REJUVENATION INCENTIVES FOR STRATEGIC AREAS: Central Business District (CBD) Incentive Scheme

Circular No : URA/PB/2019/04-CUDG

Our Ref : DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_19

CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

Who Should Know:
Developers, building owners, architects and engineers

Effective Date:
With effect from the date of gazette for Master Plan 2019

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

Objectives

1. Changing global trends are reshaping the way and spaces in which people live, work and play. To attract talent, business districts all over the world are racing to become attractive places that cater to the varied needs of modern lifestyles. Singapore’s Downtown, comprising the Central Business District (CBD) and Marina Bay, is no exception.

2. To better support the continued growth and evolution of our CBD as a dynamic global hub, URA is introducing a new set of incentives to reposition our CBD as a 24/7 mixed-use district so that the CBD will not only be a place to work, but also a vibrant place to live and play in.

3. The incentives aim to encourage the conversion of existing, older, office developments into mixed-use developments that will help to rejuvenate the CBD by:

   1. Providing a wider diversity of uses, including more residences, hotels, and creative lifestyle possibilities;

   2. Realising better connectivity to adjacent developments and transport nodes;

   3. Creating a more intimate, people-friendly environment with walkable streets and public spaces that will provide an appealing address for people to live and work in.

4. The incentives are calibrated to encourage:

   1. The creation of mixed-use neighbourhoods at the CBD fringe areas of Anson and Cecil Street, with greater extent of residential uses supported by a variety of social/community amenities;

   2. A blend of mixed-uses within Robinson Road, Shenton Way and Tanjong Pagar, while retaining the predominantly commercial character of the core areas of our CBD in Raffles Place.  

Eligibility Criteria

5. Eligibility for the scheme is subject to the criteria as outlined in Table 1 and 2 below.

Location

6. Existing predominantly office developments in selected areas where mixed-use neighbourhoods are encouraged will be eligible for the incentives.

Minimum Size

7. To safeguard the quality of the resultant developments, only sites that meet a minimum site area will be eligible for the incentives. This requirement will vary according to specific considerations within each area to avoid creating a wall-like environment:

Allowable Land Uses & Maximum Allowable Increase in Development Intensity

8. Residential and Hotel uses are encouraged within mixed-use developments to inject live-in population into the CBD.

9. The allowable land uses and the corresponding maximum allowable increases in development intensity are shown in Table 3. Approval of the allowable uses will be subject to the statutory rezoning process and compliance with Rule 4 and Rule 7 of the Planning (Master Plan) Rules.

Table 3

10. Any proposed increase in development intensity will be subject to:

    1. Planning approval by URA and payment of development charge or differential premium where applicable;

    2. Compliance with the prevailing urban design guidelines for the Downtown Core Planning Area;

    3. Adoption of the lower bound of the Range-Based Parking Provision Standards as prescribed in LTA’s prevailing Code of Practice for Vehicle Parking Provision;

    4. A minimum score of Green Mark Platinum for the resultant development.

11. The maximum development intensity shown in Table 3 will be assessed based on the detailed design, in relation to the site context and other planning or urban design considerations. URA may refuse planning approval, or grant planning approval with conditions if the proposal is not aligned with the planning intention of the area, or if the proposal is unable to comply with relevant technical and urban design requirements.

12. Any increase in development intensity approved by URA under this scheme will not count towards the future development potential of the subject site.

13. Bonus Gross Floor Area (GFA) will not apply for the Green Mark requirements. Developments will still be eligible for Bonus GFA granted under other applicable schemes such as balcony or indoor recreational spaces, subject to the prevailing overall cap on Bonus GFA.

14. Lease renewals, where applicable, will be subject to the approval of SLA and assessed in line with the Government’s prevailing lease renewal policy.

15. Sites that fall within the designated areas for the CBD Incentive Scheme will be guided by the CBD Incentive Scheme instead of being considered under the SDI Scheme (Ref: URA/PB/2019/03-CUDG).

Submission Process

16. Applications under this scheme should be made as an Outline Application to URA’s Development Control Group. Standard processing and application fees will apply.

Implementation

17. The scheme as outlined above will be implemented from the date of gazette for Master Plan 2019 for a period of five years. URA will review the effectiveness and relevance of the scheme at the end of this five-year period. URA reserves the right to vary or change the specific requirements and extent of incentives outlined in the scheme during this five-year period.

18. Prior to the gazette of Master Plan 2019, this scheme will be used as guidance when considering any Outline Applications received in the designated areas within the Downtown Core Planning Area.

19. I would appreciate it if you could convey the contents of this circular to your members. You are advised to refer to the Development Control Handbooks and URA’s website for updated guidelines instead of referring to past circulars. For other information on the master plan, urban design guidelines, private property use and approval, car park locations and availability, private residential property transactions, and conservation areas and buildings, use URA SPACE ↗ (opens in new tab) (Service Portal and Community e-Services). This is an online portal packed with useful data and visualisation to help building professionals, business operators and the general public in their decision-making. It consolidates detailed information on land use and private property into a one-stop platform presented on geospatial maps. For feedback or enquiries on this circular, please email ↗ (opens in new tab) us.

Thank You.

CHOU MEI (MS)
GROUP DIRECTOR (CONSERVATION & URBAN DESIGN)
for CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

¹ Master Plan 2019 GPR or Approved GPR, whichever is higher.