Dedicated Waiting or Holding Areas within Residential Estates

Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether BCA requires residential estates to cater for proper waiting or holding areas within the estate which residents and drivers of vehicles are to adhere; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider enhancing the HDB and BCA regulations of such areas, including road planning inside residential estates.

The Building and Contruction Authority's Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment requires residential developments to provide at least one accessible and sheltered passenger alighting and boarding point with direct access to every block. This requirement applies to new buildings, and existing buildings undergoing major retrofitting works, where the building plans are submitted for regulatory approval on or after 1 April 2014.

In addition, the Land Transport Authority's (LTA’s) Code of Practice on Vehicle Parking Provision in Development Proposals recommends the provision of sufficient waiting or holding areas to meet the needs of logistics services for all residential developments. LTA has published technical guidelines for alighting and boarding points, loading/unloading bays and vehicular access points that developers should incorporate in their design plans. As part of the development control process, LTA reviews the development’s vehicular circulation plans and guides developers to provide features in accordance with the technical guidelines.

Both the Housing and Development Board and private developers must comply with the technical agencies’ regulations for residential developments.

Review of the respective codes are conducted from time to time, and the Government welcomes suggestions to enhance the provisions for waiting or holding areas and estate road planning.