Community/Sports Facilities Scheme Guidelines 2026

The Community/Sports Facilities Scheme (CSFS) allows qualifying community and sports uses to co-locate with highly accessible commercial developments, using bonus Gross Floor Area (GFA) above the Master Plan maximum. URA's revised circular is dated 1 September 2026, takes effect immediately from 21 August 2026, and applies to new community/sports-use applications submitted on or after that effective date; the guidelines remain valid until 21 August 2029 (URA, 1 September 2026).

Qualifying use and planning boundary

The proposed use must be primarily for public or community use, non-profit in nature, predominantly outreach-oriented, and endorsed by the relevant championing government agency. Bonus CSFS space is capped at 10% of the site's maximum permissible GFA under the Master Plan or 2,000 square metres, whichever is lower; ancillary uses such as offices are limited to 40% of the CSFS space (URA, 1 September 2026). A qualifying proposal therefore needs both an eligible use and the relevant endorsement; the scheme is not a general commercial-floor-area entitlement.

2026 changes: childcare and arts

ECDA will no longer endorse new childcare centres as an allowable community use under the CSFS because government-supported childcare availability and accessibility have increased. Existing childcare centres previously approved under the scheme continue to be supported if they remain compliant, but requests to expand their premises or increase GFA are not supported by ECDA under the CSFS (URA, 1 September 2026). Separately, the revision formalises non-profit arts uses with strong community outreach that are endorsed by MCCY/NAC as an allowable community use; this does not make every arts or cultural business eligible.

Application and continuing obligations

Applicants submit a formal application to URA for Provisional Permission with a letter of undertaking and an endorsement letter from the relevant championing ministry or agency. The approved space must continue to be used for the approved purpose, and a replacement community or sports user must meet the same endorsement and guideline requirements if the original user leaves. The CSFS is therefore a planning approval route with continuing use conditions, not a direct operating grant or an automatic approval for a proposed facility (URA, 1 September 2026).