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Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
Circulars

Guidelines for Development or Additions & Alterations (A&A) of Existing Flats & Condominiums within Safeguarded Landed Housing Areas

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General

6 April 2009

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Circular No : URA/PB/2009/02-DCG

Our Ref : DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_09

Fax : 6227 4792

CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

Who Should Know:
Architects, engineers, developers, home owners within designated landed housing areas (LHAs) and owners of flats and condominiums located within a LHA.

Effective Date:
06 Apr 2009

Objective

The guidelines are to facilitate landowners’ redevelopment or additions & alterations plans for their existing flats and condominiums while ensuring that the works are sympathetic to the character of the surrounding landed housing.

Background

  1. Landed Housing Areas (LHA) are areas safeguarded specifically for landed housing developments on an estate basis to better protect the character of the entire area. There are, however, existing flats and condominiums within the LHAs approved prior to the designation of such LHAs. The guidelines in this circular are to guide such existing flats and condominiums as and when they are to be redeveloped or where A&A works are proposed.

Redevelopment

  1. Upon redevelopment, these existing flats and condominiums have a choice to either follow the current Master Plan (MP) controls (ie. to build landed housing) or to retain the existing flats / condominium housing form. If a landed housing development is proposed, the current MP prescribed landed housing form and storey height would apply.

  2. However, the non-conforming existing flats or condominiums may be redeveloped back to their approved flats / condominium housing form, provided there is no intensification of the existing approved gross floor area (GFA) and storey height. This principle is to protect the overall landed housing environment while giving some flexibility to facilitate redevelopment works.

  3. The following detailed guidelines will apply for the above redevelopment proposals for flats and condominiums:

    • There shall be no increase to the approved GFA of the re-development. Any balcony proposed for the redevelopment would be counted as part the approved GFA. Bonus GFA schemes will not apply.

    • For existing 2-storey flats and condominiums approved within a 3-storey height control of the LHA, the redevelopment proposals can follow the LHA storey height control of 3-storeys.

    • For existing flats and condominiums approved with storey height exceeding the height control of the LHA, the redevelopment may be allowed to retain the existing height, provided they are located outside the following special height controlled areas:

      1. where the area is affected by urban design requirements, technical height controls or special requirements; and

      2. within the vicinity of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, where special height restrictions remain to protect the visual amenity of the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

For sites within the areas mentioned above, the maximum allowable height upon redevelopment will be assessed based on the context of the surrounding area and the proposed layout.

  1. For redeveloped flats and condominiums exceeding the LHA storey height control, there should also be no increase in the absolute building height1. The new redevelopment design and layout should be sensitive to the surrounding landed housing.

  2. Compliance with prevailing development control parameters for the flats and condominiums.

Minor Additions & Alterations (A&A) Works

  1. Minor A&A works are allowed for the existing flats and condominiums. The principle guiding A&A works are same as those for redevelopment (ie. the new works should not involve further intensification of GFA and building height, and should not pose amenity problems to the surrounding landed housing).

  2. For A&A works affecting the common areas, the planning application should be made through the Management Corporation (MCST). For works within a strata unit, the submission should be made by the subsidiary proprietors, with the necessary endorsement and / or resolution passed by the MCST.

  3. I would appreciate it if you could convey the contents of this circular to the relevant members of your organisation. If you or your members have any queries concerning this circular, please do not hesitate to call our DCD Enquiry Line 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.

HAN YONG HOE
GROUP DIRECTOR (DEVELOPMENT CONTROL)
for CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

  1. This includes keeping to the existing building, storey height and roof envelope as well as the existing terrain

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