By The Address desk · Last verified 7 October 2026
Singapore’s landed homes are defined by URA planning rules, and the main difference is how many walls you share and how much land you need. A terrace house shares walls on both sides and needs a plot of at least 150 sqm (80 sqm for the smaller Terrace II type). A semi-detached house shares one wall and needs 200 sqm. A bungalow (detached house) stands alone on at least 400 sqm. A Good Class Bungalow (GCB) is a detached house of at least 1,400 sqm inside one of 39 Good Class Bungalow Areas. Height limits depend on the area, and foreigners need Singapore Land Authority approval to buy any of these.
Landed living is a dream for many families here, with a garden, a gate and a little sky of your own. Knowing the categories helps you read listings and spot what you can and cannot build later.
Quick facts
- URA sets minimum plot sizes, widths and site coverage for each type of landed house.
- Plot sizes are measured net, excluding land set aside for roads or drains.
- There are 39 Good Class Bungalow Areas, shown on the Designated Landed Housing Area Plan on URA SPACE.
- Landed houses outside the designated areas, and not guided by street block plans, are subject to a 3-storey height control.
- Terraces, semi-Ds, bungalows and vacant residential land are restricted property for foreigners under the Residential Property Act.
- A strata landed house inside an approved condominium development is not restricted.
The four types side by side
| Type | Walls shared | Minimum plot | Minimum width | Site coverage cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrace I, intermediate | Two | 150 sqm | 6 m | No control |
| Terrace I, corner | One | 200 sqm | 8 m | No control |
| Terrace II, intermediate or corner | Two or one | 80 sqm | 6 m or 8 m | No control |
| Semi-detached | One | 200 sqm | 8 m (10 m back-to-back) | No control |
| Detached (bungalow) | None | 400 sqm | 10 m | 40% sub-control, 50% overall |
| Good Class Bungalow | None | 1,400 sqm | 18.5 m (30 m deep) | 35% sub-control, 45% overall |
Site coverage limits how much of the plot the house may cover, leaving room for gardens and light. It is one reason two bungalows on the same size of land can look very different.
What makes a Good Class Bungalow different?
A GCB is not just a big bungalow. It must sit within one of the 39 gazetted Good Class Bungalow Areas, where URA protects the low-density, leafy character with a larger minimum plot and tighter site coverage than for other bungalows. A detached house on 1,400 sqm outside those areas is simply a large bungalow. Because the supply is fixed by the map, GCBs are among the scarcest homes in Singapore.
Worked example: reading a listing
A listing says: “Detached house, 1,000 sqm land, freehold, Bukit Timah.” It is a bungalow, but not necessarily a GCB. Check URA SPACE: if the plot is inside a GCB Area, it is below the 1,400 sqm GCB minimum, so ask an architect or URA how its redevelopment would be treated before you pay a GCB-style price. If it is outside, it comfortably exceeds the 400 sqm bungalow minimum, and the 50% overall site coverage cap would let the house cover up to 500 sqm of the plot.
Strata landed and cluster houses
Some terraces and semi-Ds sit inside a gated development with shared facilities such as a pool, and are sold on strata title, with an MCST and maintenance fees much like a condo. These strata landed or cluster houses feel landed but are governed by condo-style by-laws. If they are inside an approved condominium development, foreigners can buy them without approval.
| Point | Land-titled landed home | Strata landed home |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | You own the plot outright under its tenure | You own the unit plus a share of common property |
| Fees | No maintenance fund; you maintain everything | Monthly MCST contributions and sinking fund |
| Renovations | URA, BCA and other approvals as needed | Also subject to MCST by-laws |
| Foreign buyers | SLA approval required | No approval if in an approved condo development |
Who can buy, and what to check
- Your status: citizens can buy freely; foreigners, including PRs, need SLA approval, which is generally limited to PRs of at least five years with an exceptional economic contribution.
- The tenure: freehold, 999-year and 99-year landed homes all exist, and tenure affects value and financing.
- The planning area: look up the plot on URA SPACE for its landed housing designation and storey height.
- Approvals on file: ask whether past extensions were approved; unapproved works can delay sale and financing.
- Road and drainage reserves: part of a plot may be set aside for vesting to the State, reducing the net plot size.
The WahLiao Verdict
Choose the type by how you live, not by the label. A well-placed terrace gives most families the garden and the space they want at a fraction of a bungalow’s price; a semi-D buys you a side garden and more light; a bungalow buys privacy; a GCB buys rarity. Whatever you choose, spend ten minutes on URA SPACE before you fall in love, because the plot size, the area plan and past approvals decide what your home can become.
Questions people ask
Is a corner terrace the same as a semi-D?
Not quite, though URA applies the same 200 sqm minimum plot and 8 m width to both. A corner terrace ends a row of terraces; a semi-D is one of a pair.
How many storeys can I build?
It depends on the area. URA’s landed housing plans set the storey height for each estate, with attics and basements allowed in some; houses outside the designated areas are capped at three storeys.
Can PRs buy a landed home?
Only with SLA approval. The published criteria include being a PR for at least five years and making an exceptional economic contribution. Processing takes about 30 working days.
Where are the Good Class Bungalow Areas?
URA lists all 39 and maps them on the Designated Landed Housing Area Plan in URA SPACE. Many are in the central and Bukit Timah areas, but check the map rather than the district name.
Sources: Urban Redevelopment Authority, planning controls for landed housing, bungalow and GCB plot sizes, terrace plot sizes, semi-detached plot sizes and Good Class Bungalow Areas; Singapore Land Authority, foreign ownership of property. The Address explains; it does not advise.
Read next: Freehold, 999-Year or 99-Year: What Tenure Means for a Singapore Home · Buying Property as a Foreigner in Singapore: What’s Allowed and the Duties · Back to The Address
For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.
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