Technical Requirements on Greenery Provisions within

Premises
Tree Planting Requirements
Plan Submission Requirements

12/07/2011
 4.1 Technical Requirements on Greenery Provision within Premises

4.1.1 Peripheral Tree Planting Verge

A 2.0m (minimum) wide peripheral tree planting verge is to be

provided along all sides of a development sites boundaries
except where it fronts a public road. In such situations, a green
buffer that corresponds to the road category shall be provided.
(Refer to Figure 4.1.1).

The exceptions to the provision of peripheral planting verge are:

a) Industrial and warehouse developments;
b) Landed housing developments; or
c) Areas with urban design controls.

Figure 4.1.1
Green Buffers & 2.0m Peripheral Tree Planting Verges Requirements
within a Premises (Diagrammatic Plan view)

Common Boundary 2.0m Peripheral

Tree Planting
Verge

Common Common
Boundary Boundary

Building
2.0m Peripheral 2.0m Peripheral
Tree Planting Tree Planting
Verge Verge
Building Set Back Line

Physical Buffer

Access 3.0m or 5.0m

Road Reserve Line Road Green Buffer
Public Road

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 4.1.2 The 2.0m wide tree planting verge should generally be flat (1:40).
If site situation does not permit, the proposed slope should not be
steeper than 1:2.5. (Refer to Figure 4.1.2)

4.1.3 Green Buffer

For the sides of the development boundaries that front a public

road, the width of the green buffer, a segment within the
road buffer, shall be provided in accordance with the category
of road. The classification of the road category is available from
LTA through the purchase of the Road Interpretation Plan (RIP).
(Refer to Figure 4.1.3 on Green Buffer Requirements Along Roads)

The exceptions to the provision of the green buffer are:

1. When there are urban design requirements allowing the
buildings to abut the road reserve line or site boundaries
2. The boundary of a landed housing development that
fronts a category 5 road.

Generally, green buffers should be flat (1:40). If site situation does

not permit, the proposed slope should not be steeper than 1:2.5.
(Refer to Figure 4.1.2)

Figure 4.1.2
Gradient of Green Buffers and Tree Planting Verges

Boundary Line/
Road Reserve Line

Gradient not steeper

than 1:2.5

Width of Green Buffer/Peripheral Planting Verge

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 Figure 4.1.3
Green Buffer Requirements for Development Boundaries Abutting Roads

Classification of road
based on Road Proposed Use / Development Green Buffer
Interpretation Plan

Category 1 Residential / Educational 5.0m

Commercial / Industrial / Institutional / 5.0m
Multi-storey carpark / Place of worship

Category 2 Residential / Educational 5.0m

Commercial / Industrial / Institutional / 3.0m
Multi-storey carpark / Place of worship
Category 3 Residential/ Educational 3.0m
Commercial / Industrial /Institutional/ Place 3.0m
of worship
Multi-storey carpark -
Category 4 5 Residential / Educational 3.0m
& Slip Roads

Commercial / Industrial / Institutional / 3.0m

Place of worship
Multi-storey carpark -

4.1.4 Developments Bordering Drainage Reserves

For developments that border drainage reserves, the

peripheral tree planting verge or green buffer shall be
provided after the drainage reserve line.
Where a drainage reserve is not required to be vested to the
State, the peripheral tree planting verge or green buffer may
be provided above the drainage reserve (after the road
reserve line), subjected to a provision of minimum 2.0m soil
depth as shown in Figure 4.1.4.

12/07/2011
 Figure 4.1.4
Developments Bordering Drainage Reserves
(Diagrammatic Sectional View)

Road Reserve Line/ Drainage Reserve

Building
Boundary Line

3.0m Green Buffer

Not to scale
2.0m

Retaining/Boundary Wall

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 4.1.5 Retaining/Boundary Wall along Green Buffers and Peripheral
Planting Verges

a. The width of green buffers and 2.0m wide peripheral tree

planting verges should exclude boundary/retaining wall.
(Refer to Figure 4.1.5)
b. Footing of the wall should be recessed at least 2.0m below
the proposed ground level if it encroaches more than 0.5m
into a planting verge.

