Independent Workers’ Dormitories

Workers' dormitory are premises used to house migrant workers who are engaged to carry out industrial or production or construction activities. Independent workers’ dormitories are free-standing developments which are not located within industrial sites. These may be allowed on Permanent or Temporary Permission subject to evaluation depending on the merits of the case.

Note: The following guidelines are for independent workers’ dormitories. Temporary workers’ dormitories occupying new extensions or blocks within the industrial developments or converted from existing spaces within the industrial developments may be allowed on land zoned B1 or B2. Click here for guidelines for temporary workers’ dormitories.

Location

All new proposed independent workers’ dormitories or increase in capacity of existing independent workers’ dormitories are assessed on the merits of the case.

They shall not fall within NEA and SCDF’s health and safety buffer zones.

Prior clearances from NEA, PUB, SCDF, and LTA shall be obtained before a proposal is submitted to URA for evaluation.

Workers’ dormitories are not allowed within the Central Area and on land zoned Business Park/Business Park-White.

Gross Plot Ratio & Storey Height

The maximum GPR for independent workers' dormitories is subject to contextual evaluation. 

The number of storeys for dormitories shall take into account the character of the surrounding area. The actual number of storeys allowed may vary, depending on the site topography and the context of the surrounding area.

Building Setback

All independent workers’ dormitories shall be sufficiently set back from the road and common boundary. The setback distance is measured from the road reserve¹ line or boundary line to the external wall of the buildings, excluding land to be vested to the State for road or drainage or public purpose.

All independent workers’ dormitories fronting a public road shall provide a road buffer, the width of which depends on the hierarchy of the road. A green buffer shall be set aside in the road buffer depending on the width of the road buffer.

The buffer requirements for the Road Categories 1 to 5 are in Table 1 below. The common boundary setback requirements are in Table 2 below.

^{1 Road Reserve: The plot of land to be vested in the State as required under the Street Works Act. It is demarcated by the line of Road Reserve in the Road Line Plan and the site boundary.}

Use Quantum

100% of the GFA may be used for dormitory use and ancillary amenities.

Floor-to-Floor Height

A maximum 3.6m floor-to-floor height control shall apply to new independent workers’ dormitories.

Maximum Number of Workers

The maximum number of workers/residents allowed in a dormitory is subject to planning assessment by URA and requirements of technical agencies such as LTA, PUB, SCDF, NEA, MOM, and SPF. It is also subjected to the living space standard of minimum 4.2sqm of living space per resident², whichever is lower.

^{2 Living space per resident was set out in MOM-MND-MOH's press release dated 17 Sept 2021. See details in Amenity Provision Guidelines.}

Subdivision

No land or strata subdivision of the dormitories is allowed.

Amenity Provision Guidelines

To enhance liveability for workers/residents in a dormitory and strengthen resilience against future pandemics, adequate facilities and amenities shall be provided as part of the dormitory development based on the requirements stated in the table below.

Applications for new workers’ dormitory use are to comply with all the requirements (e.g. living space per resident, occupancy per bedroom unit, etc) as stated in the press release ↗ (opens in new tab) issued by MOM, MND and MOH dated 17 Sept 2021.