Circular No : URA/PB/2007/01-DCD Fax: 6227 4792

Our Ref : DC/ADMIN/CIRCULAR/PB_07

Date : 5 Feb 2007

CIRCULAR TO PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES

REVISED GUIDELINES FOR:

(I) BALCONIES AND
(II) PRIVATE ENCLOSED SPACES (PES)

Objective
This circular is to inform the building industry and owners on the revised
guidelines for balconies and private enclosed spaces (PES)

Effective date
With effect from 5 February 2007

Who should know

Architects, engineers, developers, flats and condominium owners

Background

Current balcony guidelines

1 To promote high-rise greenery, URA introduced the balcony GFA
incentive scheme in 2001 to encourage balconies to be incorporated in
residential and hotel developments. Balconies are covered semi-
outdoor spaces. Currently, for balconies to enjoy the 10% GFA
incentive above the Master Plan GPR control, at least 2 sides of the
balcony edges should be open and unenclosed. This is to ensure that
balconies has a semi-outdoor and open character and are conducive
for sky-rise gardening.

2 While the balcony GFA incentive has been well received, feedback
from the industry has also indicated that the 2-side opening
requirement may constrain certain balcony designs, e.g. non-
rectilinear forms. It was also noted that this requirement is not suitable
for very high-rise developments, where recessed balconies (with only 1
open side) are preferred due to the windy conditions at the high floors.
 Separately, we have also observed that some homeowners have
enclosed their balconies for safety and security reasons. Overtime,
different types of enclosures such as grilles, screens and windows are
installed by individual owners. In many instances, this has detracted
from the original building design and resulted in a messy and
unattractive look, which could adversely affected the property value.
URA has thus worked with the industry to review the balcony
guidelines to address these issues.

Current PES guidelines

3 Private enclosed space (PES) is another common feature proposed in
flats and condominium developments. These are generally uncovered
private spaces used for garden and outdoor living at the first storey.
There are currently no controls on the size of the PES and the material
for the enclosure or fencing that defines the extent of the PES.
Uncovered PES are not computed as part of the overall gross floor
area of a development.

4 Notwithstanding that PES are meant to be uncovered outdoor areas,

many homeowners cover up their PES for protection against falling
objects and litter. In some cases, large structural barriers with high
walls and big columns are also erected at the PES. These large
structures enclose the PES to such an extent that it loses the open and
outdoor character that was originally intended for it. Together with the
industry, URA reviewed the PES guidelines to better address end
users needs and concerns while maintaining the open and outdoor
character of PES.

Details of guidelines

5 In consultation with the industry (SIA, REDAS, SIP and Building

Managing Agents), URA has reviewed the guidelines for balconies and
PES with the aim of achieving the following objectives:

a) To allow greater design flexibility for balconies; and

b) To facilitate better designed balconies and PES that would

address the needs and concerns of the end users without
compromising the open and outdoor character of these features.
(I) Revised Balcony Guidelines

6 Taking into account the industry feedback, the balcony guidelines have
been revised as follows:

Balcony Openness
7 The existing 2-side opening requirement is relaxed such that a
continuous perimeter opening of at least 40% would qualify the balcony
for the GFA incentive (see Appendix 1 for illustration on computation of
perimeter opening). This will allow more flexibility in designing
balconies where a variety of balcony forms can be considered in
addition to the usual rectilinear forms (see illustrations in Appendix 2).

8 The requirement of 40% (minimum) perimeter opening is to safeguard

a reasonable degree of openness in balconies to distinguish them from
indoor spaces. This requirement also reinforces the planning objective
of giving GFA incentive for balconies to facilitate planting and high-rise
greenery.

Balcony Screening
9 To address the end users needs to have some form of enclosure at
balconies while achieving the planning objective for balconies to retain
a semi-outdoor character, the existing guidelines are relaxed to allow
for balconies screens, which comply with the following performance
criteria:

a) The proposed balcony screens allow for natural ventilation within

the balcony at all times; and

b) The proposed balcony screen is capable of being drawn open or

retracted fully.

(See Appendix 3 for some possible designs of balcony screens.)

