DC - Transport Facilities

Transport uses comprising bus depots, MRT depots, petrol stations, CNG depots are zoned “Transport Facilities” in the Master Plan.

Except for petrol station developments, all other transport uses or developments share similar planning parameters and guidelines. Refer here for their planning parameters and guidelines of petrol stations.

The primary purpose of a petrol station development is for the retailing of petrol, diesel, or other authorized fuel for use by motor vehicles. A petrol station may accommodate supporting facilities for minor repairs, servicing of motor vehicles, tyre repairs and limited commercial uses. All petrol stations shall adhere to their specific development guidelines as follows:

The maximum GPR is 0.5.

The allowable number of storeys is 1 (maximum).

The maximum site coverage is 50%.

Petrol stations shall be set back from the road and common boundary as indicated in the table below.

Building Setback from Boundary

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.

Petrol stations are primarily for the retail sale of fuel. Supporting or ancillary office use may be allowed to serve the petrol station. Limited commercial uses such as a mini-mart may be allowed in petrol stations for some convenience shopping to motorists. Preparation, processing and cooking of food are not allowed. All supporting or ancillary uses in a petrol station are subject to the following requirements:

• Commercial spaces shall not exceed 15% of the total proposed GFA or 150sqm, whichever is lower. The actual quantum allowable shall be subject to planning consideration depending on the location, site condition, site context, impact on the surrounding area and requirements of other government agencies.

• Ancillary offices, stores, and compressor rooms shall not exceed 10% of the total proposed GFA. Mechanical repair bays may be considered if the petrol station is located outside of the Water Catchment Area.

Strata subdivision is not allowed.

The allowable Gross Plot Ratio (GPR) is subject to evaluation, taking into consideration the location, site context, topography, traffic situation, impact of the Transport development on the surroundings and other agencies’ requirements.

The area of the land required to be set aside for drainage reserve¹ (DR) and/or road reserve² (RR) to be vested in the State may be included in the site area to compute the gross floor area (GFA) for a GPR – see figure below.

¹ Drainage Reserve (DR): An area safeguarded for purposes of building or widening a public drain

² 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.

Unless otherwise stated, the overall building height¹ of transport developments is subject to compliance with the technical height controls of the relevant agencies such as Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA). 

¹ Building height is based on Singapore Height Datum (SHD). 

All Transport developments 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 building, excluding land to be vested to the State for road and/or drainage purpose.

All Transport developments fronting a public road shall provide a road buffer, the width of which depends on the hierarchy of the road. A green buffer shall be set aside in the road buffer depending on the width of the road buffer.

The buffer requirements for the Road Categories 1 to 5 are in Table 1 below. The common boundary setback requirements are in Table 2 below. Different setback requirements may apply for sites within the Geylang area or the Central Area, both of which are guided by Urban Design guidelines.

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.

A basement storey refers to a storey of a building which may be partially or wholly below the existing ground level. In so far as storey height control is concerned, basement storeys that protrude more than 1.0m above ground level on any side shall be counted as a storey. 

The physical limit for which the basement may be built up to is shown in the table below.

Basement Setback

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.

Basements with vertical openings on the side walls may be allowed only if they are required for natural ventilation and to meet the building regulations. The guidelines are as follows:

• While the protrusion measured from the level at the site boundary shall not exceed 1.0m, basements may be exposed up to 2.0 m from the point where the platform level meets the basement wall (ie the earth around the basement wall may be cut to slope down to achieve the 2.0m basement exposure with openings).

• The extent of the slope within the green buffer or planting strip shall have a gradient of 1:2.5.

• Vertical cutting of the earth resulting in a trench around the basement is not allowed.

• The extent of the vertical openings or the types of cover over the vertical openings shall be subject to the requirements of the other technical departments.

• Horizontal openings to the basement are allowed within the setback distance outside the green buffer and planting strip, subject to provision of effective screening to hide the view to the basement.

  

Special and Detailed Control Plans (SDCP) provide detailed guidelines for specific areas. The SDCPs may be viewed here.

The following areas may be subject to security screening requirements. URA will confirm this upon submission of a proposed development.

Qualified Persons (QPs) should consider the screening requirements in the early stage of their planning and design to avoid abortive work subsequently.

Where security screening is deemed necessary, it shall consist of permanent fixtures that are difficult, if not impossible to remove. The following screening measures may be considered:

Residential units and common areas may be screened where necessary with blank walls, external concrete/metal fins, or the building may be re-orientated such that the windows¹/openings/balconies do not have direct view towards the protected area.

¹ Window: Raised openings that are at least 0.9m above the floor slab. They are intended to provide ventilation and lighting, and not for access. Full height windows and windows that are lower than 0.9m that can potentially be used as access points will need to be highlighted in the submission plans for URA’s evaluation and approval.

The parapet wall at the rooftop shall be at least 3m high and access to the rooftop from a public area shall be secured by a lockable door/hatch. The door/hatch may be electronically linked to an alarm system monitored by the building management.

Street block plans guide the detailed setback, storey height and building height, for the following locations. Click on the reference links to view the detailed street block plan.

