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SINGAPORE : Singapore authorities have made known publicly the use of commercial property for religious activities.
Previously, the authorities grant requests from religious organisations to use commercial space on a case-by-case basis.
The guidelines issued on Tuesday follows several high profile real estate investments by religious groups.
In March this year, City Harvest Church announced a S$310 million investment to occupy a permanent space at Suntec Singapore, located in the city centre.
The investment includes the cost of acquisition of shares, rental and renovation costs.
The church, with its 33,000-strong congregation is expected to move into its new premises by the second quarter of next year.
Another group, New Creation Church, also holds regular services at the Rock Auditorium in Suntec.
Other church groups also meet at a 10,000-square metre hall at the Singapore Expo.
The authorities said they have issued the guidelines to let religious groups know what is allowed within commercial developments, and also to ensure that such places remain secular spaces in multi-ethnic Singapore.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Ministry of Community Development, Youth & Sports added that "the guidelines will provide greater clarity to both property owners and religious organisations".
"Personally I'm a little bit confounded as to the real reason behind this because I found that Singapore churches have always been living within guidelines," said Lawrence Khong, Senior Pastor of Faith Community Baptist Church.
Under the guidelines, religious groups will have limited and non-exclusive use of commercial spaces, so long it does not cause disturbances such as noise, traffic or parking problems.
Other restrictions include a commercial development, setting aside not more than 20,000 square metres or 20 per cent of its total gross floor area for religious use.
And if there's more than one religious organisation interested in the space, each group can use no more than 10,000 square metres of the space at any time. The space cannot be owned or exclusively leased by any religious group.
And the use of the space for religious activity should not be more than two days a week, including Saturday and Sunday.
Authorities said the guidelines apply to religious organisations that rent commercial property on a regular basis and not on ad-hoc activities.
As to what an religious activity means, it simply covers services which involve worship and prayer.
Pastor Khong said the guidelines will not affect the Faith Community Baptist Church's operations at Singapore Expo, which now occupies an area of 10,000 square metres.
City Harvest said it is studying the implications of the guidelines, and abide by the new rules.
When approached by MediaCorp, New Creation Church declined to comment. The group's website said the church will conduct several of its services at Marina Bay Sands on 1 August 2010.
Still, some groups have expressed concern over the availability of suitable venues for worship, especially with a growing congregation.
Pastor Khong said: "We've always found our own solution; in other words we go and make commercial arrangements and this means we actually pay much more than what we would if we expect someone or the government to make provision for us.
"And the fact that these are viable commercial transactions means that whoever transacted with us, have found it to be viable to them because they certainly do not want to turn their property into a church. So they would themselves regulate it and they would only allow us a certain usage.
"The church is willing to pay a higher rate for this kind of place at almost a very competitive rate and sometimes disadvantageous position without complaining."
"We have to maintain some secular space for the public as long as the public feel they are not offended or their space not taken up or being intrude, I think this will be okay," said Ven. Seck Kwang Phing, Secretary-General of the Singapore Buddhist Federation.
Religious groups said they hope for more dialogue on the issue.
Authorities said the guidelines apply to all religious groups and are not targeted at any particular organisation. - CNA/vm/ls
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