JTC Anchor Tenant Application FAQs | 2026 Compliance

JTC is Singapore’s lead government agency responsible for developing industrial infrastructure to support the growth of industries and enterprises in Singapore.

Many industrial properties in Singapore are subject to JTC lease, subletting, assignment, renewal, anchor tenant or approved-use requirements. Businesses occupying or acquiring such properties may therefore need to obtain JTC approval before proceeding with certain transactions or changes in use.

A JTC Anchor Tenant is the main approved industrial occupier of a JTC-related industrial facility, especially in structures involving a Third-Party Facility Provider, Third-Party Build and Lease, Sale and Leaseback, or replacement anchor tenant arrangement.

The anchor tenant must be a genuine industrial occupier with a supportable need for the proposed space. JTC will usually consider whether the applicant’s activities, space usage, productivity, workforce profile and economic contribution justify the proposed occupation.

A JTC Anchor Subtenant generally refers to an approved anchor occupier within a subletting structure involving a JTC-related industrial facility.

This usually applies where the anchor business occupies premises from a facility provider or lessee, rather than directly holding the head lease with JTC.

In practice, JTC may assess the proposed occupier’s business activity, GFA usage, Value Added (VA), RPW, business plan, industrial relevance and compliance with the approved use of the property.

A Third-Party Facility Provider is typically a developer, fund, asset owner or facility owner that provides an industrial facility for occupation by an approved industrialist or anchor tenant.

This may arise under a Third-Party Build and Lease arrangement, where a facility is developed for an industrial occupier, or a Sale and Leaseback arrangement, where an industrialist sells a completed facility and leases it back.

The 70% GFA requirement generally means that the approved anchor tenant or anchor tenants must occupy at least 70% of the Gross Floor Area (GFA) of the facility.

This is important because the facility must remain primarily occupied by approved industrial anchor tenant operations, instead of being used mainly for general subletting.

Where the original anchor tenant leaves, the proposed replacement anchor tenant or replacement anchor tenants must continue to satisfy the 70% GFA requirement.

Where more than one proposed replacement anchor tenant is used to meet the anchor tenant requirement, each proposed anchor tenant must generally occupy at least 1,000 sqm.

This is especially important where a facility provider intends to replace one original anchor tenant with several smaller industrial occupiers. The proposed structure should be reviewed carefully before submission to JTC.

The URA 60:40 industrial use rule generally means that at least 60% of the relevant industrial floor area should be used for predominant industrial activities, while up to 40% may be used for ancillary or supporting purposes.

Predominant industrial uses may include manufacturing, production, assembly, warehousing, logistics, R&D, testing or other approved industrial activities.

Ancillary uses may include supporting offices, meeting rooms, staff areas and related support spaces, subject to the applicable planning and authority requirements.

A JTC Anchor Tenant Application may be required when an industrial occupier is intended to serve as the key approved occupier of a facility under a JTC-related structure.

This commonly applies to:

• Third-Party Build and Lease arrangements;

• Sale and Leaseback arrangements;

• replacement anchor tenant applications;

• facility provider structures;

• situations where the original anchor tenant has left or reduced its space;

• cases where multiple anchor tenants are proposed to satisfy the required anchor occupation level.

No. A JTC Anchor Tenant Application may involve listed companies, multinational corporations, medium-sized enterprises or SMEs.

The key issue is not only the size of the company. JTC will usually consider whether the proposed occupier has genuine industrial operations, sufficient space requirement, suitable usage, productive activity, acceptable workforce profile and a supportable business plan.

Yes, more than one anchor tenant may be proposed in certain replacement anchor tenant structures.

However, the proposed anchor tenants must collectively satisfy the 70% GFA requirement, and each anchor tenant should meet the applicable 1,000 sqm minimum requirement where more than one anchor tenant is proposed.

The proposed occupier mix should be reviewed carefully to ensure the structure is commercially practical and compliance-ready.

The remaining 30% of GFA may generally be sublet to other businesses, subject to JTC’s assessment, usage compatibility and applicable subletting requirements.

This should not be treated as automatic approval. The proposed subtenant’s use must still be compatible with the approved industrial use and prevailing authority requirements.

If the anchor tenant wishes to increase or decrease its approved GFA by more than 20%, the facility provider may need to re-apply to JTC for anchor subletting clearance.

Even where the change is less than 20%, the proposed revision should still be reviewed carefully if it affects the 70% GFA requirement, approved layout, industrial use, operational arrangement or compliance position.

A change of usage may require re-application to JTC.

This is because JTC approval is usually based not only on the occupier’s name, but also on the nature of the approved industrial activity, space usage, productivity, workforce profile and economic contribution.

For example, a change from manufacturing to warehousing, from warehousing to office-heavy use, or from industrial use to a more commercial-type activity may create approval risks.

Value Added (VA) helps show the economic contribution generated by the occupier’s operations in Singapore.

A strong application should explain the applicant’s revenue, cost structure, operating model, projected economic contribution, productivity and Singapore business growth plan clearly.

For higher-value industrial activities, the submission should also explain why the proposed premises are needed to support the company’s operational and economic output.

