Residential Property Planning

Economic and Socialized Housing

• Economic and socialized housing refers to housing units that are affordable to average and low-income earners, with a price ceiling of 30% of the gross family income.
• The price ceiling for different types of housing is as follows:
  • Socialized housing: 400K and below
  • Low-cost 1: 300K-1.25M
  • Low-cost 2: 1.25M-2M
  • Medium cost: 2M-4M
  • Open market: 4M and above

Definition of Terms

• Socialized housing: Housing projects undertaken by the government for the underprivileged and homeless citizens.
• Economic housing: Housing projects provided to average income families with affordable costs.
• Dwelling: A building designed or used as a residence for one or more families.
• Single-family dwelling: A dwelling on one lot containing one family.
• Multiple-family dwelling: A dwelling on one lot containing separate living units for multiple families.
• Community facilities: Facilities intended to serve common needs and for the benefit of the community.

Subdivision Design

• Planning considerations:
  • Avoid areas subject to flooding/hazards.
  • Preserve trees with a caliper diameter of 200mm or greater.
  • Follow easement requirements set by other codes.
  • Provide major streets with extensions for future connections.
• Parks and playgrounds:
  • Minimum area required is expressed in %.
  • Area increases as density (lots/hectare) increases.
  • Absolute minimum: 100sqm.
• Community facilities:
  • A multipurpose center is required for projects 1 hectare or bigger.
  • Circulation/road planning:
    • Observe the prescribed road hierarchies and minimum RROW widths within the subdivision.
    • Minimum sizes of roads:
      • Interconnecting road: 10.00m
      • Major road: 8.00m
      • Collector road: 8.00m
      • Minor road: 6.50m
      • Motor court: 6.00m
      • Pathwalk: 3.00m
      • Alley: 2.00m

Building Design: Single-Family Dwellings

• Access to property:
  • Pathwalks may only be used as access to property only for socialized housing.
  • Courts:
    • Minimum horizontal dimension: 2.00m
    • Provide a passageway 1.20m wide minimum that leads to a street or yard.
• Open space requirements:
  • Interior lot: 50% (BP 220), 40% (NBC)
  • Inside lot: 20% (BP 220), 50% (NBC)
  • Corner lot: 10% (BP 220), 30% (NBC)
• Ceiling heights:
  • Minimum ceiling height: 2.00m
  • Mezzanine: 1.80m
• Exits:
  • Less than 10 occupants: 1
  • 10 or more occupants: 2
• Door heights and widths:
  • 1.80m for bathroom and mezzanine doors
  • 2.00m for all other doors
  • 800mm for main door
  • 700mm for bedroom or service door
  • 600mm for bathroom
• Windows:
  • Regular rooms: 10% of floor area
  • Bathrooms: 5% of floor area
• Stairways:
  • Riser: 250mm max
  • Tread: 200mm min
  • Width: 600mm min
  • Headroom: 2.0m min
  • Landing-to-landing: 3.6m
• Handrails:
  • 800-1200mm from floor
  • Handrails not required for stairs with less than 4 steps
• Firewalls:
  • Required whenever a dwelling abuts on a property line
  • At least 150mm or 6 inches thick
  • 300mm extensions above roof and building edges
  • Ceilings should be compartmentalized and not continuous from one space to another

Building Design: Multiple-Family Dwellings

• Access to property:
  • The property must abut a public street.
  • Pathwalks are not allowed as property access.
• Non-residential use:
  • Portions of the property may be designed for non-residential use if the use is harmonious or compatible with the residential character of the property.
  • Maximum 25% of the total residential area.
• Distances between buildings:
  • For 1 to 2-storey buildings:
    • Between buildings: 4.00m
    • Between eaves: 1.50m
  • For 3-4 storey buildings:
    • Between buildings: 6.00m
    • Between eaves: 2.00m
  • For buildings taller than 4 storeys:
    • Between buildings: 10.00m
    • Between eaves: 6.00m
• Parking requirements:
  • Follow parking slot sizes in NBC.
  • For multi-family dwellings and condominiums, provide 1 slot for 8 units.
  • Driveway may be used as a parking area if the minimum RROW is maintained.
• Off-site parking:
  • Off-site parking allowed as long as it is NOT more than 100m away.
• Minimum floor areas:
  • Socialized housing: 18 sqm
  • BP 220 condominium: 18 sqm
  • Economic housing: 22 sqm
• Exits and corridors:
  • Follow the NBC and the Fire Code.
• Fire suppression systems:
  • Required for structures more than 15 meters in height.
• Elevators:
  • Required for buildings 6 storeys or higher.
  • The elevator's design shall conform to the requirements in the NBC and BP 344.