Building Setback from Boundary

Check the guidelines relating to building setback for flats and condominiums.

Last updated 7 June 2026

Diagram illustrating setbacks and road buffer

Illustration of Setback and Buffer

Flats and condominiums 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 flats, excluding land to be vested to the State for road or drainage or public purpose.

The setback for flats and condominiums from public roads are determined by the road buffer, which is dependent on the category of the road that the site fronts and the height of development. For roads that are not categorised, the minimum road buffer of 7.5m applies. A green buffer shall also be set aside within the road buffer. The classification of the road category may be obtained from LTA’s Road Interpretation Plan (RIP).

The type of road buffer & setback are shown in the diagram above, and are detailed in Tables 1 & 2.

Bay windows, ledges, roof eaves and other minor building features may encroach into the setback distance up to the extent shown in Table 3 below.

Exceptions to the setback and buffer requirements are listed below:

Sites with street block controls (refer to the Street Block Plans section);
Party-wall³ developments (to be assessed upon formal submission of a proposed development);
Flats and condominium developments within the River Valley, Newton and Orchard Planning Areas. The standard road buffer for these shall be 7.5m (of which 3m is green buffer);
Flats and condominium developments in the Central Area [PDF, 436 KB] other than those in the River Valley, Newton and Orchard Planning Areas. The required road buffer shall be based on urban design considerations.

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	Type of Development	Road Buffer (inclusive of Green Buffer indicated in brackets)
Category 1	Residential 6 storeys and above	30m (5m)
Category 1	Residential up to 5 storeys	24m (5m)
Category 2	Residential 6 storeys and above	15m (5m)
Category 2	Residential up to 5 storeys	12m (5m)
Category 3	Residential 6 storeys and above	10m (3m)
Category 3	Residential up to 5 storeys	7.5m (3m)
Category 4 - 5 and slip road	Residential	7.5m (3m)

Common Boundary Setback & Peripheral Planting Verge

Table 2: Common Boundary Setback & Peripheral Planting Verge

Storey Height	Common Boundary Setback for Flats	Common Boundary Setback for Condominiums
1	3.0m	3.0m
2		3.0m
3		3.4m
4		3.8m
5	3.3m	4.7m
6	3.6m	5.5m
7	3.9m	6.4m
8	4.2m	7.2m
9	4.5m	8.0m
10	4.8m	8.7m
11	5.1m	9.0m
12	5.4m	9.2m
13	5.7m	9.5m
14	6.0m	9.8m
15	6.3m	10.1m
16	6.6m	10.3m
17	6.9m	10.6m
18	7.2m	10.8m
19	7.5m	11.1m
20	7.8m	11.3m
21	8.1m	11.6m
22	8.4m	11.8m
23	8.7m	12.1m
24	9.0m	12.4m
25	9.3m	12.7m
26	9.6m	12.9m
27	9.9m	13.2m
28	10.2m	13.4m
29	10.5m	13.7m
30	10.8m	14.0m
31	11.1m	14.2m
32	11.4m	14.5m
33	11.7m	14.7m
34	12.0m	15.0m
35	12.3m	15.2m
36 and above	12.6m	15.5m
*Note*: A 2m-wide (minimum) peripheral planting verge is to be provided along all common boundaries of the development site.

Setback of Flats and Condominiums from Good Class Bungalow Areas (GCBA)

Table 3: Setback of Flats and Condominiums from Good Class Bungalow Areas (GCBA)

Storey Height	Minimum Setback from GCBA Boundary
1-2 storeys*	3m or Road buffer requirement (if fronting road)
3-5 storeys	25m
6-35 storeys	Setback is increased by 1m beyond 25m for each storey height. For example: a 6 storey flat shall set back 26m; a 7 storey flat shall be set back 27m; and so on
36 storeys and above	56m
*Note:* A 2m-wide (minimum) peripheral planting verge is to be provided along all common boundaries of the development site.

^{*Roof terrace(s), if proposed, shall be orientated to face away from the GCBA}

Building Setback for Multi-Storey Car Parks (MSCP)

Table 4: Setback from Road

Road Category	Setback from Road for all MSCPs (inclusive of Green Buffer indicated in brackets)
Category 1	15m (5m)
Category 2	7.5m (5m)
Category 3 – 5 and Slip Road	Refer to note below (3m)
*Note*: The road buffer for MSCPs facing a Category 3-5 road and slip road is based on the predominant use of the development. This is to achieve a consistent streetscape along these smaller roads.

Table 5: Setback from Common Boundaries

Multi-Storey Car Parks	Setback from Common Boundaries
MSCP façade with openings	6m (minimum)
MSCP façade with no openings	4.5m (minimum)
MSCP facade fronting open areas (ie open space, drainage reserve more than 6m in width)	4.5m (minimum)

Setback for Building Appendages

Table 6: Setback for Building Appendages

Building Feature	Within Road Buffer	Within Setback from Common Boundaries
Main building roof eaves	Allowed, provided it is not within green buffer	Allowed, provided it is not within the 2.0m peripheral planting verge (to allow sunlight and rain to reach the plants)
Secondary building roof eaves & RC ledges (cantilevered)	Allowed, provided it is not within green buffer
Bay windows (raised windows, not exceeding one structural bay width and cantilevered at least 0.5m high from the floor)	Allowed to protrude 0.5m into road buffer	Allowed to protrude 0.5m into setback from common boundary
Planters (cantilevered box structures for planting purposes)
Air-conditioner ledges
Other horizontal sun-shading devices, fins or any other decorative features (includes light weight cantilevered screens spaced apart for sun-shading purpose without vertical supports)

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Building Setback from Boundary

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