Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre shops must comply with fire safety rules to extend lease

All shops selling fruits, vegetables and dried goods at Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre will have until the end of 2026 to comply with fire safety requirements for a lease extension to be granted.

- Ang Qing

The lease for the wholesale centre, which has 1,200 units including about 200 shops, expires that year. The other units comprise facilities such as cold rooms.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a statement on Aug 29 that it is working with the relevant agencies to extend the wholesale centre's lease till 2040, but that it must "rectify all fire safety non-compliances by end-2026".

SFA also said it will be extending the lease of the Jurong Fishery Port until 2040. The lease for Singapore's only fishery port was previously slated to end in 2030.

The agency said it has completed the installation of sprinklers in common areas and heat detectors in shops at Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre. This lays the foundation for broader rectification works, said SFA, adding that the only outstanding rectification works involve the shops.

SFA said the shops will have to remove modifications made without approval, and install in-unit sprinkler systems.

"These rectifications are critical to ensure the safety of tenants, workers and the public visiting Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre," said SFA.

The agency said it will support tenants by bearing the cost of installing sprinklers on the ceiling of each shop and demolishing existing non-fire safety compliant assets such as chillers.

"In addition, affected tenants will receive three months' rent and service and conservancy charges waivers," SFA added.

The three-month waiver is based on how long the agency has projected the rectification will take.