Examples of allowable uses on B1 sites under the Predominant and Ancillary (or supporting) Use categories are shown below. Uses not indicated below shall be evaluated on the merits of the case.
Allowable Predominant Uses
Core media activities, which are production services that require technical facilities such as studios and high-tech production software/hardware, are allowed as part of the 60% predominant use quantum in Business 1, Business 2 and Business Park developments.
Types of Core Media Activities
Pre-production activities provide creative conceptualisation, scripting, editorial editing, composing and text layout.
Production activities may include studio production (including dressing rooms), location production, audio recording, dubbing, media library services, printing press.
Network programming activities may include scheduling, programme management, transmission services, origination playback.
Post-production and distribution activities may include video editing, digital authoring, audio engineering, format conversion, standard conversion, tape duplication, image and audio restoration, film printing, optical disk media (e.g. mastering and replication), sorting and packaging for print media.
The e-business activities shown in the table below are regarded as industrial uses allowed as part of the 60% predominant use quantum. Data Farms/Data Centres would require prior planning permission for an assessment to be made in consultation with the relevant technical agencies on the suitability of the premises for such uses.
E-Business Activities regarded as Industrial Uses
Allowable Ancillary Uses
A list of allowable uses within the White component is shown in the table below. The actual allowable uses shall be subject to planning evaluation.
List of uses which are allowed within White component
The White component within industrial developments may be strata-subdivided. The industrial and White uses within B1 developments may be contained in separate buildings provided that there is no land subdivision.
Showroom in industrial premises are meant primarily for the display of two categories of products as follows:
Incidental sales of small items or “cash-and-carry” products may be considered only if the main activity of the showroom is for display of the two categories of products listed above.
Showroom proposals will only be considered as part of a Change of Use application, after the building has obtained a Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) and when the prospective end-user or business operator for the showroom space is known.
Showroom may be considered subject to the following:
An ancillary display area is meant only for the display of products related to the predominant industrial operations in the development.
Ancillary display area may be considered subject to the following conditions:
SLA may assess such ancillary display areas based on Group D Industrial rate for the purpose of computing Land Betterment Charge.
If an existing industrial development has a previously approved ancillary showroom (now re-termed Display Area), the owner or operator of such ancillary showroom may apply for planning permission to convert it to a showroom in accordance with the showroom definition and guideline stated above.
Alternatively, the previously approved ancillary showroom may be expanded to function as an enlarged ancillary display area in accordance with the current definition for ancillary display area and guideline stated above.
The table below shows what can or cannot be done to a previously approved ancillary showroom:
Guidelines for Previously Approved Ancillary Showrooms
Industrial canteens within industrial developments may include food stalls, cafeteria, food court primarily to serve workers in the industrial estate and may include members of the public.
These may be approved on Temporary Permission for up to 5 years subject to the following:
To provide basic amenities to workers in industrial estates located away from commercial centres, selected commercial uses namely; clinics, banking halls/ATMS, mini marts, fitness centre/gyms, may be considered on Temporary Permission for up to 3 years subject to the following:
CCCs within B1 industrial developments are meant to serve parents working in the industrial estate. Proposed CCCs may be considered only within B1 developments, subject to clearances from the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA). CCCs are not permitted within B2 developments. See NEA’s webpage here and ECDA’s webpage here for more information.
SLA may assess such CCCs based on Group E Civic and Community Institution rate for the purpose of computing Land Betterment Charge.
Workers’ dormitories are premises used primarily as lodging for workers unrelated by blood, marriage, or adoption or legal guardianship. Dormitories may comprise new extensions to existing buildings or new building blocks within an industrial development or may be converted from existing spaces within an industrial development.
New workers’ dormitories located outside specified areas (refer to Table 1 and 2 below) or renewal of existing dormitories may be considered on Temporary Permission (TP) for up to 5 years subject to compliance with prevailing guidelines and the use not causing disamenities.
To provide more temporary housing options for migrant workers while additional purpose-built dormitories are being constructed, URA and technical agencies will now assess applications for (i) new temporary workers’ dormitories and (ii) increase in the number of workers in existing dormitories located within the specified industrial areas (refer to Table 1 below) on individual basis. If supported, the use will be on 3-years TP, and may not be renewed subsequently.
Note: The following guidelines are for workers’ dormitories located within industrial developments. Independent workers’ dormitories located separately from the industrial development may be allowed only on land zoned Civic and Community Institution. Click here for Guidelines for independent workers’ dormitories.
Table 1: List of Specified Areas where new temporary workers’ dormitories and increase in number of workers for existing dormitories may be considered
Table 2: List of Specified Areas where no new temporary workers’ dormitories and increase in number of workers for existing dormitories are allowed
The use quantum of the temporary workers’ dormitories and other ancillary supporting amenities for the dormitory use shall not exceed 49% of the overall GFA of the development, as stated in the circular dated 10 Feb 2023.
A maximum 3.6m floor-to-floor height control shall apply to new dormitory extensions or blocks on site. There are no height controls for workers’ dormitories converted from existing spaces within the industrial development.
The maximum number of workers/residents allowed in a dormitory is subject to planning assessment by URA and requirements of technical agencies such as LTA, PUB, SCDF, NEA, MOM, and SPF. It is also subjected to the living space standard of minimum 4.2sqm of living space per resident*, whichever is lower.
*Living space per resident was set out in MOM-MND-MOH's press release dated 17 Sept 2021. See details in Amenity Provision Guidelines.
To enhance liveability for workers/residents in a dormitory and strengthen resilience against future pandemics, adequate facilities and amenities shall be provided as part of the dormitory development based on the requirements stated in the table below.
Applications for new workers’ dormitory use are to comply with all the requirements (e.g. living space per resident, occupancy per bedroom unit, etc) as stated in the press release issued by MOM, MND and MOH dated 17 Sept 2021.
Amenity Provision
As per MOM-MND-MOH's press release dated 17 Sept 2021, a minimum 4.2sqm of living space per resident shall be provided.
The 4.2sqm of living space per resident includes the sleeping and living areas in the rooms. However, it excludes designated functional areas, such as the en-suite toilets, kitchens, and yard spaces.
0.30sqm per worker/resident (minimum of one 240sqm hard court)
and
0.15sqm per worker/resident of open grass field (over and above outdoor recreational space and green buffer/planting strip requirements) with at least 1 field of minimum 100sqm Only recreational spaces shall be counted towards this provision requirement
No minimum quantum
Maximum 75sqm
Minimum 0.10sqm and maximum 0.30sqm per worker/resident
Cap of 1,000sqm of total commercial GFA quantum
If the dormitory is located within 400m of a Recreation Centre, the commercial GFA cap is at (i) 0.20sqm per worker/resident or (ii) 1,000sqm of total commercial GFA quantum, whichever is lower
Last updated on 10 February 2023