Commercial

Commercial uses are confined to the 1^st storey.

Allowable Location of Commercial Uses - Type A

Allowable Location of Commercial Uses - Type B

Commercial uses at the basement and upper floors may be considered for developments located within the Central Area or if the development is within a mixed use area fronting major arterial routes outside the Central Area. Proposals to transfer commercial uses to the other storeys shall be evaluated depending on merits, taking into consideration the location, site context, traffic, and impact on the surroundings.

If permitted, proposals to transfer commercial uses to the other storey shall comply with the following guidelines:

• Total commercial quantum shall not exceed the maximum commercial quantum allowed at the 1^st storey;
• There shall be commercial uses at the 1^st storey fronting the street;
• The commercial areas shall be contiguous;
• There shall be a clear separation between the commercial and residential uses;
• The commercial uses shall be kept within the minimum height of the building edge for the streetblock or 4-storeys, whichever is applicable; and
• The commercial uses shall not create disamenity to the adjoining residential use

The allowable commercial quantum is determined by the 1^st storey building footprint.

Commercial uses that are likely to cause disamenity to the residents are not allowed. Examples of such commercial uses include night clubs and karaoke bars.

Setback Requirements for Residential with 1^st Storey Commercial Developments

All buildings in “Residential with Commercial at 1^st Storey” developments shall be sufficiently set back from the road and common boundary. The setback distance is measured from the road reserve¹ line or boundary line to the external wall of the buildings, excluding land to be vested to the State for road and/or drainage purpose.

All buildings in “Residential with Commercial at 1^st Storey” developments fronting a public road shall provide a road buffer, the width of which depends on the hierarchy of the road. A green buffer shall be set aside in the road buffer depending on the width of the road buffer.

The road buffer and common boundary setback requirements for “Residential with Commercial at 1^st Storey” developments are determined by the building form and are detailed in the table below.

Road Buffer and Common Boundary Setback

“Residential with Commercial at 1^st Storey” developments may abut the road reserve at the front if:

• The site is within the Central Area (PDF, 436 KB); and/or
• The site is constrained or if there is an intention to retain the existing streetscape which is abutting the road reserve line.

¹ Road Reserve: The plot of land to be vested in the State as required under the Street Works Act. It is demarcated by the line of Road Reserve in the Road Line Plan and the site boundary.

The floor-to-floor height control for the various uses in the “Residential with Commercial at 1^st storey” development is shown in the table below.

Floor-to-Floor Height

• Outside Key Routes
  Proposals for pure residential developments shall be assessed based on the compatibility of the proposal with the surrounding land uses and planning intention.

• Along Key Routes in Central Area
  Proposals for pure residential developments without activity-generating commercial uses such as retail, food and beverage, and entertainment shall not be supported.

*Key routes are indicated in the Activity Generating Uses Control Plan here.

Shophouses and shopflats are developments with shops at the 1^st storey and flats on the upper storeys. They are usually located on land zoned Residential with Commercial at 1^st Storey but may be allowed on land zoned Commercial & Residential.

The parking guidelines for commercial developments listed in this handbook shall apply to mixed-use developments where the commercial and/or hotel components form more than 20% of the total GFA.