Outdoor Refreshment Area (ORA) are spaces in front or/and adjacent to coffee shops, providing additional dining space.
Previously, coffee shop operators had to first get the Housing & Development Board (HDB)'s approval, before seeking approvals from other relevant agencies such as the National Parks Board (NParks), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). This process has been streamlined, and operators can now seek approvals concurrently.
Operators are no longer required to seek approval from Town Councils because this will be facilitated by HDB directly.
The changes resulted in 30% reduction in processing time, to 30 working days. HDB has published a revised ORA guide on HDB InfoWEB to reflect these changes.
Read more here.