Figure 4.1.5
Retaining/Boundary Wall Abutting Green Buffer and Peripheral Tree Planting
Verges (Diagrammatic Sectional View)

A. Boundary Wall Abutting Green Buffer

Road Reserve Line/

Boundary Line
Building
Green Buffer

Boundary Wall
(height to comply with URAs requirements)

Not to scale
2.0m Recess

Roadside Drain >0.5m Encroachment

12/07/2011
 B. Retaining Wall abutting Green Buffer

Building
Road Reserve Line/ Green Buffer
Boundary Line

Not to scale

Retaining Wall
(height to comply with URAs requirements)

Roadside Drain

C. Retaining/Boundary Wall abutting Peripheral Boundary

Boundary Line

2.0m wide clear Building

Peripheral Planting Verge

Neighbouring Lot
Retaining/Boundary Wall
(height to comply with URAs requirements)

Not to scale
2.0m Recess

> 0.5m Encroachment

4.1.6 Submerged Basement Structure Within Green Buffer and Peripheral

Tree Planting Verges

The submerged basement structures which encroach into green

buffers/peripheral tree planting verges should be at least 2.0m or
more below the ground level. Please refer to Figure 4.1.6 -
Submerged Basement Structure Within Green Buffers/Peripheral
Tree Planting Verges.

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 Figure 4.1.6
Submerged Basement Structure within Green Buffers/Peripheral
Tree Planting Verges

Road Buffer

Note:
Road Reserve Line
1.Basement structure
abutting the road
Green Buffer/ reserve should be at
Peripheral Tree Planting Verge least 2.0m below ground
level.
2.Headroom clearance
2.0m (min) for basement must be
taken into consideration
Basement in the design of the
development and not
be used as a reason for
Not to scale
non-compliance.

4.1.7 Allowable Minor Ancillary Structures Within

Green Buffers and Peripheral Tree Planting
Verges (Prescriptive Guidelines)

a. In general, green buffers and peripheral Note:

tree planting verges should be free from Applicants can choose
any encroachment, except for allowable to either apply the
minor ancillary structures as listed in perspective guidelines
or the objective base
Figures 4.1.7a on Minor Ancillary Structures
guidelines. For objective
allowed in green buffers & peripheral tree base guidelines, please
planting verges. refer to
b. Minor Ancillary Structures not allowed in https://www.nparks.gov.
green buffers & peripheral planting verges sg/~/media/nparks-real-
content/partner-
are listed in Figure 4.1.7b.
us/developers-
c. The total length of the structures architects-and-
allowable within the green buffers must engineers/development
not exceed 3.0m or 25% of the available -plan-submission-
road frontage, whichever is greater. requirements/objective-
based-
(Refer to Figure 4.1.7c)
guidelines.ashx?la=en

12/07/2011
 Figure 4.1.7a
Minor Ancillary Structures Allowed Within Green Buffer & Peripheral Tree Planting Verges
(Prescriptive)

S/No. Structures Remarks

1 Flag poles -

Lamp posts and landscape light

2 -
fittings

3 Guard house & bin point -

4 OG boxes
-
Inspection chamber & minor sewer Minor sewer lines must be laid at least 2.0m
5
lines below ground level

6 Water bulk meter

-
Water pipes must be laid at least 2.0m
7 Industrial water pipes
below ground level

8 Fire hydrant
-

9 Entrance gate/post
-

10 Metering compartment
-

11 Vehicular impact guard-rails

-

Figure 4.1.7b
Minor Ancillary Structures Not Allowed Within Green Buffer & Peripheral Tree Planting
Verges

