RES exam question on Planning & Development: Mr Lee owns a site zoned Residential in the Master Plan 2025, beside an HDB town centre
Mr Lee owns a site zoned Residential in the Master Plan 2025, beside an HDB town centre. He plans a condominium and wants a public cafe and a convenience shop on its ground floor. His salesperson explains what the zoning means for the two shops. What is the position?
- AThey are allowed as of right, since a Residential zone permits commercial use on the 1st storey of any block
- BThey are allowed as of right if they take up no more than 40% of the scheme's total floor area
- CThey are barred outright, and the site has to be rezoned before any shop may open in it
- DThey are not uses the Residential zone provides for, so URA decides whether to allow them as ancillary or compatible
Show answer & explanation
Answer
D. They are not uses the Residential zone provides for, so URA decides whether to allow them as ancillary or compatible
Explanation
Answer: URA decides whether to allow them as ancillary or compatible uses. They are not the zone's predominant use, so they are neither a right nor barred outright.Rule: Zoning reflects the permissible predominant use. URA may approve other ancillary, related or compatible uses and decides their type and quantum according to the scale of the estate they support.Source: Master Plan Written Statement 2025, paras 4.1 and 4.2 and Table 1, published with URA's Master Plan page (last updated 17 June 2026)
Why the other options are wrong
- Allowed as of right on any 1st storey: Commercial use at the 1st storey marks the separate Residential with Commercial at 1st Storey zone, not plain Residential.
- Allowed as of right up to 40%: The 40% cap belongs to the Commercial & Residential zone, and these uses are not a right here.
- Barred until the site is rezoned: URA may approve other uses that are ancillary, related or compatible, so they are not barred outright.
Study the concept behind this question: Planning & Development Control: URA Master Plan, Zoning, GFA
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