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Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
Circulars

Conversion of Surplus Car Parking in Commercial, Mixed Use and Hotel Developments within the Central Area

15 April 2016

Tags

Development Control

Circular No : URA/PB/2016/06-DCG

Our Ref : DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_16; LTA/DBC/F20.033.005

CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

Who Should Know:
Developers, building owners, tenants and Qualified Persons (QPs)

Effective Date:
With effect from 15 April 2016

This circular is to be read in conjunction with Circular URA/PB/2020/06-CUDG dated 3 August 2020.

  1. Surplus car parking spaces1 can now be permanently converted to other uses in commercial, mixed use and hotel developments within the Central Area (see Appendix 1 [PDF, 804.53 KB] (opens in new tab)). Previously, building owners could only convert surplus car parking spaces to other uses on a temporary basis2. The new policy also means that the conversion is imposed a development charge / differential premium of 70% of value enhancement, while the previous temporary conversions had required payment of temporary development levy based on 100% of value enhancement.

  2. Building owners are encouraged to take the opportunity to convert the excess parking spaces and optimise their developments, in view of significant improvements to public transport capacity and connectivity in the city. Stage 2 of the Downtown Line began service in December 2015 and Stage 3 will be operational in 2017. The Thomson-East Coast Line will also begin service in stages, starting from 2019. With these new lines and the ongoing capacity and headway upgrades to existing lines, peak period city-bound train capacity will increase by about 55% compared to today. The Bus Service Enhancement Programme will also see continued bus service improvements by adding 1,000 Government-funded buses to the public bus network by 2017. This includes 22 City Direct Services that directly connect residents to the city centre in addition to new public bus services plying the city.

Application

  1. Building owners need to note the following when applying for conversion of surplus car parking spaces:

    • The proposed uses must be in line with the Master Plan zoning for the site and the planning intention for the surrounding area;

    • Besides meeting LTA’s prevailing parking provision standards, the resultant car parking provision within the development must take into account the additional GFA and proposed uses;

    • The existing infrastructure and traffic network must be able to support the increase in GFA, and take into consideration proposed measures to mitigate traffic generation; and

    • Payment of development charge / differential premium (based on the usual 70% of value enhancement) is required, where applicable, in relation to the additional GFA.

  2. LTA will allow3 the conversion of car parking spaces to the Minimum Allowable Provision (MAP), i.e. 20% below the prevailing car parking standards as stipulated by LTA’s Range-Based Car Parking Standards (RCPS).

  3. The detailed uses and any changes to the building form and design will be subject to evaluation by URA and the relevant agencies.

  4. There may be specific conditions that do not support the conversion of the surplus car parking spaces, such as those previously imposed by URA or other government agencies (e.g. through land sales conditions), or when the site is located within or adjacent to Conservation Areas, and the additional car parking spaces support the uses within the conserved buildings. In such situations, we will have to assess the conversion application more closely because of the larger impact on the surrounding areas.

Submission Details

  1. Please arrange for a pre-application consultation with LTA (via Corenet) before submitting a development application to URA. In addition to completing the current forms to furnish the GFA details and parking computation, all applications are to include the completed forms attached in Appendices 2 [PDF, 186.50 KB] (opens in new tab) & 3 [PDF, 139.58 KB] (opens in new tab).

  2. Please convey the contents of this circular to the relevant members of your organisations. Answers to anticipated questions can be found in Appendix 5 [PDF, 209.92 KB] (opens in new tab). Further enquiries on this circular and the submission processes can be made to:

Thank You.

LINA LIM
GROUP DIRECTOR (POLICY AND PLANNING)
for CHIEF EXECUTIVE
LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

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

1 Surplus car parking spaces are created when the car parking spaces provided within a development exceeds the minimum requirements under LTA’s prevailing car parking standards.

2  Temporary permission would be granted if the surplus arose from initial overprovision by building owners at the time of development. On the other hand, if the surplus arose from downward revision of LTA’s car parking standards over time, permanent permission would be granted.

3 See Appendix 4 [PDF, 283 KB] (opens in new tab) for samples of computation of car parking requirements for proposals to convert surplus parking provision to useable GFA.