S/No. Structures Remarks

1 Fire engine hardstanding areas -

Except for crossings running

2
Drain and access covers perpendicular to planting
verge

3 Signboards -

12/07/2011
 Figure 4.1.7c
Guidelines for Ancillary Structures in Green Buffer (Diagrammatic Sectional View)

Building Building

Meter
Guardhouse Compartment Guardhouse

Bin Point Bin Point

Green Access Green Access

Buffer Road Buffer Road

a b c a+b+c

L L

Not to scale

4.1.8 Planting Verges beside Internal Driveways

a. For public building development, in addition to green buffer

and peripheral tree planting verges, a minimum 2.0m wide
tree planting verge is to be provided on at least one side of
the proposed internal driveway if the driveway does not
abut the green buffer or any of the peripheral tree planting
verges.

b. The 2.0m wide tree planting verge should generally be flat

(1:40). If site situation does not permit, the proposed slope
should not be steeper than 1:2.5.

c. This 2.0m wide tree planting verge should be free from

encroachment, above and below the ground level.

d. Basement structure below any planting verges must be

recessed at least 2.0m below ground level.

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 4.1.9 Hedge Planting Around Proposed Bin Centres and Substations
(Only Applicable to Public Building Development) and Along
Perimeter Fence of Schools

a. A minimum 1.0m wide planting verge is to be provided for

planting of hedges around bin centres and substations of
public building development as illustrated in Figure 4.1.9
Hedge Planting Verge.

b. Hedges are required along the perimeter fence of schools.

Figure 4.1.9
Hedge planting verge

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 4.1.10 Planting Verges for Open Air Parking Area at Street Level

a. A minimum 2.0m wide planting verge is to be provided

along a row of parking lots, if the parking area does not
abut the green buffer or any of the 2.0m wide peripheral
tree planting verges. For illustration, please refer to Figure
4.1.10.
(Tree planting verge is not required for lorry/bus parking lots
within car parking area for industrial developments.)

b. A minimum 4.0m wide planting verge (centre divider) is to

be provided between two rows of parking lots as illustrated
in Figure 4.1.10.

c. A minimum 4.0m wide planting verge is to be provided

between a building and parking lots as illustrated in Figure
4.1.10. The exceptions are industrial developments, where
a planting verge between a building and parking lots is not
required for parking lots that are meant for
loading/unloading purposes.

d. The planting verges should generally be flat (1:40). If site

situation does not permit, the proposed slope should not
be steeper than 1:2.5.

e. All planting verges should be free from encroachment,

above and below the ground level.

f. Basement structure below any planting verges must be

recessed at least 2.0m below ground level.

g. All car parking lots are to be fully laid with aeration slabs for
tree aeration. Each piece of slab should have 35% aeration
area with all the void areas turfed.

h. For covered car parking lots, aeration slabs are not

required if at least three-quarters of each parking lots area
is under cover.

12/07/2011
 Figure 4.1.10
Tree planting provision for open air parking area at street level

Building

4.0m wide
planting verge

4.0m
wide
planting
verge

2.0m Car parking lots

wide fully laid with
peripheral perforated slabs
planting
verge

3.0m 5.0m wide

green buffer

4.0m

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 4.2 Tree Planting Requirements

a. All green buffers and planting verges are to be

planted with trees. Other plants can be used
to supplement, but not substitute tree planting.

b. For government school and public building

development projects, the size and condition
of trees and palms to be planted should meet
the minimum standards as specified below:

I. A sapling tree should :

i. have total overall height of at least
2.5m with clear trunk height 1.5m
(measured from ground level)
ii. have girth at least 0.1m
iii. be upright and in good form
iv. have terminal shoot

II. A single stem palm should :

i. have total overall height 2.0m
(measured from ground level)
ii. be upright and in good form
iii. have terminal shoot

III. A cluster palm should :

i. have total overall height 2.0m
(measured from ground level)
ii. be upright and in good form
iii. have a minimum of 4 suckers

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 IV. Specification of Hedge Planting:
Each stem of the hedge An example of staking
planting should have a height of
1m and be planted at 0.5m
centre to centre.

