Circular No : URA/PB/2012/13-DCG Fax: 6227 4792 Our Ref : DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_12 Date : 4 Sep 2012 CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES GUIDELINE ON MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS FOR NON-LANDED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL AREA Who should know Building owners, developers and architects Effective date With effect from 4 Nov 2012 Background 1 An increasing number of shoebox units are being built in new private housing projects.

The stock of completed shoebox units will increase more than four-fold from about 2,400 units as at the end of 2011 to about 11,000 units by the end of 20151. This trend has raised some concerns, especially in the suburban areas where larger households and families typically reside, and where the demand for shoebox units remains untested.

2 URA has been monitoring public discussions and feedback on shoebox units. The feedback indicates that shoebox units appeal to some people from small households such as singles, couples without children and retirees. However, others are concerned that shoebox units do not meet the needs of larger households with more than two members, and are not conducive for couples to have children.

3 URA is of the view that having a certain proportion of shoebox units in our housing stock would help to cater to people with different needs and lifestyles. However, there is a need to avoid a situation where shoebox units form a disproportionately large portion of the total housing stock in Singapore. Increasingly, we are seeing more new housing developments consisting predominantly of shoebox units – as high as 50% to 80%. A large concentration of such developments can strain the local infrastructure as the number of housing units end up much higher than what was originally planned for.

Details of Guidelines 4 Taking the above into consideration, URA has decided to adopt a calibrated approach

that moderates excessive development of shoebox units, while still allowing some smaller housing units to be built to meet diverse lifestyle choices. This new guideline stipulates the maximum number of DUs for all new flats 2 and condominium 3 developments outside the Central Area (CA), based on the following formula:

Maximum number of DUs per

development ≤

MP Allowable GPR4 x Site Area

70 sqm

1 The number of completed shoebox units by end-2015 was estimated based on the number of shoebox units

(i.e. units 50 sqm or smaller) in the pipeline that have been sold as at 2Q2012. 2 Not applicable to HDB flats.

3 Including Executive Condominium.

4 Excludes bonus GFA

5 The DU cap will also apply to the residential component of mixed-use developments, for

example Residential with 1st Storey Commercial or Commercial & Residential developments. This approach of capping DUs for all new flat and condominium developments outside the CA is similar to what was introduced on 23 Nov 2011

(http://www.ura.gov.sg/circulars/text/dc11-14.htm) for new flat and condominium

developments within GPR 1.4 or other low density residential estates, both within and outside the CA. Please refer to Appendix 1 for a map of the CA.

6 With the new guideline, developers will be encouraged to provide a range of unit sizes, so that the supply of housing units can cater to the diverse needs of all segments of the market. In addition, the guideline will help to safeguard liveability of our residential estates by ensuring that the cumulative number of DUs proposed in new flat and condominium developments in an area over time does not overly strain the infrastructural capacity of the estate. Please refer to Appendix 2 for examples on the computation of the number of DUs.

7 We will continue to monitor and review the guidelines periodically, taking into

consideration various factors, such as socio-demographic and lifestyle changes. Implementation 8 To give the industry sufficient notice of the change, the new guidelines will take effect

two months from the date of this circular, i.e. from 4 Nov 2012, for all relevant applications involving new erections of non-landed residential developments. Only formal development applications (excluding Outline Applications) submitted prior to 4 Nov 2012 which have already been granted Provisional Permission or which will result in a Provisional Permission will continue to be evaluated under the old guidelines5.

9 For submissions received during the two months grace period, URA will continue to assess the overall layout, design and unit sizes of all non-landed residential proposals, and may impose requirements where necessary to ensure that the living environment of such proposals is not compromised.

10 I would appreciate it if you could convey the contents of this circular to the relevant

members of your organisation. If you or your members have any queries concerning this circular, please call our Development Control Group (DCG) Enquiry Line at Tel: 6223 4811 or e-mail us at ura_dcd@ura.gov.sg. For your information, the guidelines are available from our website at http://www.ura.gov.sg.

Thank you. HAN YONG HOE GROUP DIRECTOR (DEVELOPMENT CONTROL) for CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

5 Development applications submitted prior to 4 Nov 2012 resulting in an Advice or Refusal of Written

Permission (RWP) will be evaluated based on the new guidelines upon resubmission after the Advice or RWP.

RD

CENTRAL AREA MAP APPENDIX 1

Legend

CENTRAL AREA

BOUNDARY

Not to Scale

APPENDIX 2

Computation on the Maximum Number of DUs Allowed for Flats and Condominium Developments Outside the Central Area Worked Example 1 Proposed Residential Development on a plot zoned for Residential use at GPR 3.5 outside the Central Area Development Site Area : 1,998 sqm Master Plan Zoning : Residential Master Plan Allowable GPR : GPR 3.5 Maximum GFA (not including bonus GFA) : 6,993 sqm Proposed main building GFA : 6,993 sqm Proposed bonus GFA (e.g. Balcony, Green Mark, etc.) : 699 sqm Total proposed GFA (including bonus GFA) : 7,692 sqm

Maximum number of DUs allowed = GPR 3.5 x 1,998 sqm

70 sqm

= 6,993 70

= 99.9 = 99 DUs [to be rounded down]

Worked Example 2 Proposed Mixed Commercial & Residential Development on a plot zoned for Commercial & Residential use at GPR 3.0 outside the Central Area Development Site Area : 1,575 sqm Master Plan Zoning : Commercial & Residential use

(The commercial quantum cannot exceed 40% of the max allowable floor area)

Master Plan Allowable GPR : GPR 3.0 Maximum GFA (not including bonus GFA) : 4,725 sqm Proposed commercial GFA : 1181.25 sqm (25% of max allowable floor area) Proposed residential main building GFA : 3543.75 sqm (75% of max allowable floor area) Proposed bonus GFA : 354 sqm (e.g. Balcony, Green Mark, etc.) Total proposed GFA (including bonus GFA) : 5,079 sqm

Maximum number of DUs allowed for the residential component

= GPR 3.0 x 75% x 1,575 sqm

70 sqm

= 3,543.75

70

= 50.625 = 50 DUs [to be rounded down]