Religious activities allowed in industrial buildings

By Esther Teo, The Straits Times, 13 Jun 2012

RELIGIOUS activities can now be held in industrial buildings under new guidelines aimed at alleviating a shortage of suitable sites.

Groups such as churches will be able to rent facilities such as meeting rooms in industrial buildings as long as certain rules are met and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) approval is obtained.

Up to now, non-industrial activities such as religious services were generally not permitted in factories or warehouses. Religious organisations were limited to sites designated as places of worship in the URA Master Plan. But with strong demand for such venues outstripping supply, many groups over the years have been increasingly moving into commercial and industrial spaces.

The new rules, which take effect immediately, were outlined by the URA and Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) yesterday.

The Government is being more flexible in two ways: It will not only allow industrial buildings to be used for religious purposes, but allow sites earmarked for religious use to be built more densely.

These parcels will be given a higher gross plot ratio, which means the land can be used more intensely and have the maximum storey height increased, subject to URA approval.

Religious use will now be allowed in industrial premises zoned B1 - typically for light and clean industrial use - on a non-exclusive and limited basis. This ensures the primary function and character of industrial projects are not compromised.

Religious use will be limited to two days a week and must occupy premises within the 40 per cent of space allowed for non-industrial uses under existing rules.

Religious organisations already operating from industrial buildings have a three-year period to comply with the new guidelines.

Religious groups welcome new rules
Changes offer more options at a time when demand for space has risen

By Esther Teo, Amanda Tan & Walter Sim, The Straits Times, 13 Jun 2012

RELIGIOUS organisations have welcomed the new guidelines that will allow greater use of industrial sites for their activities.

The new guidelines announced yesterday also allow land parcels earmarked for religious purposes to have higher gross plot ratios, providing more intensive use of the land. Maximum storey heights can also be increased, subject to Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) approval.

Religious use will now be allowed in certain industrial premises, but limited to two days a week, and groups must occupy premises within the 40 per cent of space allowed for non-industrial use under existing rules. Religious organisations already operating from industrial buildings have a three-year period to comply with these new guidelines.

These organisations told The Straits Times that the changes give them more options, especially at a time when the demand for space has increased.

The deputy director (mosques) at the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), Mr Mohamad Helmy Isa, said the guidelines give more flexibility.

'The new guidelines also help to address constraints of prayer places as well as meet rising demand for auxiliary facilities for socio-religious activities such as religious classes, which many mosques currently face,' he said.

Mr Seah Boon Lee, chairman of the Hai Lam Sua Tee Kong Toa Temple on Upper Thomson Road, said he has plans for extra space that can be 'used for storage, offices and to build a traditional Chinese medicine clinic'.

A pastor from a church at Henderson Industrial Park who declined to be named agreed that the changes were 'a step in the right direction', adding that the three- year grace period to comply with the new guidelines is generous.

'We are a non-profit group, so this is a cheaper option for us. Besides the cost, it is hard for us to find a location since we can't go to commercial areas like shopping centres,' he said.

Mr Satia Narjadin, director of Global Orion Properties, which has developed industrial properties, said that 'allowing religious organisations to use such space during weekends is a more optimal and efficient use of industrial space as many of the newer industrial buildings look very modern'.

Proposals to intensify the use of a site will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The authorities will consider the local context and whether the plans would affect factors such as traffic and parking, or create noise problems.

The changes come a day after the URA announced it was slashing lease terms for industrial sites in a bid to keep space affordable.

Industrial land prices surged 27 per cent last year, while rents rose 16 per cent.

The range of new rules, including those restricting religious use, are expected to keep factories and warehouses for industrial use, and so rein in prices.

Guidelines on usage

ALLOWABLE areas in industrial buildings for religious purposes include auditoriums, multi-purpose halls, theatres and training rooms. These are some guidelines on their use:

 -Religious groups must not own or exclusively lease the place, which can also be rented for other events such as conferences. 

- No signs, advertisements or posters about the religious use should be placed on the building's exterior. 

- The religious group's venue must not look like a worship hall and should not contain religious paraphernalia when not in use by the organisation. 

- The activities should not disturb others.

* Caveats to allowing religious activities in industrial buildings

MADAM Jessica Ng suggested last Saturday that the new guidelines allowing religious groups to operate in industrial buildings would send the wrong signal to the property market and that the same flexibility be accorded to offices ('Allow offices to use industrial buildings too').

The new guidelines allow religious activities to be conducted in industrial buildings, but only on a non-exclusive and limited basis.

Under the guidelines, industrial premises cannot be exclusively used for religious activities, and religious use is limited to certain days in a week and occupies only part of the industrial premises within the ancillary use quantum such as auditoriums and meeting rooms.

In this way, the primary function and character of industrial developments are not compromised and genuine factory users will not be displaced.

Land zoned for industrial use is primarily safeguarded for industrial activities, and provides our industries with competitively priced industrial land.

Allowing non-industrial activities like offices in industrial premises would deprive genuine industrialists of the use of such spaces.

Nevertheless, the Government recognises that non-industrial or commercial businesses also form an important part of Singapore's economy.

This is why commercial land has been set aside to meet the needs of these office users.

Apart from office space in the city centre, there is also more affordable office space distributed across the island, including in Housing Board estates.

There are also many new office developments that are coming up in the regional growth centres such as at Jurong Gateway, Buona Vista and Paya Lebar, which will provide more choices of office space.

Han Yong Hoe
Group Director (Development Control)
Urban Redevelopment Authority

ST Forum, 21 Jun 2012

Allow offices to use industrial buildings too

THE new rules allowing religious groups to operate in industrial buildings send the wrong signal to the property market ('Religious activities allowed in industrial buildings'; Wednesday).

The Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) explanatory notes to the 2008 Master Plan zoning forbade religious groups from using Business 1 (B1) and Business 2 zones.

Religious activities were also not permitted as ancillary uses.

The URA needs to explain why it is now easing its rules.

Most of the unauthorised religious usage occurred in multi-storey strata-titled industrial units.

Developers of such buildings do not provide auditoriums, multi-purpose halls or training rooms for common usage by the tenants, as these spaces do not provide the management corporation strata title with any meaningful economic returns.

More importantly, if the URA is prepared to grant special dispensation to religious groups, it should also offer the same flexibility to struggling businesses that are using B1 spaces as offices, simply because they cannot afford the exorbitant rentals and operating costs in office buildings.

After all, office activities are compatible with industrial usage and allowed as ancillary uses.

It is about time the URA reviews the fine line between what is regarded as commercial and industrial usage.

Jessica Ng (Madam)
ST Forum, 16 Jun 2012

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URA: New guidelines on allowable spaces for religious activities -12 Jun 2012