Editing Urban Redevelopment Authority

{{Short description|A Singapore government agency}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{about|the agency in Singapore|the agency in Pittsburgh|Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh|the agency in Hong Kong with the same acronym and Chinese name|Urban Renewal Authority}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name     = Urban Redevelopment Authority
| logo            = Logo of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (Singapore).svg
| logo_width      = 250
| logo_caption    = 
| formed          = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1974|04|01}}
| preceding1      = 
| dissolved       = 
| superseding     = 
| jurisdiction    = [[Government of Singapore]]
| employees       = 
| budget          = 
| headquarters    = 45 Maxwell Road, The URA Centre, Singapore 069118
| chief1_name     = Peter Ho Hak Ean
| chief1_position = Chairman
| chief2_name     = Lim Eng Hwee
| chief2_position = CEO
| parent_agency   = [[Ministry of National Development (Singapore)|Ministry of National Development]]
| child1_agency   = 
| website         = {{url|ura.gov.sg/}}
| footnotes       = 
| agency_id       = T08GB0064C
| founder(s)_name = [[Alan Choe]]
}}
[[Image:URA Centre, Jan 06.JPG|thumb|right|The URA Centre at Maxwell Road.]] 
The '''Urban Redevelopment Authority''' ('''URA''') is the national [[urban planning]] authority of Singapore, and a [[Statutory boards of the Singapore Government|statutory board]] under the [[Ministry of National Development (Singapore)|Ministry of National Development]] of the [[Government of Singapore]].

==Mission==
The authority was established on 1 April 1974, and is of critical importance to the city-state. [[Singapore]] is an extremely dense country where land usage is required to be efficient and maximized. The city state is trying to reduce land wastage in the face of land shortage in the area.

==Responsibilities==

===Land use planning===
URA's main responsibility is [[land-use planning]]. URA planners devise both long-term strategic plans, along with medium-term plans, which are reviewed every five to ten years. These plans designate the land use and [[urban density]] for the entirety of Singapore. These designations are divided by URA into 55 [[Planning Areas of Singapore|planning areas]].<ref name="URA Groups and Departments" />

===Development control===
It is the responsibility of URA to evaluate and [[land grant|grant]] planning approval for development projects from the [[public sector|public]] and [[private sector]]s. In approving development applications, the URA states its goal is to foster orderly development conforming to the planning guidelines as stated in the statutory Master Plan and the existing control factors. URA tries to provide quality service when working in partnership with building industry professionals and the general public to foster development.

===Urban design===
URA is responsible for the [[urban design]] of the city. For areas of special interest, such as the [[Singapore River]] area, the [[Orchard Road]] shopping belt, and the [[Marina Bay, Singapore|Marina Bay]], URA devises specific medium and short-term urban design and land use plans. It also works with [[Statutory boards of the Singapore Government|other government agencies]] in enhancing the city's urban design.<ref name="URA Groups and Departments">{{cite web|url=http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/about-us/our-people/groups-departments.aspx|title=About Us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022082534/http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/about-us/our-people/groups-departments.aspx|archive-date=22 October 2013|access-date=18 March 2014|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Building conservation===
[[Architectural conservation|Building conservation]] in Singapore is the responsibility of URA, which issued a Conservation Master Plan in 1989. This plan laid down guidelines and processes for the conservation of culturally and historically significant buildings.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://casestudies.uli.org/Profile.aspx?j=8145&p=5&c=9 | title=Singapore Conservation Program | access-date=18 March 2014 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20140310094601/http://casestudies.uli.org/Profile.aspx?j=8145&p=5&c=9 | archive-date=10 March 2014 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}</ref> More than 7,000 buildings in Singapore have been gazetted as conserved buildings.

===Land sales===
URA also sells land by tender on behalf of the [[Government of Singapore|Singapore government]] to meet demand from private developers.<ref name="URA Groups and Departments" /> URA deals with tenders for government land and applications to buy reserved land.

===Car park management===
The URA plays an important role in managing all public car parks outside of [[Housing Development Board]] estates. It provides information and services to the public in regard to coupon parking, season parking, and heavy vehicle parking. URA also sets the [[bylaw]]s to parking infringement and fines.

==The URA Centre==
In keeping with URA's function as the authority for urban design in Singapore, the URA Centre was conceptualised by URA's in-house architects. [[Kenzō Tange]] Associates and [[Kajima]] Design Asia Pte Ltd served as design consultants. The building consists of two blocks: a 16-floor tower block, and a 5-floor podium block.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bca.gov.sg/Awards/ConstructionExcellence/cea00_04.html | title=Construction Excellence Awards 2000 | access-date=19 March 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031754/http://www.bca.gov.sg/Awards/ConstructionExcellence/cea00_04.html | archive-date=4 March 2016 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==The Singapore City Gallery==

{{main|Singapore City Gallery}}

The URA maintains a regular and ever updated public urban planning exhibition on the first three floors of their headquarters.  Highlights include three scale models of the island of Singapore, the [[Central Region, Singapore|central region]], and the [[Central Area, Singapore|central area]].  Special exhibits and models on current projects and developments island-wide are regularly displayed as well.
<gallery>
File:Central model.jpg|Model in the lobby of the URA building.
File:SingaporeModel.jpg|Scale model of the island found in the Singapore City Gallery.
File:URA_Gallery_Marina_Bay.jpg|The Singapore City Gallery Exhibit - URA is responsible for the urban planning of Singapore.
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Development Guide Plan]]
*[[Urban planning in Singapore]]
*[[Planning Areas of Singapore]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
*[https://www.ura.gov.sg/Corporate/About-Us History of the Urban Redevelopment Authority]

==External links==
* {{official website|https://www.ura.gov.sg/}}

{{Statutory boards of Singapore}}
{{Public real estate management}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Statutory boards of the Singapore Government]]
[[Category:Urban planning in Singapore]]
[[Category:1989 establishments in Singapore]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 1989]]