In short
The approval sequence for a landed project, in order: URA planning permission, then BCA building plan and structural approval, then TOP and CSC at completion. It covers who submits (a qualified person, not the owner), what URA assesses, what to prepare, how long each stage takes, and why envelope control means the massing is settled before the layout. A query at any stage restarts that stage's clock.
Who submits, and why that helps
An owner cannot lodge a planning application directly. Submissions are made by a qualified person — normally a registered architect — who carries professional responsibility for what goes in. On our projects that is the registered practice we work with, and KAPA coordinates the drawings, consultants and programme around it.
This is a protection rather than an obstacle. A qualified person who works on landed houses knows the current guidelines, the conventions of a submission and how the assessment usually runs, which is knowledge that is hard to gather on a single project.
What gets submitted, and in what order
Planning permission from URA comes first and governs what the building may be: its use, its envelope, setbacks, height and the share of the plot it may cover. Building plan approval from BCA follows and governs whether what has been permitted can actually be built safely, with structural plans approved alongside. PUB, SCDF and other agencies run in parallel where they apply.
| Stage | Authority | What it settles |
|---|---|---|
| Planning permission | URA | What the house may be: use, envelope, height, setbacks, coverage |
| Building plan approval | BCA | That what was permitted can be built safely and to code |
| Structural plan approval | BCA | The structure itself, designed and certified by a structural engineer |
| TOP and CSC | BCA | That the finished house may be occupied, then that it is complete |
Running them out of order, or lodging a building plan against a scheme that has not settled, is how three months disappear.
What URA looks at
- Land use. That the proposal fits the zoning and the use permitted on the plot.
- Housing type and plot standards. Detached, semi-detached and terrace houses each carry their own minimum plot size and width.
- Envelope and height. The number of storeys allowed and the height and roof geometry within it.
- Setbacks. The distance from the road and from the side and rear boundaries, which vary with the housing type and the road the plot fronts.
- Site coverage. How much of the plot the building may occupy.
- Site constraints. Drainage reserves, road line reserves, protected trees and any guidelines particular to the area.
Guidelines are revised from time to time, and site-specific conditions are common. What applies to your plot is confirmed by your qualified person before design begins, not assumed from a neighbour's house.
Envelope control in practice
Landed housing is governed by an envelope rather than a plot ratio, which means the shape of what you can build is fixed before the plan is drawn. The practical consequence is that massing has to be tested against the envelope before anyone spends time on a layout.
Testing options against those constraints early turns a question that used to take weeks of drawings into one that can be answered before you commit to a plot.
How the process runs
- Before submission. The qualified person checks the scheme against the guidelines and, where it is unusual, may discuss it with the authority before lodging it.
- Provisional permission. Often granted first: approval in principle, subject to conditions.
- Comments and revision. The authority raises queries or asks for amendments. This is normal and expected, not a sign of failure.
- Written permission. Granted once the conditions are met. This is the approval that lets building plan submission proceed.
How long each stage takes
Six to twelve weeks for written permission on a straightforward case that sits comfortably within the guidelines. Building plan approval runs alongside detailed design. Structural plan approval follows. TOP and CSC come at the end, after inspection.
None of these are fixed. A query at any stage restarts the relevant clock, and a scheme that is unusual in its massing, its site conditions or its relationship to the neighbours will attract more of them. Build float into the programme rather than assuming first-time approval.
What to prepare
- Title documents and the survey plan.
- The existing approved plans, where they exist.
- A measured survey where they do not.
- A topographical survey of the plot.
- Your written brief, so that the design submitted is the one you actually want.
For an A&A, the accuracy of the existing drawings is central to the submission. Any difference between what was approved historically and what stands today has to be resolved, and anything built without approval must be regularised or removed.
What makes it go smoothly
- Establish the envelope before designing, not after.
- Design within the guidelines rather than seeking exceptions, unless there is a strong reason to.
- Resolve site constraints early: trees, drainage reserves and platform levels.
- Submit a complete package. An incomplete one generates avoidable rounds of comments.
- Do not change the design after approval unless you must, because an amendment needs a further submission.
Nearly every approval problem is a design problem created before anyone read the site properly.
Key takeaways
- URA planning permission first, then BCA building plan and structural approval, then TOP and CSC.
- Six to twelve weeks is typical for written permission on a straightforward case.
- Landed housing is envelope-controlled, so massing is fixed before layout.
- Queries reset the clock. Clean, complete drawings are the whole defence.
Questions people ask
No. Submissions are made by a qualified person, normally a registered architect, who carries professional responsibility for what is lodged. On our projects the registered practice we work with submits, and we coordinate everything around it.
