COTTAGE INDUSTRIES (Encouragement of)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Ang Nam Piau asked the Minister for National Development and Communications, in order to encourage cottage industries, if he will consider granting approval to persons who have been using a portion or the whole of dwelling-houses, chicken-huts, pigsties, etc., for manufacturing to continue their industries.

The Senior Minister of State for National Development (Dr Tan Eng Liang) (for the Minister for National Development and Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, the question whether or not planning approval will be granted to use the whole or part of dwelling-houses, chicken-huts, pigsties, etc, for cottage industries will depend on the merits of each case. In evaluating each case the following factors are taken into consideration:-

(i) The location of the premises;

(ii) The nature and scale of the industry;

(iii) The condition of the surrounding development;

(iv) The Master Plan zoning of the area;

(v) The current policy, if any, affecting the siting of such industries.

All the above factors have to be carefully considered before a decision is made on each case, as once a decision is made to allow an industry in a particular area, a precedent is set for future industries to be so established in that area.

To encourage cottage industries, the Housing and Development Board and the Jurong Town Corporation are putting up small terrace flatted type of factories for sale or rental for such industries.

Mr Ang Nam Piau (Thomson): Mr Speaker, Sir, will the Senior Minister of State consider granting approval to persons to continue to use a portion or the whole of their dwelling-houses, chicken-huts and pigsties for manufacturing, if they have been engaged in this business for more than 20 years?

Dr Tan Eng Liang: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think a distinction will have to be made as to whether the industry is on TOL or whether it is on a permanent basis. Where a change of use is involved, it is normally given to an existing user. But I do not know in what context the Member for Thomson is speaking. I think what he is implying is that certain types of industries are carried out in places like chicken-huts, pigsties and dwelling-houses, and whether they can continue. That is definitely not in order because, as I have mentioned, the most important factor is the zoning requirements. I have mentioned the precedent that will be created and, therefore, it would be impossible to control, say, other types of housing whose occupants would also want, for one reason or another, a change of use. Sir, the merits of each case will have to be seriously considered.

If it is just a minor requirement, approval may be given. For example, previously we have discussed the situation where if a woman uses her dwelling house to make dresses and she owns two sewing machines, on that basis if she has been told that there is a change of use of the place then, of course, discretion has got to be exercised. She can argue her case out and say that it is probably not a change of use. But where a person wants a permit for a change of use to enable him to undertake certain cottage industries, I think, on grounds of planning approval, it is not in order.

Mr Hwang Soo Jin (Jalan Kayu): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am not sure whether the Senior Minister of State is aware that the zoning criterion has been relied upon rather inflexibly by his Department. I have a recent case where a person was doing business frying kropok in his house. This was considered by the Department to be an industry, and he was given notice to stop doing it,

Dr Tan Eng Liang: Mr Speaker, Sir, from the Planning Department's point of view, zoning is absolutely necessary if we really want to prevent indiscriminate types of activities going on in any particular area. As I have stated in the example which the Member for Jalan Kayu has mentioned, perhaps discretion could be exercised here. I share his sentiment that if the business is not intensive the Planning Authority could have exercised some flexibility here. But from the general overall Master Planning point of view, zoning is important. If we want to control the proper development of activities, then it is absolutely clear that there should be no compromise. But I do concede that flexibility could be exercised in cases of that nature.

Mr Hwang Soo Jin: Mr Speaker, Sir, I wonder whether the Senior Minister of State would consider providing certain flexibility in certain zones. For instance, in an Agricultural zone, you might provide that certain clean industries may be permitted. The zoning of areas was done quite a few years back and I do not think it has been reviewed for some time.

Dr Tan Eng Liang: Mr Speaker, Sir, with regard to the overall Master Plan, it is agreed that it was done many years ago. But although we are supposed to upgrade the Master Plan every five years, I can assure the Member that it is being upgraded on a periodical basis, perhaps on an annual or bi-ennial basis.

As to his suggestion of an adjustment to a particular zone, that is being done. For example, in the Agricultural zone, we have specifically introduced what is called a rural centre zone, in areas such as Jalan Kayu and Punggol. The idea of introducing a rural centre area is to ensure that certain activities, like shopping or perhaps even some form of light industries, could be undertaken. We also do allow in between the zones what we call a "mixed zone". In fact, we do allow in the Mixed zone, housing and light industries to be mixed together. We also allow specifically obnoxious industries to be located in certain areas where such activities could be carried out. In other words, I am saying that although the overall zoning policy is being followed, wherever necessary, modifications are made to the Master Plan to incorporate ideas of that nature.