11 Jun 2021

Indeed, many parts in Singapore has to be retained for cultural attraction which cannot be demolished until further notice. Occasionally, we heard about Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) from television, friends, or social media, and what is the relationship towards renovation trades?

Surprisingly, Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is of some sort related to renovation trades, but mainly for developers. In the event of development for any building or land space in Singapore, it must strictly depend on what Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) had planned for it, you cannot say I want to build a condo here with restaurant and immediately you build ((URA), 2020), it is mandatory to follow the blueprint landscape that had been planned for the entire Singapore development plan before any development started. Hence, Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will change its development plan every five years in satisfying the social, environmental, and economic to meet the sustainability of Singapore.

For instance, anybody that is staying in bungalows, semi-detached houses, terrace houses, and even strata landed houses will all relate to renovation when you want to do a renovation. To illustrate, in a scenario like building an attic at your place, what is the maximum height allow and maximum pitch allow in the area you stay? Indeed, homeowners and renovators will need to refer back to the rules and regulation guideline given by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) which is a maximum height of 5m and 45 degrees from the springing line (URA, 2021) respectively depending on the area you stay in Singapore. And why houses or building nearby Changi airport need to be low in height where the houses or building in the central area is much taller (URA, 2021)?

On the other hand, in a situation that you want to convert semi-detached to a Bungalow, you are allowed to do so if it complies with the minimum plot size of 400sqm and plot width of 10m, and the left behind (or remaining) semi-detached unit is capable of being redeveloped into a new bungalow in the future (URA, 2021). As and when homeowner or developer will need to refer back to Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) for the details before any development in Singapore.

As such, the Ministry of Renovation (MOR) will try to capture any Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) news updates apart from the existing news, related to renovation trades that affecting homeowners. Nevertheless, Ministry of Renovation will not be digging into the historical news of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) that had happened, but only updates the community on the news that going to happen in near future.

List of References

(URA), U. R. A., 2020. Development Control. [Online]
Available at: https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Guidelines/Development-Control
[Accessed 24 Apr 2020].

URA, 2021. Bungalows (or Detached Houses). [Online]
Available at: https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Guidelines/Development-Control/Residential/Bungalows/Redeveloping
[Accessed 07 06 2021].

URA, 2021. Flats and Condominiums. [Online]
Available at: https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Guidelines/Development-Control/Residential/Flats-Condominiums/Attic
[Accessed 06 7 2021].

URA, 2021. Flats and Condominiums. [Online]
Available at: https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/Guidelines/Development-Control/Residential/Flats-Condominiums/Building-Height
[Accessed 07 06 2021].