grant Reimbursement Scheme are to be submitted to URA’s Development Control Group for evaluation and approval as part of a Development Application.

10. The application procedure for reimbursement of the construction costs of UPLs under the Cash Grant Reimbursement Scheme and the required submission materials are listed in Appendices 2-1 and 2-2.

11. The detailed design and construction of the proposed UPLs must comply with the requirements of other relevant authorities including the Land Transport Authority, Singapore Land Authority, PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

12. I would appreciate it if you could convey the contents of this circular to the relevant members of your organisation. You are advised to refer to the Development Control Handbooks and URA’s website for updated guidelines instead of referring to past circulars.

13. 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 (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. For feedback or enquiries on this circular, please email us.

Join URA's mailing list to get the latest updates on current and future plans and developments around Singapore. Click here to subscribe.