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Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
Circulars

Revised Guidelines for the Integration of Community and Sports Facilities in Commercial Developments

Tags

Development Control

General

6 February 2012

Circular No : URA/PB/2012/01-PPG

Our Ref : DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_12

Fax : 6227 4792

CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

Who Should Know:
Architects, developers, building owners, community service providers1 and national sports associations

Effective Date:
With effect from 06 February 2012 and to remain valid until 06 February 2015

Existing Guidelines

  1. The Community/Sports Facilities Scheme (CSFS) for the integration of community facilities in commercial developments was first introduced on 5 May 2003. The scheme was set up to facilitate the co-location of compatible community uses with commercial uses for mutual benefit. It underwent revisions2 between 2005 and 2009 to meet various needs.

  2. To qualify for the CSFS, the community/sports uses should feature non-profit organisations with strong community outreach. Their programmes should have a predominant public outreach component which directly serves the general public. Such non-profit organisations are better enabled to serve their social mission by locating in highly accessible commercial developments.

  3. Since the scheme was introduced in 2003, many community providers, including eldercare services, childcare services, as well as social services have benefitted from the scheme. Approved uses also include community libraries.

  4. While the CSFS has benefitted many community uses, we have received several proposals which are not aligned with the intention of the CSFS. Some examples include programmes which do not have a public or community outreach component or are commercial in nature. To ensure that all parties have a clear understanding of the uses that can be supported under the CSFS, we have refined the guidelines further.

Revised guidelines

  1. The revision to the CSFS is as follows:

    1. The predominant use of the CSFS space should be for community outreach: This can include community engagement activities and social services. Other ancillary uses (e.g. supporting office use) should be kept to a maximum of 40% of the total Gross Floor Area (GFA) of the CSFS space.

    2. CSFS proposals are intended primarily for commercial retail developments which are highly accessible: Proposals in hotel developments are not supported as the resultant synergies with community service providers are limited. The scheme can be extended to office developments if it is clear that the proposed community service provider has clear synergies with the office development and demonstrates that the services cater to the needs of the office workers. Office uses will not be considered under the CSFS.

  2. To ensure that CSFS users continue to provide community services for the general public for the duration of their lease, the championing government agencies will conduct a review every three years. The review will help to ascertain that the community service providers utilising CSFS spaces are providing meaningful public services.

  3. For sports uses under the CSFS, the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) will take the head lease for CSFS spaces and ensure that it is operated as a community facility. SSC may appoint a suitable agent to manage the sports facility.

  4. The additional GFA that the commercial development can put to community and/or sports uses is subject to an overall cap of 2,000 sqm or 10% of the total GFA allowable under the Master Plan3, whichever is lower. This cap will be retained. The additional GFA approved for the community and/or sports use will not form the future development potential of the site upon redevelopment. This additional GFA quantum has been sufficient to meet the space requirements of most CSFS users thus far.

  5. The commercial development that can be considered for the community and/or sports uses must be in close proximity to transport nodes or Town Centres/Neighbourhood Centres, and must be supported from the planning, land use and traffic points of view.

  6. The details of the updated guidelines to facilitate the co-location of community and sports uses within commercial developments are summarised in Appendix 1 [PDF, 144 KB] (opens in new tab).

Implementation

  1. The revised guidelines on the integration of community and sports facilities in commercial developments will take effect from 06 Feb 2012. The revised scheme will apply to all new development applications received on or after the effective date. Only formal development applications (which do not include Outline Applications) with a valid Provisional Permission (PP) issued for the proposed community and/or sports facility before the effective date will continue to be evaluated under the previous guidelines (see Circular No.: URA/PB/2009/07-PPG).

  2. This circular supersedes the previous Circular: URA/PB/2009/07-PPG and should be read in conjunction with the overall 10% bonus GFA budget in URA’s Circular No: URA/PB/2009/03-DCG dated 29 April 2009 on “Framework for Managing Bonus Gross Floor Area Incentives”.

  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 Development Control Group (DCG) Enquiry Line at Tel: 6223 4811 or e-mail us at ura_dcd@ura.gov.sg (opens in new tab). We will be pleased to answer queries on this subject and any other development control matters. For your information, our past circulars to the professional institutes are available from our website http://www.ura.gov.sg (opens in new tab). 

Thank You.

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

1 Community service providers can be government agencies, Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs), and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

2 In 2005, the CSFS was revised to better meet the needs of developers and community service providers. In 2008, the scheme was extended to include selected public sports uses. In 2009, the additional GFA allowed under the CSFS was revised.

3 The 'total GFA allowable under the Master Plan' does not include any additional GFA that may be allowed for a site under planning guidelines or incentive schemes approved by the Minister as provided under para 9.1 of the Master Plan Written Statement.