# Revised Land and Pricing Allocation Framework for Place of Worship Land - **Source:** Ministry of National Development - **Published:** 2023-05-28T06:00:00.000Z - **Author:** Ministry of National Development - **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/revised-land-and-pricing-allocation-framework-for-place-of-worship-land - **Topics:** Government & Policy ## Featured rationale Price certainty and weighted ballot chances may broaden access for qualified religious organisations, potentially moderating land costs and supporting more equitable site allocation. ## AI summary Future non-mosque Place of Worship sites will be allocated by ballot at Chief Valuer-determined prices, which are expected to be below prevailing competitive-tender prices. ## Original article 1. The Government has announced changes to the framework for allocating and pricing land for Place of Worship (PW). The revised framework will level the playing field and provide all religious organisations with a chance of obtaining PW land. 2. As a multireligious society, religion and religious organisations play an important role in our social fabric. As such, PW land is planned as part of our residential estates to meet the religious needs of Singaporeans, while ensuring the optimal use of Singapore’s scarce land resources. 3. Over the years, religious organisations have expressed concerns about the rise in prices for PW land. Recognising the significance of these concerns, the Government has been working closely with religious organisations to improve the process of allocating PW land. Our aim has been to ensure that the tender process of PW land is carried out in a manner that prioritises religious organisations with genuine needs. In 2018, the PW land tender framework was reviewed to introduce non-price conditions, such that only religious organisations that contribute to the community and demonstrate a need for space are qualified to bid for PW land. Subsequently, the site would be awarded to the religious organisation that submitted the highest bid price. This approach is generally applied to most PW land, except for mosques, for which the Government directly alienates sites to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) at a pre-determined price set by the Chief Valuer reflecting the fair market value of the site, as mosque development is centrally coordinated by Muis. 4. Recognising the rising prices for PW land, the Government has been consulting religious groups, to gather their views on the review for the land allocation and pricing framework for PW land. The revised framework was developed to address the rising PW land prices as well as to promote equitable access to PW land for religious organisations. This will better allow Singaporeans to have the space to practise their religion. Revised Land Allocation and Pricing Framework 5. With the exception of mosques, future PW land will be allocated through a ballot system rather than through a competitive tender (see details in Annex). There will be upfront price certainty as religious organisations will pay a pre-determined price, reflecting the fair market value of the site, as determined by the Chief Valuer.[1] The price of PW land under this new framework is expected to be lower than the prevailing prices, thereby leveling the playing field for all religious organisations. The PW land must continue to be predominantly for religious uses and worship. Religious organisations will continue to have to meet the existing pre-qualification criteria. [1] The Chief Valuer will make adjustments to the price based on site-specific factors and year-on-year differences. 6. Religious leaders represented in the National Steering Committee on Racial and Religious Harmony welcomed these efforts to ensure that PW land is allocated in a more sustainable manner. Lease Renewal Premiums 7. Lease renewal premiums for PW land will be in line with the new pricing framework and are hence similarly expected to be lower than what they are today. Religious organisations renewing their leases will not be subject to the ballot system. 8. While the latest review was ongoing, religious organisations with expiring leases were advised to consider short-term tenancies to allow them to benefit from the revised framework. Supply of PW Sites 9. The Ministry of National Development plans to release new PW land later this year and will maintain a long-term perspective when planning the supply of various land uses. As always, we will regularly review our Master Plan, which guides our development for the next 10 to 15 years, and balance demands and trade-offs across a wide variety of needs, including PW, community facilities, workplaces, amongst others. 