APPENDIX 1

GUIDELINES FOR LANDSCAPE REPLACEMENT AREAS WITHIN NEW

DEVELOPMENTS

NO. PARAMETER DETAILS

1 Definition Landscape Replacement Areas are landscape areas provided on
the 1st storey or upper levels of the development and in total
minimally equivalent in size to the development site area (see Fig.
A).

Roof
Garden

Sky Planter
Terrace Boxes
≥ Site
Area
st
1 Storey
Landscape
Area
Landscape
Replacement Areas

Fig. A. Diagram showing the various types of Landscape

Replacement Areas that could be incorporated within
a development

(Colour image can be found at: http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/circulars/2009/apr/~/

media/User%20Defined/URA%20Online/circulars/2009/apr/dc09-09app2.ashx)

2 Computation The computation of the Landscape Replacement Areas will be

Requirements determined by the horizontal surface area of the landscape areas.

To be computed as part of the Landscape Replacement Areas

within developments, these landscape areas have to be:

a Uncovered and exposed to the sky;

OR
b If covered, to be open sided, naturally ventilated and qualify
for GFA exemption under the prevailing development control
guidelines for Planter Boxes, Sky Terraces and Communal
Landscaped Areas on the 1st Storey;
AND
c Communal and accessible by the public or occupants of the
building.

As a guide, at least 40% of the overall required Landscape

Replacement Areas should be for permanent planting, ie.
softscape.
NO. PARAMETER DETAILS
3 Performance The Landscape Replacement Areas are also to meet the following
Requirements performance requirements:

a To be designed to be safe (e.g. to take into consideration

wind / structural loading issues associated with upper storey
landscape areas) and easily maintained (e.g. with irrigation
and maintenance systems); and,

b To be well designed, lushly landscaped and integrated with

the overall form and architectural treatment of the building.

4 Softscape The following are requirements for the 40% softscape areas:
Requirements
a As a guide, a minimum soil depth of 1000mm is required for
trees and palms, 500mm for shrubs and climbers and 300mm
for ground covers;

b The softscape area will be determined by the horizontal area

of the permanent planting bed;

c A combination of trees, palms, shrubs, ground covers and

creepers is highly encouraged; and,

d Potted plants will not be counted as part of the softscape area

as they can be easily removed.

5 Planting Please refer to the following publications by NParks or PUB for

References more detailed planting references:

a Handbook on Skyrise Greening in Singapore (2002), NParks;

b A Selection of Plants for Green Roofs in Singapore 2nd

Edition (2008), NParks;

c Trees of our Garden City, 2nd edition (2009), NParks; and

d ABC Waters Design Guidelines, PUB.

NO. PARAMETER DETAILS
6 Hardscape The remaining Landscape Replacement Areas can be
Areas designed as hardscape areas, including:

a Footpaths;
b Seating;
c BBQ pits;
d Events plazas;
e Water features;
f Playgrounds;
g Recreational facilities e.g. tennis courts and swimming
pools; and
h Vehicular drop-offs and drive-ways, provided they are
well designed, paved with appropriate material and
integrated with lush landscaping comprising trees and
shrubs.

Service facilities such as vehicular ramps and surface car

parks will not be computed as part of the required
Landscape Replacement Areas.

7 Exemption The building footprints of conserved buildings are exempted

from the computation of the development site area required
for Landscape Replacement Areas.

URA will exercise flexibility on the requirements for

Landscape Replacement Areas when evaluating
developments with technical constraints, e.g. height
constraints, on a case by case basis.

8 Maintenance Building owners are to retain the required Landscape

Replacement Areas, which will form part of the common
property for strata subdivided developments.

9 Alterations to No formal submission is required for changes to the planting

the required species subject to compliance with the softscape
Landscape requirements.
Replacement
Areas Any changes to the softscape areas (e.g. planting and
structure of the planting beds) and hardscape areas
resulting in an overall reduction in area for the required
Landscape Replacement Areas will require URA’s approval.
 APPENDIX 2
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1 For Provisional Permission / Written Permission

a Development Application submission for Provisional Permission / Written Permission

is to include the submission of a landscape proposal in the form of landscape plans
(See Appendix 2-1 for example of a Landscape Plan) indicating the following:

i. Declaration of the overall Landscape Replacement Areas and softscape areas for
the entire development and for each landscape plan

ii. Layout of the softscape and hardscape areas

iii. Schedule of proposed planting species and paving materials

iv. Annotations in the landscape plans to show the proposed planting species and
paving materials corresponding to the schedule and the proposed uses e.g.
Swimming Pool, BBQ Area etc

v. Sections showing the depth of all the proposed planting beds for Landscape
Replacement Areas

vi. Short statement explaining the proposed irrigation and maintenance for the
permanent planting

b Please label and package the landscape plans and sections separately from the rest
of the plans; and

c Please refer to the DC handbook on Gross Floor Area

(http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/publications/technical/dc-handbooks.aspx) for the
submission requirements to facilitate the evaluation of the GFA exemption for Planter
Boxes, Sky Terraces and Communal Landscaped Areas on the 1st Storey and other
relevant guidelines.

2 For Clearance of Completed Works

a The Landscape Replacement Areas shall be implemented according to the approved

plans and verified and endorsed by URA. URA’s Clearance of the completed
Landscape Replacement Areas is required before the Commissioner of Building
Control issues the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP), or Certificate of Statutory
Completion (CSC) (when TOP is not required). The building owner is to submit
confirmation of the completed works to URA to seek Clearance of the completed
Landscape Replacement Areas. The standard processing time to evaluate and
approve a complete and compliant submission will require up to 4 weeks. Please
note that a longer processing time may be required if the submission is incomplete or
not in order. The Applicant is to ensure sufficient lead time is allowed to secure the
Clearance prior to applying to the Commissioner of Building Control for TOP/CSC.

b Your submission is required to include accurately labelled photographs (in pdf file
format) showing the completed Landscape Replacement Areas. URA will evaluate
 the photographs submitted and, if necessary, arrange for a site inspection before
issuing the Clearance for the completed works.

c Applicants are also required to declare upfront to the Commissioner of Building

Control at the point of application for TOP or CSC (when TOP is not required), that
URA’s Clearance is required for Landscape Replacement Areas before issuance of
TOP, or CSC (when TOP is not required).
 APPENDIX 2-1

EXAMPLE OF LANDSCAPE PLAN AND INFORMATION REQUIRED

In this simulated example, the development provided Landscape Replacement Areas on the 1st,
5th and 15th storeys. The plans below are the sample landscape plans for the 5th storey landscape
replacement area. Full-size colour image can be found at:
http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/circulars/2009/apr/~/media/User%20Defined/URA%20Online/circulars/
2009/apr/dc09-09app31big.ashx