10 To avoid ad-hoc enclosure of balconies by individual owners

downstream, balcony screens are to be designed upfront and approved
as part of the development application process for all new residential
and hotel developments with proposed balconies (including the
residential component of mixed use developments). Developers can
propose a single screen design or a few designs for the buyers to
choose from.
11 While the screen designs are to be submitted upfront, the developer
has the option to choose whether to install the screens upfront or not.
For cases where the screens are not installed upfront by the developer,
the approved balcony screen design will be used by the MCST to guide
subsequent installation by individual owners. Future changes or
replacement of the approved screen design will be regulated and
decided by the MCST and need not be referred to URA for approval.

(II) Revised PES Guidelines

12 The following PES guidelines have been revised in consultation with
the industry:

PES Protection / Covering

13 The industry agreed that there is scope to further improve the existing
PES design to address the end users needs for some protection
against falling objects and litter. Hence, to enhance the usability of
PES, it was felt that a certain degree of PES protection (eg. some
covering especially immediately abutting the wall of the unit) should be
provided upfront if PES are proposed. PES protection is to be provided
for all new residential developments with proposed PES during the new
erection application stage by adopting either one of the following 2
approaches:

a) To propose a customised design solution for PES, taking into

consideration the floor plan and the effectiveness of the proposed
design solution in protecting the PES without adversely affecting
other units (eg. provision for easy maintenance to avoid
accumulation of litter on covers which could cause nuisance to
other units) and compromising the open and outdoor character of
the PES.

OR

b) To provide a minimum covering of 2m in depth along the external

wall of the unit abutting the PES as shown in Appendix 4. The
covering provided should facilitate easy maintenance to avoid
accumulation of litter.

14 PES covering up to 2m in depth (measured from the external wall) will

be treated as a sun shading element and not be computed as GFA.
 PES Enclosure or Fencing
15 The industry has also agreed that PES should continue to have an
open and outdoor quality. Hence, any PES enclosure or fencing that
defines the extent of the PES is not to exceed 1m in height (see
Appendix 4).

Implementation
16 The revised guidelines for balconies and PES will supersede the
corresponding controls of the previous guidelines and will take effect
immediately. However, the requirements to incorporate (i) balcony
screen designs for all new residential and hotel developments with
proposed balconies (including the residential component of mixed use
developments) [stated in Para 10] and (ii) PES protection / covering
[stated in Para 13], will take effect 3 months from the date of this
circular for new erection development applications. Within the 3-month
advance notice period, developers would have the option to decide if
they want to incorporate these elements in their development
applications but these 2 requirements will not be mandatory. However,
after the 3-month advance notice period, new erection applications will
need to fully comply with the revised balconies and PES guidelines.

17 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 do not hesitate to call
our DCD Customer Service Hotline at Tel: 6223 4811 or e-mail us at
[email protected]. We would be pleased to answer queries on this,
and any other development control matter. For your information, the
past circulars to the professional institutes are available from our
website http://www.ura.gov.sg.

Thank you.

HAN YONG HOE

DIRECTOR (DEVELOPMENT CONTROL)
for CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
 Appendix 1

Computation of Balcony Perimeter Opening

External Building
Facade

Balcony

Indoor Space

Total Balcony Perimeter = X+Y

Open Balcony Perimeter = X

Percentage of Balcony Perimeter Opening = X / (X+Y) x 100% 40%

 Appendix 2

Schematic diagram showing possible types of balcony forms

Balcony
Balcony

Recessed Balcony Irregular & Recessed Balcony

Balcony
Balcony

Curved Balcony Organically-shaped Balcony

Full height building wall

Open balcony perimeter (at least 40% of the total balcony perimeter)

Total balcony perimeter

Note: The balcony forms that can be considered under the revised guideline include, but are not limited to, those shown
above. The above are only schematic diagrams and are not drawn to scale.
 Appendix 3

Examples of possible designs for balcony screens

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Note: The screen designs shown above are from overseas and are meant as examples only. Actual design proposals need
not be limited to those shown above as long the performance criteria are met.
 Appendix 4

Diagram showing PES covering and PES enclosure or fencing

PES Covering

2nd storey

Min 2m

PES Enclosure or Fencing

Main Building

Max 1m PES 1st storey