Revised Gross Floor Area (GFA) Apportionment Rules for Common Areas in Mixed Use Developments

Circular No : URA/PB/2015/07-DCG

Our Ref : DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_15

Fax : 6227 4792

CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

Who Should Know:
Developers, architects and engineers

Effective Date:
With effect from 5 October 2015

1. This circular sets the new rules to apportion the GFA of common areas such as corridors, lift lobbies and staircases in mixed use developments.

2. URA apportions these common areas to specific use(s) for the purposes of administering the use quantum control and computing development charge/differential premium. URA has received feedback that the previous rules used to apportion the common areas can create uncertainty as they are subject to different interpretations and may vary according to the values of the different uses which may change over time. The revised rules will give the industry more clarity and certainty.

New GFA apportionment rules

3. The GFA of common areas will be apportioned based on the following principles:

   1. Attributable space: Where a space is exclusively used for a specific purpose, it will be apportioned to the specific use (see Figure 1).

   2. Non-attributable space: Where the space is not exclusively used for a specific purpose (e.g. it is used for two or more purposes), it will be apportioned based on the weighted average, pegged to the prescribed use quantum mix in the Master Plan zoning in Appendix 1 (see Figure 2).

Figure 1

Figure 2

4. The new apportionment rules will be applied on a per floor basis. If a floor is occupied by a single use (e.g. Commercial), any vertical circulation GFA areas like staircases on that floor will be apportioned to Commercial use, though they may also be used by other users (e.g. Residential) above for escape purposes.  However, if the floor is occupied by two or more uses¹ for which the staircase GFA on that floor cannot be exclusively attributed, they will be regarded as non-attributable space and apportioned based on weighted average, pegged to the prescribed use quantum in the Master Plan zoning.

White sites

5. Common areas in White site developments with only a single proposed use will be apportioned to that proposed use.  For White site developments with multiple proposed uses (e.g. Commercial, Residential and Hotel), the non-attributable common areas will be apportioned based on simple average of the uses in the development (i.e. 1/3 Commercial, 1/3 Residential and 1/3 Hotel). The simple average apportionment of common area GFA on “white use” floors will similarly apply to the White components of Business Park, Business Park-White and Business-White zones.

Sites with specific use quantum mix stated in tender or lease conditions

6. For sites where the tender or lease conditions state that the land is to be developed for a certain use quantum mix, non-attributable common areas will be apportioned based on the specific use quantum mix stated in the tender or lease conditions, rather than the Master Plan zoning. For example, if the lease conditions for a site zoned Commercial require that the site is to be developed for a use quantum mix of 65% Commercial and 35% Civic & Community Institution, the non-attributable spaces will be apportioned based on 65% Commercial and 35% Civic & Community Institution, rather than 100% Commercial.

7. For White sites where the tender or lease conditions stipulate a minimum quantum control on a particular use (e.g. minimum 30% Service Apartment), this will be taken into account when apportioning the non-attributable common areas with the balance 70% distributed to the other proposed uses in the development on a simple average basis. For example, if the White site has a requirement of minimum 30% Service Apartment use and the development also has Commercial and Hotel uses, the apportionment of the non-attributable common areas will be based on 30% Service Apartment, 35% Commercial and 35% Hotel. 

Implementation

8. The new GFA apportionment rules will apply to all New Erection, major and minor Additions & Alterations and Amendment development applications² submitted on or after 5 October 2015. To allow the industry time to adapt to the changes, URA will continue to accept submissions based on the previous rules up to 5 January 2016. Formal development applications (excluding Outline Applications) submitted on or before 5 January 2016 which have already been granted Provisional Permission or which will result in a Provisional Permission have the option of applying the new or previous apportionment rules in their subsequent resubmission.

9. 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 call our Development Control Group (DCG) Enquiry Line at Tel: 6223 4811 or email us at ura_dcd@ura.gov.sg. For your information, past circulars and guidelines are available at our website http://www.ura.gov.sg.

Thank You.

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

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¹ These should comprise actual uses and not common areas.  For example, on full Commercial floors with lift lobbies that serve Hotel uses, vertical circulation areas like staircases on that floor will be apportioned to Commercial use.  However, on mixed floors with both Hotel and Shop uses, vertical circulation areas will be apportioned based on weighted average.

² The previous GFA apportionment rules will apply to Amendment & Regularisation applications made purely to regularize the GFA of developments approved based on the previous rules.

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