Statute Details
- Title: Residential Property (GLG International Investments Pte. Ltd. — Exemption) Notification 2021
- Act Code: RPA1976-S722-2021
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Residential Property Act (Cap. 274)
- Authorising Provision: Section 32(1) of the Residential Property Act
- Enacting Authority: Minister for Law (made by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Law)
- Notification Number: SL 722/2021
- Commencement: 27 September 2021
- Made Date: 24 September 2021
- Status (as provided): Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key Provisions: Exemptions from approvals under sections 9, 28, 28A, and 31 of the Residential Property Act; conditions in the Schedule
What Is This Legislation About?
The Residential Property (GLG International Investments Pte. Ltd. — Exemption) Notification 2021 is a targeted exemption instrument issued under the Residential Property Act (Cap. 274). In plain terms, it allows a specific company—GLG International Investments Pte. Ltd.—to proceed with certain residential property-related transactions and development plans without obtaining some approvals that would otherwise be required under the Residential Property Act.
Singapore’s Residential Property Act regulates ownership and dealings in residential property, including approvals for certain conversions, changes of use, rezoning-related development, and approvals relating to housing developers. These controls are designed to manage the residential property market and ensure compliance with policy objectives. However, the Act also empowers the Minister to grant exemptions in appropriate cases.
This Notification uses that exemption power to carve out specific situations where the usual approval requirements do not apply to the relevant company. The scope is not general: it is limited to residential property development intended for sale or disposal for profit, and it is tied to property ownership and vesting occurring on or after 27 September 2021 (or, for conversion, vesting immediately before conversion). The Notification also preserves approval requirements in one important respect: retention of certain landed dwelling-houses.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Citation and commencement (Section 1)
Section 1 provides the formal citation and states that the Notification comes into operation on 27 September 2021. This date is crucial because the exemptions in later provisions are linked to transactions and property status “before, on or after 27 September 2021” (for conversion) or “on or after 27 September 2021” (for acquisitions/ownership).
2. Exemption from need for approval to become converted entity (Section 2)
Section 2 addresses a specific approval requirement under section 9 of the Residential Property Act. Generally, section 9 is concerned with approvals when a company becomes a “converted entity” (a concept used in the Act to regulate how certain entities may hold residential property). This Notification states that section 9 does not apply to GLG International Investments Pte. Ltd. in relation to residential property that meets all of the following conditions:
- (a) Not non-restricted residential property: the property must be a type that is not “non-restricted residential property”. This implies the exemption is still within the restricted residential property framework, rather than extending to the most permissive category.
- (b) Vesting immediately before conversion: the property is vested in the relevant company immediately before its conversion into a converted entity.
- (c) Timing: the conversion occurs before, on or after 27 September 2021.
- (d) Intended development and ultimate purpose: the property is intended for development as residential property, with the ultimate purpose of sale or disposal by the relevant company as residential property for profit, after conversion.
Practical effect: if GLG’s conversion into a converted entity would otherwise trigger an approval requirement under section 9, this Notification removes that requirement for qualifying residential property development projects intended for profitable sale/disposal.
3. Exemption from need for approval to change existing use (Section 3)
Section 3 deals with the approval requirement under section 28 of the Act, which typically governs changes of use and development plans for land. The Notification provides that section 28 does not apply to the relevant company in relation to land that:
- (a) Is acquired, owned or purchased on or after 27 September 2021; and
- (b) Is intended for change of use to and development as residential property, with the ultimate purpose of sale or disposal for profit.
Practical effect: GLG can pursue a change-of-use and residential development pathway without needing the section 28 approval, provided the land acquisition/ownership timing and the ultimate profit-driven residential development purpose are satisfied.
4. Exemption from need for approval for rezoned land (Section 4)
Section 4 targets the approval requirement under section 28A, which relates to development on rezoned land. The Notification states that section 28A does not apply to GLG in relation to vacant land that:
- (a) Is owned by the relevant company on or after 27 September 2021; and
- (b) Is intended for development as residential property, with the ultimate purpose of sale or disposal for profit.
The provision is also explicit that the land may be vacant with or without a vacant or disused building or structure. This broadens the practical reach: the exemption is not defeated merely because there is an existing disused structure on the vacant land.