Remuneration Per Worker (RPW) is a measure of employment quality.

It helps show whether the business creates or supports skilled, productive and reasonably remunerated jobs in Singapore.

A stronger RPW profile can support the application, especially where the applicant is involved in advanced manufacturing, engineering, logistics, technology, R&D, precision engineering, marine, aerospace, medtech, cleanroom activities or other higher-value industrial sectors.

Usually, no.

A simple company profile is often insufficient for a JTC Anchor Tenant Application.

A stronger submission should include a proper JTC business plan, GFA and layout justification, operational flow, financial projections, VA analysis, RPW analysis, headcount plan, customer or project information, fixed asset investment and explanation of how the proposed premises support the applicant’s industrial operations.

A proper JTC Anchor Tenant business plan should usually explain:

• the applicant’s principal business activities;

• the proposed industrial use of the premises;

• why the proposed GFA is required;

• how the layout supports operations;

• how the 60:40 industrial use requirement is addressed;

• the applicant’s financial contribution;

• projected revenue and operating performance;

• Value Added calculation and assumptions;

• Remuneration Per Worker calculation and assumptions;

• existing and projected headcount;

• fixed asset investment or machinery requirements;

• key customers, contracts or business pipeline;

• operational flow and space productivity;

• Singapore growth strategy;

• compliance risks and mitigation measures.

The purpose is to help JTC understand why the proposed anchor tenant structure is commercially genuine, industrially relevant and aligned with the intended use of the property.

There is no fixed length that applies to every JTC Anchor Tenant Application, as the required level of detail depends on the complexity of the business, proposed use, GFA requirement, layout, investment plan, employment profile and JTC clarification requirements.

As a guide, AFM generally prepares a comprehensive 80 to 120-page JTC business plan for anchor tenant and anchor subtenant applications, where the submission requires detailed explanation of the applicant’s business model, operational flow, space usage, Value Added (VA), Remuneration Per Worker (RPW), headcount, fixed asset investment, customer base, financial projections and long-term Singapore growth strategy.

The objective is not to produce a long document for the sake of length. The objective is to give JTC a clear, structured and well-supported submission that explains why the proposed occupier is a genuine industrial user and why the proposed premises are required for its operations.

Common reasons include unclear GFA allocation, insufficient explanation of the proposed industrial use, weak or unsupported VA and RPW projections, lack of customer or project evidence, unclear operational flow, office-heavy layout, insufficient fixed asset or machinery justification, inconsistency between business activity and proposed premises, incomplete financial or headcount information, and uncertainty over whether the 70% anchor tenant requirement is satisfied.

A well-prepared submission should address these points before JTC raises clarification questions.

Yes. AFM can review the existing submission, identify gaps, prepare a clearer response and strengthen the supporting explanation.

In many cases, the issue is not that the business is unsuitable, but that the submission does not clearly explain the applicant’s operations, economic contribution, space usage and compliance position.

AFM can help restructure the response so that the applicant’s business model, GFA requirement, VA, RPW, headcount, layout and operational justification are presented more clearly.

Yes. AFM can assist facility providers, fund managers, developers and asset owners where an anchor tenant structure is required for a JTC-related industrial facility.

Our support may include reviewing the proposed occupier mix, preparing the anchor tenant business plan, assessing GFA allocation, identifying approval risks and assisting with JTC clarification responses.

This is especially useful for Third-Party Build and Lease, Sale and Leaseback, replacement anchor tenant and multi-anchor tenant structures.

Yes. AFM can assist industrial tenants that need to support their own JTC Anchor Tenant or JTC Anchor Subtenant application.

This includes preparing the business plan, explaining operational needs, preparing VA and RPW analysis, justifying headcount, documenting fixed asset investment and presenting the company’s Singapore growth plan.

AFM operates on a success-based consultancy model for suitable cases.

This means the professional fee is generally payable only upon successful approval, subject to the agreed scope and engagement terms.

Before proceeding, AFM will review the application’s key facts and advise whether the case appears supportable.

AFM has practical experience preparing JTC-related submissions for industrial property owners, occupiers, SMEs, listed companies and multinational corporations in Singapore.

We understand that a successful JTC Anchor Tenant Application must go beyond generic corporate information. The submission should explain the company’s industrial activity, space requirement, economic contribution, employment profile, layout, compliance position and long-term business rationale.

Our role is to help clients prepare clear, structured and supportable submissions for JTC’s assessment.

Alliance Facilities Management Pte Ltd provides practical, transparent and outcome-focused advisory support for industrial property owners, occupiers, investors and business operators in Singapore.

We help clients assess their options clearly, prepare well-supported submissions and manage JTC-related matters with a compliance-led and professional approach.

Our Lead Consultant, Danny Mak, has overseen more than 100 successful JTC submissions since 2011, including complex business plan justifications for SMEs, MNCs and listed companies.👉  Schedule Time With Us - Microsoft Teams Online Meeting  👈

We’re proud to serve a wide array of industries and business sizes, including:

• ✅ Listed Companies (20.39%)

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Our diverse client base spans:

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