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Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)

Building Setback from Boundary

Check the guidelines relating to building setback for places of worship

Last updated 8 June 2026
Isometric view of a building with labeled setbacks and buffers, including road buffer, green buffer, and planting strip.

Setback Requirements

All PWs 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 PWs 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. Different setback requirements may apply for sites within the Geylang area or the Central Area, both of which are guided by Urban Design guidelines.

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.

Road Buffer and Green Buffer

Table 1: Road Buffer and Green Buffer

Road Category

Road Buffer
(inclusive of Green Buffer indicated in brackets)

Category 1

15m
(5m)

Category 2

7.5m
(3m)

Category 3

5m
(3m)

 Category 4 - 5 and slip road

5m
(3m)

Common Boundary Setback and Peripheral Planting Verge

Table 2: Common Boundary Setback and Peripheral Planting Verge

Type of Boundary

Building Setback Requirement

Common boundary with other developments

Minimum 4.5m
(including 2m peripheral planting verge)

Common boundary with an industrial development

No setback (see note below) is required at the common boundary between an industrial development and a Place of Worship (PW) development subject to the following conditions:

  • The sites are located well within the industrial estate and not next to non-industrial developments;

  • No openings along common boundary; and

  • No adverse impact on the surrounding developments

Note: Where the building is proposed to abut the common boundary, the applicant should put in place systems/measures to facilitate down-stream building maintenance at the common boundary.

Setback for Building Appendages

Table 3: Setback for Building Appendages

Building Feature

Within Road Buffer

Within Setback from Common Boundaries

Roof eaves

Allowed, provided it is not within the green buffer

Allowed, provided it is not within the 2.0m peripheral planting verge

Sun-shading devices & RC ledges (cantilevered)