PLANNING (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

2.45 p.m.

The Minister for National Development and Communications (Mr Lim Kim San): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

While my Ministry has been fairly successful in taking enforcement action against the erection of unauthorised structures and is able to contain such illegal activities, however, there has been an appreciable increase in unauthorised change of use of premises, both within and outside the city area. Many trades and small industries, offices, stores, and workshops have moved into premises which are not to be used for such purposes. This is especially so in the residential areas. Sir, such unauthorised uses invariably affect the amenity and the environmental quality of the area and create nuisance and disturbance to the neighbourhood.

On the other hand, change of use of buildings or land is permitted where the proposed activities can be logically and naturally integrated into the prevailing activities of the area. In such cases, the change of use usually results in more intensive usage of the premises and land.

Mr Speaker, Sir, the Bill seeks to amend the Planning Act so as to give specific powers to permit the change of use of buildings and land where conditions allow, to grant such permit for a specific period of time, and to impose a development charge which will be set out in subsidiary legislations. It is also intended to intensify enforcement action against all unauthorised changes of use in order to bring such illegal activities under effective control.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and com mitted to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill.-[Mr Lim Kim San].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.