V. A sapling tree/single stem palm

must be staked as and when
required. Stakes provided should
be:

i. galvanised steel pipe or

treated wood of 25mm
diameter
ii. 1/3 buried underground,
with the stake to be
slightly lower than the
sapling
iii. positioned 200mm away
from the collar of the tree
iv. provided with PVC tubed
nylon string placed round
the trunk and tied firmly to
the stake.

VI. Tree collar protector should be

provided for all proposed
sapling trees/single stem palms.
The protector should be made
of a PVC tube of length 200mm,
diameter 75mm and thickness
2mm with a slit cut along the full
length of the tube

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 4.3 Plan Submission Requirements

A registered architect/professional engineer is required to

submit a completed NParks submission form, enclose the letter
of authorisation from the developer, and sign all layers of
drawing digitally.

4.3.1 The plans should comprise:

a.Key and location plans of the development site (scale 1:
10,000 or 1 : 5,000) showing access to the site from the street or
road
b.Site plan (scale 1 : 500, 1 : 200 or 1 : 100)
c.Address, lot and/or plot number of the development site and
neighbouring lots
d.1st storey plan (scale 1: 500, 1: 200 or 1: 100)
e.Basement plan (scale 1: 500, 1: 200 or 1: 100)
f.Survey plan (survey done less than 2 years at the point of
application and endorsed by a qualified surveyor). Not
applicable for Alteration & Additions proposals.

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 4.3.2 General site information for greenery provision within premises
should be provided as shown in Table 4.3.2.

Table 4.3.2
General Site Information Required for Plan Submission
Cross Sectional
Site Plan
Drawing
(a) Development boundary verged in red Indicate -

(b) Proposed development layout Indicate -

(c) Existing and proposed road reserve line verged

Indicate Indicate
in red
(d) Width of proposed road Indicate -

(e) Category of existing and proposed roads Indicate -

(f) Existing and proposed road sidetable Indicate -

(g) Existing and proposed levels of the

Indicate Indicate
development site
(h) Basement line highlighted in brown dotted line Indicate -

(i) Boundary/retaining wall to be highlighted in

Indicate -
orange
(j) Schematic engineering drawing with
dimensions of retaining/boundary wall and - Indicate
foundation
(k) Fire engine access and fire hardstanding areas Indicate -

(l) (only applicable if the development is within

the gazetted Tree Conservation Area or on
vacant land)
Species, girth and heights of existing trees within
Indicate
the site boundary and on the neighbouring lot -
up to 5m from the boundary
(Please refer to 3.3.3 in Conservation of
Trees/Plants).
Existing roadside trees/cluster palms/shrubs
abutting the development boundary and up to
10m on both sides of the boundary are to be
(m) indicated. (Please refer to 3.3.4 in Conservation Indicate -
of Trees/Plants). Any changes on the status of
the existing trees approved at DC/BP stage of
Architects plan are to be reflected.

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 4.3.3 Planting Provision

Information required on planting provision should be provided as

shown in Table 4.3.3.

Table 4.3.3
Planting Provision within Premises
Site Plan & Cross
First Storey Sectional
Plan Drawing
(a) All proposed green buffer/planting verges
(whenever applicable) are to be coloured green Indicate -
on the site plan and 1st storey plan.
(b) Widths of all proposed planting provisions
Indicate Indicate
provided in (a) are to be indicated.
(c) All slopes are to be shown on plan with standard
land surveying symbols. The gradients of all Indicate Indicate
proposed slopes are to be indicated.
(d) Hedge planting (only applicable to public buildings
and school developments) are to be indicated on Indicate -
plan with a wavy green line.
(e) Drawing of the perforated slab and calculation of
the aeration areas for car parking lots are to be Site plan -
shown on plan at Building Plan Stage.
(f) Ancillary structures within the green buffer and
2.0m peripheral planting verges are to be reflected Indicate Indicate
with the height and width indicated.