5. Exemption from need for housing developer’s approval (Section 5)
Section 5 addresses section 31 of the Act, which concerns housing developer’s approval. The Notification provides an exemption, but with a significant carve-out.
Section 5(1): subject to sub-paragraph (2), section 31 does not apply to the relevant company. This would typically mean GLG is exempt from the need to obtain housing developer’s approval for the relevant residential development activities covered by section 31.
Section 5(2): despite the general exemption, section 31(1) and (4) continue to apply to the relevant company in relation to the retention of a dwelling-house that is a landed dwelling-house.
Section 5(3): defines “landed dwelling-house” as a detached house, semi-detached house, or terrace house (including linked house or townhouse), whether or not comprised within a strata title plan registered under the Land Titles (Strata) Act (Cap. 158).
Practical effect: GLG may be exempt from housing developer approval in general, but if a project involves retaining a landed dwelling-house (as defined), the approval requirements under section 31(1) and (4) are not displaced. This is a policy-preserving limitation: retention of landed housing triggers continued regulatory oversight.
6. Conditions of exemption (Section 6 and the Schedule)
Section 6 states that the exemptions are subject to the conditions specified in the Schedule. While the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule’s text, this is a critical legal point: exemptions under this Notification are not absolute. Practitioners should treat the Schedule conditions as mandatory compliance requirements—failure to satisfy them could mean the exemption does not apply, potentially exposing the company to breach of the underlying Residential Property Act approval requirements.
Action for counsel: confirm the exact Schedule conditions in the current version (as at the relevant date) and ensure the client’s development plan, property status, and documentation align with those conditions.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This Notification is structured in a straightforward format typical of Singapore subsidiary legislation notifications:
- Enacting Formula: states the legal basis (section 32(1) of the Residential Property Act) and identifies the Minister’s power to grant exemptions.
- Section 1 (Citation and commencement): identifies the instrument and its effective date.
- Sections 2 to 5: each provides a discrete exemption from a specific approval requirement under the Residential Property Act (sections 9, 28, 28A, and 31 respectively).
- Section 6: links the exemptions to the Schedule by stating they are subject to conditions.
- The Schedule: sets out the operative conditions that must be met for the exemptions to apply.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Notification applies specifically to GLG International Investments Pte. Ltd. It is not a class-based exemption for all companies or all developers. The exemptions are therefore company-specific and must be assessed against the “relevant company” definition used throughout the Notification.
In addition, the exemptions apply only in relation to qualifying property and qualifying development purposes. For example, the exemptions are tied to residential property development intended for sale or disposal for profit, and they are constrained by timing (e.g., acquisitions/ownership on or after 27 September 2021) and property type (e.g., not “non-restricted residential property” for the conversion exemption). Accordingly, even for the relevant company, the exemption is not automatic; it is conditional on the factual matrix matching the Notification’s requirements.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Notification is important because it can materially affect the regulatory pathway, timing, and risk profile of a residential development project. Approval requirements under the Residential Property Act can involve procedural steps, compliance checks, and potential delays. By exempting GLG from certain approvals, the Notification can enable the company to proceed more efficiently with development plans that meet the specified criteria.
From a practitioner’s perspective, the Notification also illustrates how Singapore law balances market regulation with targeted flexibility. The exemptions are carefully bounded: they are tied to development intended for profitable sale/disposal, and they preserve approval oversight for retention of landed dwelling-houses. This suggests that the policy concern is not eliminated; it is redirected to particular sensitive scenarios.
Finally, because the exemptions are expressly “subject to the conditions specified in the Schedule,” the Schedule becomes the compliance fulcrum. Counsel should treat the Schedule as essential rather than ancillary. In practice, the Schedule conditions may require undertakings, reporting, or limitations on how the development is carried out. Non-compliance could undermine the exemption and create exposure under the underlying Act.
Related Legislation
- Residential Property Act (Cap. 274) — particularly sections 9, 28, 28A, 31, and the exemption power in section 32(1)
- Land Titles (Strata) Act (Cap. 158) — relevant for the definition of “landed dwelling-house” in section 5(3) of the Notification
- Residential Property Act Timeline / Legislation Timeline — for verifying the correct version as at the relevant date
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Residential Property (GLG International Investments Pte. Ltd. — Exemption) Notification 2021 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.