USE OF RESIDENTIAL PREMISES AS WORKPLACES

Mr Chuang Shaw Peng asked the Minister for National Development whether he will allow officially the use of residential premises as workplaces so as (i) to optimise the use of Information Technology; (ii) to reduce operating costs; and (iii) to encourage the employment of part-timers, such as housewives.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Under the current planning guidelines, residents can work from private homes, as long as their activities do not induce additional vehicular or pedestrian traffic, or cause noise, smoke or dust nuisances. Planning permission is also not required. However, to safeguard the amenity of the residential neighbourhood, persons outside the household are not allowed to work within the residence.

The above guidelines also apply to HDB flats. Although under the HDB lease/tenancy agreement, residents are not allowed to use their flats for any purpose other than as residential flats, HDB does exercise some degree of flexibility. It allows residents to install commercial communication lines in HDB flats such as facsimile, telex or telephone. Residents are also allowed to carry out small scale home-based activities such as tailoring service, assembling plastic flowers, etc. These activities must not be a source of nuisance to the neighbours and the residential character of the HDB flats must not be compromised.