Updated Urban Design Guidelines and Plans for Urban Design Areas

Circular No : URA/PB/2025/11-CUDG

Our Ref : DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_25

CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

Who Should Know:
Building owners, Qualified Persons and developers

Effective Date:
With effect from 1 Dec 2025

Objective

1. As part of the Master Plan 2025 gazette, URA has updated the urban design guidelines and plans applicable to the Urban Design Areas as listed below:

   1. Downtown Core

   2. Marina South

   3. Museum

   4. Newton

   5. Orchard

   6. Outram

   7. Rochor

   8. River Valley

   9. Singapore River

   10. Jurong Lake District

   11. Punggol Digital District

   12. Paya Lebar Central

   13. Woodlands Regional Centre

2. These guidelines are available in the links above as well as in a map-based version on URA SPACE (Guidelines).

3. The urban design guidelines provide an overview of the general requirements for developments in the respective Urban Design Areas. For specific sites, additional guidelines may be issued where necessary. The guidelines included herewith do not supersede the detailed guidelines issued, nor the approved plans for developments for specific sites.

4. All new developments, redevelopments and existing buildings undergoing major or minor refurbishment are required to comply with the updated guidelines. This circular will also supersede the previous circular URA/PB/2019/18-CUDG on Updated Urban Design Guidelines and Plans for Urban Design Areas.

Implementation

5. The guidelines will apply to relevant Development Applications submitted to URA on or after 1 Dec 2025.  Where URA’s Planning Permission is applicable, development applications submitted to URA before the effective date that result in a grant of Provisional Permission (PP) or Design Gateway (DG) clearance will not be subject to the new guidelines. The new requirements shall apply in all other scenarios.

6. I would appreciate it if you could convey the contents of this circular to the relevant members of your respective organisations. You are advised to refer to the Development Control Handbooks and URA’s website for updated guidelines instead of referring to past circulars.

7. 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 (Service Portal and Community e-Services). This is an online portal 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, please email us.   

Thank You.

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

YAP LAY BEE (MS)
GROUP DIRECTOR (ARCHITECTURE & URBAN DESIGN)
for CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY