Singapore to loosen floor-area rules, giving developers more design freedom

Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat announced that the Urban Redevelopment Authority will reassess gross floor area regulations to give developers more leeway in building design and boost project economics. The overhaul will consider increasing allowable GFA, encouraging heat-resilience measures, and possibly awarding additional floor space for the refurbishment of conservation buildings. Current schemes like the CBD Incentive Scheme and the Strategic Development Incentive already permit up to 30% extra GFA in certain CBD locations and greater flexibility in areas such as Orchard Road and Marina Centre.

The move follows industry feedback, notably from Pontiac Land chief David Tsang, who pointed to Sydney’s heritage-incentive model. Chee also introduced a new framework to cut rebar testing costs by up to 90% and launched a programme to upskill construction firms in sustainability, with fifteen firms already enrolled.