To maintain the integrity and aesthetics of the waterfront areas so that the public can have free and unrestricted access to enjoy these spaces, developments at major waterbodies¹ shall observe the design and development application submission guidelines below.

¹ Major waterbodies: rivers, canals of at least 17.5m width, reservoirs, and seas.

1. Retaining Walls

   Retaining walls along the waterbodies may be allowed subject to the following criteria:

   1. Retaining walls are less than 1.5m in height;

   2. Retaining walls are set back at least 300mm from the boundary;

   3. Retaining walls are covered with creepers.

2. Boundary Walls/Fences

   For non-industrial developments, proposed boundary fences shall be porous (eg chained-link, metal-grille, or timber fence).

   For industrial developments, the following may be allowed:

   1. Solid boundary walls not exceeding 1.8m in height. The walls shall be aesthetically treated.

   2. Chain-linked fences not exceeding 1.8m in height with close planting of shrubs/vegetation as screenings. A planting strip of 0.5m width (minimum) shall be provided within the development.

3. Slope

   There shall be no abrupt change in slope gradient at the boundary between the development and the waterbody. The slope gradient shall not exceed 1:2.

4. Conservation of Vegetation

   Mature vegetation along the waterbodies are to be saved and conserved, wherever possible.

In all waterbodies-related development application submissions to URA, the following shall be provided, where applicable:

• Site/Location Plan showing the width and alignment of Drainage Reserve²/Waterbody/Coastal Profile;

• Layout plans and cross-sections showing the area between the site and the Drainage Reserve/Waterbody/Coastal Area including existing and proposed ground levels;

• Design details of integration with waterbody including slope, retaining wall, and boundary wall/fencing (Height, Type, Screening);

• Contour lines extending to 1m beyond the side of development fronting the Drainage Reserve/Waterbody/Sea;

• Checklist for Waterbodies-related proposals.

² Drainage Reserve (DR): An area safeguarded for purposes of building or widening a public drain

The design guidelines listed above shall apply to all developments adjacent to or with waterbodies except developments adjacent to or with Drainage Reserves less than 17.5m.

All proposals involving waterbodies shall comply with the development application submission guidelines listed above.

For land use planning and development control purposes, the foreshore³ and the area within 15m on both the landward and seaward side of the foreshore line⁴ shall be kept free of structures. Some structures such as ramps may be permitted if they are constructed in connection with an approved development (eg marine industries, refineries, and pleasure-boat storage complex). These structures are subject to planning evaluation depending on merits.

³ The area between the high water mark of the Spring Tide or the top of the seawall and the low water mark of the Spring Tide.

⁴ The high water mark of the Spring Tide; the top of the existing seawall or revertment or river wall (where appropriate) for controlling landward development.

Ancillary structures are minor structures erected to support the main use of the site. The building setback distance and height control for ancillary structures are shown in the table below.

Ancillary structures located within the green buffer may be assessed in accordance with NPARKS' guidelines – see here.

Ancillary structures located within the physical buffer and building setback that exceed the requirements in the table below, but are below 6m in height, shall be evaluated depending on the merits of the design and function.

Setback and Height Control for Ancillary Structures

LTA prescribes the parking provision standards and requirements for motor vehicles and bicycles. The requirements are usually based on the quantum of the gross floor area or the number of units of the development uses.

Separately, to enhance commuter experience and reduce congestion at Pick-up and Drop-off Points (PUDOs), LTA and URA collaborated with the industry to develop a design guide for PUDOs containing best practices that building owners and professionals can consider applying to new and existing PUDOs.

Under LTA’s Range-based Parking Provision Standards (RPPS), developments are subject to car and motor-cycle¹ parking provision requirements.

Unless explicitly approved as private parking lots in the approved plans, all car and motor-cycle parking lots shall be treated as common property.

¹ Motor-cycle parking provision is mandatory in all non-residential developments.

The RPPS allows developments to provide any level of car and motor-cycle parking provision within a specified range, defined by a lower bound and an upper bound – see figure below. The range varies according to location zones and land uses. Details may be found in LTA’s Code of Practice for Vehicle Parking Provision in Developments.

New Transport developments shall be subject to a process of waiver evaluation by LTA, if one wishes to provide surplus car and motor-cycle parking lots, ie parking provision above the upper bound based on the new RPPS.

To promote a car-lite society, Transport developments may be required to provide bicycle parking facilities within the developments. Refer to LTA’s Code of Practice for Vehicle Parking Provision in Developments here for the list of requirements.

Unless explicitly approved as private parking lots in the approved plans, all bicycle parking lots shall be treated as common property.

Bicycle parking lots provided according to LTA’s new standards are exempted from GFA computation. Surplus provision of bicycle parking lots may be exempted from GFA computation depending on merits and context of the development.

Transport facilities may set up diesel and petrol pump points for own use subject to the following:

• The site on which the pump points shall be installed is zoned Transport Facilities in the Master Plan.

• The pump points shall be ancillary to the predominant use such as vehicle depots, transport bases etc.

