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Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)

Site Coverage

Check the guidelines relating to site coverage for strata landed housing.

Last updated 7 June 2026
Isometric view of a building site plan showing site coverage and communal open space percentages.

Site Coverage and Communal Open Space

Strata landed housing developments are subject to a two-tier site coverage control as follows:

  1. Site Coverage

    • This is measured based on the footprint of the building and coverage of all building features (raised 1m or more above ground level) when viewed from above.

  2. Sub-control

    • This is measured up to the external façade of the building, including features such as balconies, planters, bay windows and roof terraces. 50% of the car porch roof area will also be counted towards the sub-control.

    • Sun-shading features (e.g. roof eaves, ledges, trellis, horizontal and vertical fins), including those with vertical supports (e.g. pavilions, covered patio), are excluded from the sub-control.

Cross-section architectural diagram of a house showing room layout (bedrooms, kitchen, living room, balcony) and site coverage.

Site Coverage Elevation View

Diagram showing formulas for Net Site Area, Site Coverage, and Sub-control.

Table 1: Maximum sub-control and site coverage limits within and outside GCBA

Locations

Sub-control
(max) 

Site Coverage
(max)

Within GCBA

 35%

45%

Outside GCBA

 40%

50%

Communal Open Spaces

To safeguard the living environment of strata landed developments, minimum 45% of the nett site area1 of the strata landed housing development shall be set aside for Communal Open Space (COS).

1 The nett site area shall exclude land to be set aside for road widening & drainage reserve.

COS are communal recreational spaces provided for residents’ enjoyment. Examples of COS are in the table below:

Table 2: Examples of COS

Examples of spaces that qualify as COS

Examples of spaces that do not qualify as COS

Recreational facilities that are uncovered and raised no more than 1m above ground level such as:

  • Exercise equipment and structures in fitness areas;

  • Game courts for tennis, basketball etc;

  • Swimming pool; wading pool.

Buildings and other ancillary structures (e.g. substations) that are already computed as site coverage

Structures that form part of landscaping features such as:

  • Art sculptures;

  • Fountains.

Driveways and parking lots

Fire-engine hard-standing ground/access and other service areas

Voids at ground level overlooking basements

Of the 45% COS, at least 25% (as a percentage of site area) shall be set aside for communal on-ground greenery.

Areas classified as COS shall not be included in the boundary of the individual strata plots. For instance, the 2m planting strips and green buffers which form part of the minimum 45% COS provision, shall not contain any Private Enclosed Spaces (PES).