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  3. Development Control
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  5. Semi-Detached Houses
  6. Redeveloping to a Semi-Detached House

Semi-Detached Houses

Redeveloping to a Semi-Detached House

A corner terrace house plot may be redeveloped into a new pair of semi-detached houses, provided:

  • It can comply with the minimum plot width and size, and
  • The adjoining terrace plot has 8m plot width and 200sqm plot size.

Any unit in a row of intermediate terrace houses may be redeveloped to a semi-detached house provided:

  • The plot size and width are sufficient to allow the change, and
  • The adjacent affected unit that the subject unit is detaching from, may be rebuilt into a corner terrace unit in the future (ie has a minimum plot size of 200sqm and width of 8m).

The creation of a new blank party wall at the common boundary for a new house is generally not allowed.

For all redevelopments involving detachment from an existing unit, resulting in a bare and exposed party wall at the existing unit, the person undertaking the redevelopment shall do the following:

  • Submit to the Building and Construction Authority, an engineer’s certification of the structural stability of the remaining unit;
  • Plaster and paint the exposed blank wall and neaten any exposed roof of the remaining semi-detached house or terrace house as soon as the existing building(s) on the subject site is demolished; and
  • Allow the adjacent owner access to the site to maintain or repair the roof and the exposed blank wall of the remaining semi-detached house or terrace house. This shall not be required if part of the party wall within the subject site is retained.

After the adjoining semi-detached house is redeveloped, the remaining semi-detached unit may remain as approved.

Illustrated Examples

Not Allowed The left-behind Plot A is not large enough for a standard bungalow. House B shall not be allowed to break away and be redeveloped into a bungalow.
Allowed B may redevelop into a semi-detached house and a bungalow.




Allowed The left-behind Plot A may redevelop into a bungalow. House B may redevelop into a bungalow or a pair of semi-detached houses (in a semi-detached area).

In a mixed landed area, House B may redevelop into a bungalow, a pair of semi-detached houses or 3 terrace houses.

Owner of House B shall be required to comply with the following conditions:

  1. Plaster and paint the exposed blank wall and neaten any exposed roof of the remaining house as soon as the existing building(s) on the subject site is demolished;
  2. Allow the owner of the adjacent house access to the subject site to maintain or repair the roof and the exposed blank wall of the remaining house; and
  3. Submit to BCA an engineer’s certification of the structural stability of the remaining house.


Not Allowed B shall not be allowed to redevelop into a semi-detached house and a bungalow because it would create a new blank wall at the common boundary with A.
Not Allowed The left-behind Plot A may redevelop into a bungalow. B shall not be allowed to redevelop into a semi-detached house and a bungalow because it would create a new blank wall at the common boundary with A if A breaks away and redevelops into a bungalow.


Not Allowed B shall not be allowed to redevelop into 2 terrace houses because A is a semi-detached house.
Allowed A joint redevelopment by both A and B into 4 terrace houses may be allowed.


Allowed The left-behind Plot D has sufficient plot size and plot width for a corner terrace house. House E may redevelop into a bungalow or a pair of semi-detached house.

Owner of House E shall be required to comply with the following conditions:

  1. Plaster and paint the exposed blank wall and neaten any exposed roof of the remaining house as soon as the existing building(s) on the subject site is demolished;
  2. Allow the owner of the adjacent house access to the subject site to maintain or repair the roof and the exposed blank wall of the remaining house; and
  3. Submit to BCA an engineer’s certification of the structural stability of the remaining house.
House E may also redevelop into an intermediate terrace and corner terrace.


Not Allowed The left-behind Plot D does not have sufficient plot size and plot width for a corner terrace house. House E shall not be allowed to redevelop into a bungalow.


Allowed Plot D may redevelop into a corner terrace house as it has sufficient plot size and plot width and Plot E has sufficient plot size and plot width to redevelop into a bungalow or a pair of semi-detached houses.

Owner of House D shall be required to comply with the following conditions:

  1. Plaster and paint the exposed blank wall and neaten any exposed roof of the remaining house as soon as the existing building(s) on the subject site is demolished;
  2. Allow the owner of the adjacent house access to the subject site to maintain or repair the roof and the exposed blank wall of the remaining house; and
  3. Submit to BCA an engineer’s certification of the structural stability of the remaining house.

Last updated on 5 July 2019

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