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Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
Circulars

Guidelines on Temporary Change of Use to Hotel Use within Selected Shophouses and Shopflat Developments

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General

1 March 2004

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Circular No : URA/PB/2004/05-PPD

Our Ref : DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_04

Fax : 6227 4792

Circular was amended on 15 Feb 2006

CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

  1. Hotel1 development is permissible within sites zoned Hotel in the Master Plan. Hotel development on sites zoned Commercial and Commercial & Residential are subject to case-by-case evaluation and generally not supported within an area where feedback on disamenities from the existing hotels have been received. Please see Appendix 1-1,1-2,1-3 &1-4 for these locations.

  2. Sites which are not zoned Hotel, Commercial or Commercial & Residential will generally not be supported for hotel use.

Temporary change of use of existing buildings

  1. To attract a wider variety of tourists to Singapore, URA and STB are keen to increase the range of tourist accommodation in Singapore. In particular, more budget no-frills lodging in the form of boarding houses, tourist hostels and dormitories could be introduced to attract more backpackers to visit Singapore.

  2. Hence, we have reviewed the guidelines and can now allow existing shophouse and shopflat developments in selected locations to convert to hotel use on a temporary basis subject to the requirements below. These locations are inAppendix 2.

  3. For existing shophouse and shopflat developments in areas where adverse feedback against hotels have been received, the temporary change of use for hotel will generally not be supported unless the applicants are able to provide adequate measures to address potential amenity concerns. However, such applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis and if allowed, would be subject to the requirements below. These locations are inAppendix 3.

Requirements for temporary change of use to hotel in the selected locations

  1. Interested operators keen to set up hotels or other tourist accommodations in the selected locations inAppendices 2 and3 are required to submit a Change of Use Application to URA for consideration.

  2. The requirements for such temporary change of use to hotel are as follows:
    a.  The subject building is an existing shophouse or shopflat building which has not undergone reconstruction or redevelopment. Purpose-built mixed-use developments designed with appropriate separation (e.g. separate block, separate access) of residential units from the commercial uses are not permitted for change of use.b. The proposed change of use is subject to compliance with all development control requirements.c. The proposed change of use must include all the residential units located on the same floor sharing a common lift or staircase access and the hotel should preferably be located below the residential units in the building. This is to ensure that the hotel use does not cause any negative impact on any immediate neighbours. Conversion to hotel can also be considered for the entire building.d. Permission will be granted on temporary basis for a period of one year. Only one temporary permission will be granted to a single operator for the each change of use proposal. The temporary permission can be renewed if the hotel use does not create any disamenity problems to the surrounding residents.e. Operators must take every care to ensure that the activities of their businesses do not cause disturbance to the neighbours. For instance, the hotel shall not be used illegally as workers’ quarters. Should the use attract complaints on disamenities and the operator fails to take mitigating measures or should the hotel use be changed illegally to other uses, the temporary permission will be terminated.f. Upon redevelopment of the site, any temporary permission granted to the site for conversion to hotel use will cease to apply immediately. The redevelopment is to adhere to the long-term intention of the Master Plan zoning, i.e. for Residential with Commercial on 1st Storey or Commercial & Residential.

  3. For existing standalone purpose-built commercial/residential developments zoned Commercial & Residential and not included in the streetblocks in Appendices 2 and 3, conversions of individual flats to hotel will generally not be supported unless the proposal includes all the residential units in the development. There are greater disamenity concerns if ad-hoc conversion to hotel is proposed in these purpose-built predominantly residential developments.

Compliance with Technical Requirements

  1. Prospective hotel operators should consult the relevant technical agencies to ensure that the development complies with the necessary requirements before proceeding to submit for change-of-use approval.

  2. Shophouses with timber flooring are generally not allowed for hotel use due to fire safety concerns. Prospective hotel operators could consult the Fire Safety & Shelter Department (FSSD) on fire-safety measures to ensure that the hotel complies with the FSSD requirements before proceeding with the change of use application.

  3. For more information on setting up hotels and related operations, please approach Singapore Tourism Board - Hospitality Business atfeedback@stb.com.sg orhttp://app.stb.com.sg/asp/fee/fee01a.asp.

  4. Applications for change of use can be submitted electronically via the URA website athttp://www.ura.gov.sg/dc/dcu/contents.html. Please note that the applicant has to obtain the consent of the owner before submitting the application.

  5. I would appreciate it if you could convey the contents of this circular to relevant members of your organisation. If you or your members have any queries concerning this circular, please do not hesitate to call our Customer Service Hotline at Tel: 6223 4811 or e-mail us atura_dcd@ura.gov.sg. We would be pleased to answer queries on this, and any other development control matter. For your information, the past circulars to the professional institutes are available from our websitehttp://www.ura.gov.sg.


Thank you.

Thank You.

FOO CHEE SEE
DIRECTOR (DEVELOPMENT CONTROL)
for CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

1 Hotel includes, boarding house, guest house, tourist hostel and backpackers’ hostel.

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