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 4.3.4 Planting Scheme based on Prescriptive Guidelines
a)Planting Scheme is to be submitted at Building Plan Stage and it is
only applicable to:
i. Public buildings
ii. Government schools
iii. Good class bungalows within a Tree Conservation Area or
vacant land
iv. Apartments within a Tree Conservation Area or on vacant
land
v. Condominium developments within a Tree Conservation
Area or on vacant land
vi. Cluster housing development within a Tree Conservation
Area or on vacant land

b)Information required is to be as shown in Table 4.3.4.

Table 4.3.4
Planting Scheme based on Prescriptive Guidelines

Layout Plan

Location and species of proposed and existing

(a) Indicate
trees are to be shown on plan.

A legend for proposed trees is to be provided. (For

(b) tree symbols, please use colours other than green, Indicate
red and yellow.)

4.3.5 Planting Scheme based on Objective-based Guidelines

Table 4.3.5
Planting Scheme based on Objective-based Guidelines

Layout Plan

Properly annotated Landscape Plan and the

(a) justifications in line with the objectives are to be Indicate
submitted.
Landscape Plan to include all the information as
(b) Indicate
stated in the objective-based guidelines.

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 4.3.6 Lodgement for Tree Planting Provision and Aeration Requirement
for Open Air Parking Area at Street Level

a. Lodgement is applicable only for proposal which complies

with the tree planting provision and aeration requirements
of at grade car parks within the development boundary.
Please refer to the requirements for Tree Planting Provision
And Aeration Requirement For Open Air Parking Area at
Street Level in 4.1.10.

b. Lodgement does not apply to proposals with non-

compliance item(s).

c. A copy of site plan showing the planting verges, parking

spaces, drawing of the perforated slab and calculation of
the aeration area of a slab must be submitted. Dimensions
such as planting verge width, gradients of planting verges,
size of a parking lot and width of driveways should be
clearly indicated on plans. The proposal must be similar to
that approved by the Competent Authority.

d. Proposed tree planting locations are to be shown on plan.

(A list of recommended trees to be planted for carparks is
as listed in Table 4.3.6).

e. The lodgement must be made on the NParks submission

form after obtaining approval from the Competent
Authority for the proposed development. All items of the
form must be duly completed and endorsed where
applicable by a qualified person. The qualified person must
endorse if there are amendments made on the lodgement
form and plans.

f. Upon completion of the development, please submit CSC

lodgement to NParks.

12/07/2011
 Table 4.3.6
Recommended Trees for Planting at Carparks

Recommended
Approximate Height
Species Spacing
When Mature (m)
(m)

1 Alstonia angustiloba (Pulai) 25 18

2 Dalbergia latifolia 15 12

3 Erythrophloeum guineense (Ordeal Tree) 30 12/18

4 Eugenia grandis (Jambu Laut) 25 12

5 Filicium decipiens (Fern Tree) 24 12
6 Hopea odorata 25 10

7 Khaya senegalensis (Senegal Khaya) 30 18

8 Michelia alba (White Chempaka) 22 12

9 Milletia Chempaka 22 18

10 Milletia atropurpurea (Purple Milletia) 30 18

11 Peltophorum pterocarpum (Yellow Flame) 20 12

12 Pterocarpus indicus (Angsana) 30 18

13 Samanea saman (Rain Tree) 25 18

14 Tabebuia rosea (Pink Poui) 18 12

15 Lagerstroemia speciosa (Rose of India) 12 12

16 Mimusops elengi (Bunga Tanjong) 12 12

17 Xanthostemon chrysanthus 12 8

18 Eugenia longifolia 12 12

19 Cratoxylon cochinchinense 12 8

20 Kopsia flavida (Penang Sloe) 8 8

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