Please provide all information related to shophouses in Singapore

Shophouses in Singapore

General Characteristics

• Narrow, small terraced houses with a sheltered 'five foot' pedestrian way at the front.
• Can be used for both business and living.
• Constructed between the 1840s and the 1960s.
• Typically two- to three-storeys high, built in contiguous blocks with common party walls.
• Form the bulk of gazetted conservation buildings.
• Need to follow URA's guidelines for restoration.

Purchasing Shophouses

1. Eligibility:
   • Singaporeans and Permanent Residents are eligible to buy residential-zoned shophouses.
   • Foreigners need approval from the Land Dealings Approval Unit (LDAU) to acquire residential-zoned shophouses.
   • No LDAU approval is needed for Singaporeans, Permanent Residents, or Foreigners when purchasing a commercial shophouse.

2. Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD):
- If you buy a shophouse with mixed commercial and residential use, the residential component will be subject to ABSD.

3. Conservation Status:
- Gazetted conservation status makes shophouses attractive to investors due to their rarity.
- Different districts have different regulations on what can or cannot be done to the building.
- Shophouses in Historic Districts (Boat Quay, Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Little India) must be retained and restored in their entirety.

Conservation Properties

• Historic buildings provide a valuable link to Singapore's heritage and conserving them is an important part of urban planning.
• Over 7,000 buildings have been gazetted for conservation, mainly in the city centre and its fringes, comprising largely shophouses and bungalows.

Categories of Conservation Areas

1. Historic Districts:
   • Include Boat Quay, Chinatown, Kampong Glam, and Little India.
   • Buildings in these areas must be retained and restored in their entirety.

2. Residential Historic Districts:
- Include Blair Plan, Cairnhill, and Emerald Hill.
- Rear extensions lower than the main roof can be built for greater flexibility in adapting the building for modern living.

3. Secondary Settlements:
- Include Geylang and Joo Chiat areas.
- Emphasis is placed on the retention of streetscape.
- A new rear extension up to the maximum height allowed for the area can be built.

4. Bungalows:
- Detached buildings with architectural styles.
- The main house needs to be kept.

Change of Use

• Planning permission for Change of Use is required when the proposed use changes from one Use Class to another or from an unclassified Use Class to another.
• Planning permission is not required when the proposed use is within the same Use Class or for changes authorised under specific categories (e.g., HDB commercial premises, private commercial premises, and shophouses).

Approved Use

• The approved use of premises is indicated in the Grant of Written Permission issued by URA.
• A search enquiry can be submitted to URA to find out the approved use, with a search fee of S$53.50 (including GST) per property unit.
• URA has a free Electronic Development Register to check for approved use.

This comprehensive information should help you understand the various aspects of shophouses in Singapore.