10. Details about the upcoming launches under the revised framework will be announced when ready. Issued by: Ministry of National Development Annex Revised Land Allocation and Pricing Framework for Place of Worship Land Stage 1: Pre-Qualification Criteria Religious organisations are to meet each and every criterion as follows: a. Registered for advancement of religion: Only entities that are established or constituted for the advancement of religion will be allowed to apply for new PW land. b. Community support and involvement: Religious organisations will need to demonstrate that they have organised regular activities that involve / benefit the wider community in Singapore. c. Need for space: Religious organisations will need to demonstrate their need for the new dedicated site. d. Adequate and sustainable local funding: Religious organisations will need to demonstrate that they have adequate and sustainable sources of local funding to acquire the site and to develop and operate the PW. Only religious organisations which meet the Stage 1 criteria will be eligible for the ballot under Stage 2. Stage 2: Ballot Ballot Chances Religious organisations shortlisted under Stage 1 will proceed to Stage 2 where they will undergo a ballot. Each religious organisation will be given one ballot chance by default. Religious organisations will be given one additional ballot chance for each unsuccessful attempt at obtaining PW land via the tender or ballot process in the past 5 years, capped at a total of 4 ballot chances (see Table 1). Table 1: Ballot Chances for Religious Organisations with Previous Unsuccessful Attempts Number of Previous Unsuccessful Attempts Number of Previous Unsuccessful Attempts Total Ballot Chances Total Ballot Chances 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 or above 3 or above 4 4 The site will be awarded to the religious organisation that wins the ballot. The RO will then pay the price as determined by the Chief Valuer based on his professional judgement. Cooling-off Period To ensure that balloting chances are distributed fairly across religious organisations, the following religious organisations will be subject to a cooling-off period, during which they will not be allowed to participate in the ballot: a. Religious organisations which have obtained a new site in the past 5 years. b. Religious organisations which have renewed their lease, tenancy agreement or temporary occupation licence in the past 2 years. This will be applied prospectively, i.e., religious organisations that recently renewed their lease, tenancy agreement or temporary occupation licence prior to 28 May will be allowed to ballot. *Exceptions may be allowed on a case-by-case basis. ## Chinese translation > Translation model: grok_cli ### 宗教场所用地修订土地分配与定价框架 1. 政府已宣布调整宗教场所（PW）用地的分配与定价框架。修订后的框架将营造更公平的竞争环境，让所有宗教组织都有机会取得宗教场所用地。 2. 作为多元宗教社会，宗教与宗教组织在我们的社会肌理中扮演重要角色。因此，宗教场所用地被规划为住宅区的一部分，以满足国人的宗教需要，同时确保新加坡稀缺土地资源得到优化使用。 3. 多年来，宗教组织对宗教场所用地价格上升表示关切。政府认识到这些关切的重要性，一直与宗教组织密切合作，改进宗教场所用地的分配流程。我们的目标是确保宗教场所用地的招标程序，优先考虑确有实际需要的宗教组织。2018年，政府检讨了宗教场所用地招标框架，引入非价格条件，使只有对社会有贡献并证明有空间需要的宗教组织才有资格竞投宗教场所用地。其后，地段会批予出价最高的宗教组织。此做法一般适用于大多数宗教场所用地，但清真寺除外——清真寺用地由政府直接让售予新加坡伊斯兰宗教理事会（Muis），价格由总估价师按反映地段公平市值的预定价格厘定，因为清真寺发展由Muis集中协调。 4. 鉴于宗教场所用地价格上升，政府一直咨询宗教团体，收集他们对宗教场所用地分配与定价框架检讨的意见。修订框架旨在应对宗教场所用地价格上升，并促进各宗教组织公平取得宗教场所用地。这将更好地让国人有空间实践其宗教信仰。 修订土地分配与定价框架 5. 除清真寺外，未来的宗教场所用地将通过抽签系统分配，而非通过竞争性招标（详见附件）。价格将有前期确定性，宗教组织将支付由总估价师厘定、反映地段公平市值的预定价格。[1] 在此新框架下，宗教场所用地价格预计将低于现行价格，从而为所有宗教组织营造更公平的竞争环境。宗教场所用地必须继续以宗教用途与崇拜为主。宗教组织仍须符合现行预审资格标准。 [1] 总估价师将根据地段特定因素及逐年差异对价格作出调整。 6. 全国种族与宗教和谐督导委员会中的宗教领袖欢迎这些努力，以确保宗教场所用地以更可持续的方式分配。 租约续期溢价 7. 宗教场所用地的租约续期溢价将与新定价框架一致，因此预计同样会低于目前水平。续租的宗教组织无须经过抽签系统。 8. 在最新检讨进行期间，租约即将到期的宗教组织获建议考虑短期租约，以便受惠于修订框架。 宗教场所地段供应 9. 国家发展部计划于今年稍后推出新的宗教场所用地，并在规划各类土地用途供应时保持长远视野。一如既往，我们将定期检讨指导未来10至15年发展的总体规划，并在包括宗教场所、社区设施、工作场所等广泛需求之间平衡取舍。 10. 修订框架下即将推出地段的详情将于准备就绪时公布。 发布单位：国家发展部 附件 宗教场所用地修订土地分配与定价框架 第一阶段：预审资格标准 宗教组织须符合以下每一项标准： a. 为推广宗教而注册：只有为推广宗教而设立或组成的实体才可申请新的宗教场所用地。 b. 社区支持与参与：宗教组织须证明其定期举办涉及／惠及新加坡更广泛社区的活动。 c. 空间需要：宗教组织须证明其需要新的专用地段。 d. 充足且可持续的本地资金：宗教组织须证明其拥有充足且可持续的本地资金来源，以购置地段并发展与营运宗教场所。 只有符合第一阶段标准的宗教组织，才有资格进入第二阶段抽签。 第二阶段：抽签 抽签机会 在第一阶段获筛选的宗教组织将进入第二阶段进行抽签。每个宗教组织默认获一个抽签机会。宗教组织在过去5年内每次通过招标或抽签程序未能成功取得宗教场所用地，可额外获一个抽签机会，总计最多4个抽签机会（见表1）。 表1：曾有未成功尝试的宗教组织的抽签机会 以往未成功尝试次数 以往未成功尝试次数 总抽签机会 总抽签机会 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3次或以上 3次或以上 4 4 地段将批予抽签中标的宗教组织。该宗教组织其后须按总估价师根据其专业判断所厘定的价格付款。 冷却期 为确保抽签机会在宗教组织之间公平分配，以下宗教组织将受冷却期约束，期间不得参与抽签： a. 在过去5年内已取得新地段的宗教组织。 b. 在过去2年内已续订租约、租用协议或临时占用许可证的宗教组织。此规定将前瞻性适用，即在5月28日之前最近刚续订租约、租用协议或临时占用许可证的宗教组织，仍可参与抽签。 *可视个别情况允许例外处理。