Redeveloping to a Semi-Detached House

The illustrations apply to houses within Designated Landed Housing Areas (DLHAs). For proposals outside DLHAs, the left-behind plot must fulfil the minimum plot size requirement of 1,000 sqm.

A corner terrace house plot may be redeveloped into a new pair of semi-detached houses, provided:

• It can comply with the minimum plot width and size, and

• The adjoining terrace plot has 8m plot width and 200sqm plot size.

Any unit in a row of intermediate terrace houses may be redeveloped to a semi-detached house provided:

• The plot size and width are sufficient to allow the change, and

• The adjacent affected unit that the subject unit is detaching from, may be rebuilt into a corner terrace unit in the future (ie has a minimum plot size of 200sqm and width of 8m).

Treatment of Existing Party Walls

The creation of a new blank party wall at the common boundary for a new house is generally not allowed.

For all redevelopments involving detachment from an existing unit, resulting in a bare and exposed party wall at the existing unit, the person undertaking the redevelopment shall do the following:

• Submit to the Building and Construction Authority, an engineer’s certification of the structural stability of the remaining unit;

• Plaster and paint the exposed blank wall and neaten any exposed roof of the remaining semi-detached house or terrace house as soon as the existing building(s) on the subject site is demolished; and

• Allow the adjacent owner access to the site to maintain or repair the roof and the exposed blank wall of the remaining semi-detached house or terrace house. This shall not be required if part of the party wall within the subject site is retained.

After the adjoining semi-detached house is redeveloped, the remaining semi-detached unit may remain as approved.

Redevelopment of Left-behind Semi-detached House

After the adjoining Plot B is redeveloped, the left-behind semi-detached house on Plot A may remain as approved. Upon future redevelopment, Plot A may choose to either: 

• Detach from the common boundary like the adjoining Plot B that has undergone redevelopment (i.e. redevelop into a detached house);

or

• Redevelop back to their original building form (i.e. semi-detached house up to the permissible building envelope in the Envelope Control guidelines¹). 

^{1 If the left-behind Plot A chooses to redevelop back to a semi-detached house, the adjoining Plot B that has undergone redevelopment is allowed to redevelop into a semi-detached house to abut Plot A in the future.} 

Redevelopment of Existing Semi-detached House to Bungalow or Semi-detached House

Not Allowed

The left-behind Plot A is not large enough for a standard bungalow. House B shall not be allowed to break away and be redeveloped into a bungalow.

Allowed

B may redevelop into a semi-detached house and a bungalow.

Allowed

The left-behind Plot A may redevelop into a bungalow. House B may redevelop into a bungalow or a pair of semi-detached houses (in a semi-detached area).

In a mixed landed area, House B may redevelop into a bungalow, a pair of semi-detached houses or 3 terrace houses.

Owner of House B shall be required to comply with the following conditions:

1. Plaster and paint the exposed blank wall and neaten any exposed roof of the remaining house as soon as the existing building(s) on the subject site is demolished;

2. Allow the owner of the adjacent house access to the subject site to maintain or repair the roof and the exposed blank wall of the remaining house; and

3. Submit to BCA an engineer’s certification of the structural stability of the remaining house.

Not Allowed

Plot B shall not be allowed to redevelop into a semi-detached house and a bungalow because it would prejudice the development option for A to breakaway away and redevelops into a bungalow.

Not Allowed

B shall not be allowed to redevelop into 2 terrace houses because A is a semi-detached house.

Allowed

A joint redevelopment by both A and B into 4 terrace houses may be allowed.

Redevelopment of Existing Terrace House to Bungalow, Semi-detached and Corner Terrace

Allowed

The left-behind Plot D has sufficient plot size and plot width for a corner terrace house. House E may redevelop into a bungalow or a pair of semi-detached house.

Owner of House E shall be required to comply with the following conditions:

1. Plaster and paint the exposed blank wall and neaten any exposed roof of the remaining house as soon as the existing building(s) on the subject site is demolished;

2. Allow the owner of the adjacent house access to the subject site to maintain or repair the roof and the exposed blank wall of the remaining house; and

3. Submit to BCA an engineer’s certification of the structural stability of the remaining house.

House E may also redevelop into an intermediate terrace and corner terrace.

Not Allowed

The left-behind Plot D does not have sufficient plot size and plot width for a corner terrace house. House E shall not be allowed to redevelop into a bungalow.