The applicant is required to submit the farm layout plans and building plans for his farm to AVA for clearance and BCA for building plan approval before he starts the development or alteration and addition works for his farm.
The applicant is required to engage an Qualified Person (Architect or a Professional Engineer) to assist him in submitting farm plans to AVA for clearance and BCA for building plan approval.
The Qualifed Person would have to submit the farm plans to AVA for clearance and to BCA for building plan approval using e-submission (Corenet system).
A meeting can be arranged to brief the farm owner and his Architect or Professional Engineer on the requirements for the design of the farm and submission of farm plans to AVA and BCA for approval. The farm owner or his Architect or Professional Engineer can contact Mr Chin Hong Keong at Tel: 6325 7670 for clarification on the submission of farm plans.
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There is growing public interest in Singapore for alternative recreational activities such as farm visits. To cater to this potential demand, farm operators may now include visitor amenities such as cafes, visitors’ education centre etc., to offer the farms as attractions for local and foreign visitors.
URA has drawn up guidelines to allow supporting visitor amenities as an ancillary use on farms, as follows:
|
Snack bar, café, restaurant,
including outdoor refreshment areas
Retail outlets
(For sale of farm and
non-farm products, e.g. souvenirs)
|
200 sqm |
|
Visitor centre
(For use as a museum or education centre to showcase farm-related exhibits, local history, etc.)
|
200 sqm |
Farm-stay
(For housing transient local visitors
and tourists. )
|
|
The intention is for ancillary visitor amenities on the farm to be kept small-scale. This is to retain the predominant agricultural use for the land in keeping with the land use zoning, as well as to preserve the rustic character of the surroundings. The requirement for at least 70% of the land area to be used for agricultural production still remains.
Development Charge / Differential Premium, where payable, will be levied for these visitor amenities.
The guidelines above are intended to guide farm operators who are interested to open their farms for public visits.
AVA’s endorsement is required before submission of the Development Application to URA. Farm operators who are interested in such proposal should submit their development plans for the proposed visitor amenities, together with their business proposals, to AVA for endorsement before applying for planning approval.
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Short-term tenancies of land for farming are on 1-year to 3-year term.
Existing tenant who wishes to apply for renewal of his tenancy for another term should write to Head, Tenancy Management and Plan Processing Section, AVA at 5, Maxwell Road, #01-01, Tower Block, MND Complex, Singapore 069110 three (3) months before the expiration of his existing tenancy.
The tenant will be informed in writing if his request for renewal of tenancy for another term is approved. In the letter, the tenant is informed of the new terms of tenancy and also the amount of payment for the annual land rent and other charges. The tenant is required to make the required payment by the due date stated in the letter to signify acceptance of the new terms of tenancy.
Tenant has to furnish a fresh security deposit equivalent to 3-month of the annual land rent either in cash, banker’s guarantee or insurance bond.
Tenant will be requested to go to AVA office to execute the new Tenancy Agreement and also to furnish a cashier order to the Commissioner of Stamp Duties for payment of stamp fees for the Tenancy Agreement.
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Existing leasehold farm owners who wish to apply for an extension of their existing land leases should write to Commissioner of Lands, Singapore Land Authority at 8, Shenton Way, #25-01, Temasek Tower, Singapore 068811 of their request.
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