• There shall be no retail of diesel and petrol to the general public unless it is a designated and approved petrol kiosk or petrol station.

• Except for CNG tanks, other fuel storage tanks shall generally be placed underground so that it is not visually obtrusive.

• Relevant clearances for the pump points shall be obtained from NEA and SCDF (FSSD).

RC flat roofs shall remain inaccessible except for maintenance purposes only¹. Activating the rooftop for uses such as roof terraces and landscaped gardens may be allowed depending on the merits of the proposal. No structures shall be allowed unless otherwise approved by URA. Where allowed, structures (including any safety barriers) shall comply with height controls² and the following guidelines.

¹ RC flat roofs that are accessible via ladders for maintenance purposes only are subject to agencies’ requirements for safety barriers to ensure the safety of maintenance personnel. Safety barriers shall not exceed 1m in height.

² Height controls applicable, include:

• Absolute technical height constraints^@ (e.g. Aviation paths restrictions, military and telecommunications installations).

• Conservation guidelines (available at URA SPACE)

• Urban design height controls (available at URA SPACE)

^@ The absolute technical height (Based on Singapore Height Datum [SHD]) shall take precedence if it is stricter than any of the other height controls.

The installation of solar panels on RC flat roofs may be considered if they meet the following criteria:

1. Solar panels are installed between 10 to 15 degrees relative to the horizontal plane to optimise the performance of solar panels and minimise glare to the buildings in the vicinity; and

2. The installation of solar panels shall not result in the removal of any greenery approved under the Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-Rises (LUSH) Programme.

Installation of solar panels and M&E equipment such as inverters for the solar panel system does not require planning permission except in locations and contexts described below.

1. Areas subject to urban design guidelines and Conservation Areas¹ shall require planning permission due to their impact on the roofscape.
   
   ¹ For Conservation Areas, installation of solar panels without any additional works are treated as localised works for the purpose of repair and maintenance and are considered Category 3 works for Conserved Buildings. Applications for such Category 3 works can be made by owners and contractors. Refer to the Conservation Guidelines here and information on submission procedure here.

2. Elevated solar panels² located in developments on the following land use zones shall require planning permission:

² A solar panel is deemed to be elevated if it is raised more than 1m from the roof level for landed housing developments or 1.8m from the roof level for other developments.

3. Spaces under solar panels are enclosed or put to commercial use
   Planning permission shall be required if the spaces under elevated or non-elevated solar panels are enclosed or put to commercial uses such as Outdoor Refreshment Areas. In such instances, the spaces shall be computed as GFA.

Elevated solar panels that require planning permission may be assessed as an additional storey for storey height control purposes unless they comply with the guidelines below:

Guidelines for Elevated Solar Panels

Earthworks are defined as any operations or works in, on, or over land which result in substantial modification to the existing ground terrain, land form, or slope. These include excavation, formation of a new slope or embankment, and cut and fill operations.

Extensive earthworks are discouraged as it may change the existing terrain. Earthworks may also result in the building of high retaining walls that mar the streetscape and have adverse impacts on the surrounding areas. Earthworks on any development site, where necessary, shall be minimised.

Planning permission is required if earthworks involve more than 2,000sqm of land or change in the level of the land of more than 1.5m anywhere in the development site or relative to the neighbouring land.

The guidelines for earthworks are dependent on where the earthworks are carried out.

Earthworks may not be allowed within the building setback area, except in the following circumstances:

• When the proposed earthworks are to match the existing platform levels of the neighbouring sites;

• When the sites are on undulating or sloping terrain, with large differences in platform levels within the site, or between the site and the road;

• When the earthcut is necessary to build a fully submerged basement. The area within the building setback shall be reinstated to the original platform level upon the completion of the basement.

Earthworks within the build-able area of more than 1m are subject to evaluation depending on merits. If the earthfill of more than 1m is allowed, the earthfilled area shall not be counted as an additional storey provided the overall aggregate building height complies with the maximum allowable building height measured from the allowable platform level.

Earthfill involving the entire development site may only be considered if the proposed earthworks are required to meet the technical requirements of PUB. Such earthfill may be allowed up to the Minimum Platform Level (MPL)¹ stipulated by PUB.

¹ Minimum Platform Level (MPL): The minimum 1^st storey level to be provided within the site. The MPL is determined by the Public Utilities Board (PUB).

The maximum allowable height for boundary walls is 1.8m.

High retaining walls shall be avoided wherever possible, particularly for small in-fill plots. If they have to be built and can be allowed, they shall meet the following requirements:

• the height shall be less than 1.5m;

• retaining walls higher than 1.5m may be considered due to site constraints and the need for extensive excavation;

• the total visible height of the solid boundary-cum-retaining wall shall not exceed 2.8m, of which the solid boundary wall shall not exceed 1.8m.

If the retaining walls are to meet the MPL requirement stipulated by PUB for drainage purposes, the retaining walls along the site boundaries (except along boundaries that abut foreshore, roads, or waterbodies with drainage reserve equal to or more than 17.5m wide) need not be tiered as these are transitory, pending the redevelopment of the neighbouring land to the same MPL.