Selangor, 1 acre industrial land practical guide for landowners

Why is it common for a 1-acre industrial land in Selangor to only allow for about half an acre of factory space? A practical guide for landowners

Many landowners believe that buying a 1-acre (approximately 43,560 square feet) industrial land means they can almost fully cover it with factory space. In practice, after deducting front, side, and rear setbacks, road and fire access requirements, the usable building area is usually only about 0.5 acres (approximately 21,780 square feet). Below, we explain the logic, calculations, and important considerations to help you make a proper assessment before acquiring land or designing.

I. Key Factors Affecting Buildable Area

- Setback Requirements

- Front Setback: Commonly about 40 feet (≈12.2 meters)

- Side/Rear Setback: Commonly about 25 feet (≈7.6 meters)

- The above are common industry values. Actual values ​​should be based on the local PBT (Public Land Board) guidelines. These may vary depending on whether the land is light/heavy industrial, corner/intermediate, or adjacent to other uses.

- Site Shape and Size

- For the same 1 acre, different length-to-width ratios result in significantly different net length x net width products after setbacks. The more elongated the site, the higher the attrition rate.

- Floor Area Ratio (FAR)/Building Coverage Ratio

- Industrial sites commonly use building coverage ratio (ground floor area) or floor area ratio (GAR). Typical ranges are approximately 45%–60% (based on PBT).

- In practice, the "buildable ground floor area" is determined by two factors: A. Net land area after setbacks; B. Maximum coverage ratio x total land area; the smaller of the two is taken.

- Other Hidden Land Use

- Fire lanes and turning bays, loading docks, parking spaces, drainage reserves, power facilities (such as TNB substations/high-voltage corridors), sewage and stormwater treatment, green belts, garbage collection points, security booths and driveways, etc.

II. A Quick and Intuitive Estimate

Taking a nearly 1-acre plot of land (200 feet x 218 feet) as an example:

- Net dimensions after deducting setbacks

- Net width = 200 − 25 − 25 = 150 feet

- Net depth = 218 − 40 − 25 = 153 feet

- Maximum ground-building area under setback control

- 150 × 153 = 22,950 square feet ≈ 0.53 acres

- If the coverage cap is 60%

- 60% × 43,560 = 26,136 square feet

- Take the smaller: min(22,950, 26,136) = 22,950 square feet

Conclusion: In this example, setbacks are the dominant factor, resulting in a buildable area of ​​approximately 0.5 acres, consistent with industry experience.

III. Why a minimum of 2 acres is often recommended

- The same fixed setback represents a smaller percentage of the total area on a larger lot, resulting in a more significant increase in net buildable area.

- Example: Assume a rectangular lot of approximately 2 acres (87,120 square feet), approximately 300 feet x 290 feet:

- Net width = 300 − 25 − 25 = 250 feet

- Net depth = 290 − 40 − 25 = 225 feet

- Theoretically maximum buildable area after setback = 250 × 225 = 56,250 square feet ≈ 1.29 acres

- If the coverage ratio is 60%, the maximum is 52,272 square feet. Therefore, based on coverage ratio, the maximum buildable area is approximately 1.2 acres.

- For businesses requiring larger production facilities and more loading/unloading/parking/storage space, 2 acres more easily achieves a balance between functionality and compliance.

IV. How to Maximize Effective Area While Maintaining Compliance

- Site Selection Strategy

- Prioritize rectangular plots with greater depth, minimizing setbacks.

- Avoid plots with wide ditches, river reserves, high-voltage corridors, or planned road widening reserves.

- Design Strategy

- Construct offices with two floors or mezzanine levels, reserving ground floor space for production and logistics flow.

- Plan driveways and platforms in advance according to the turning radius of trucks (e.g., 40-foot trucks) to reduce blind spots and turnaround space.

- Collaborate with fire safety consultants to optimize the 6-meter fire truck access road and fire hydrant layout, minimizing redundant road access.

- Approval Strategy

- Verify PBT coverage/density ratio, parking space standards, green space ratio, drainage, and environmental protection requirements with architects/planners early on to avoid "land grabbing" due to later compliance requirements.

V. Before Purchasing or Designing, It is Recommended to Prepare and Verify:

- Document Checklist

- Title and Certified Plan, Measured Length, Width and Boundaries, Current Topographic Elevation, Existing/Planned Infrastructure (Road Width, Drainage, Electricity/Telecommunications, Wastewater).

- Land Use Zoning and Land Type (Must be Industrial or Convertible to Industrial), Any Restrictive Notes (Conditions & Restrictions).

- Who to Confirm With

- Local PBT (Planning, Building and Construction) Authority (Setbacks, Coverage/Floor Area Ratio, Parking, Green Space, Building Height and Buffer Zones).

- Architect (Leading Site Plan and Compliance), Civil and Drainage Engineers, Fire Protection Consultants, Planning Consultants, Real Estate and Surveyors (Boundary and Easement Verification).

VI. Common Misconceptions

- Focusing solely on land area, ignoring setbacks and fire access, leads to a reduction in the final factory building size.

- Ignoring coverage/parking space/loading area indicators, only calculating area based on setbacks, results in later compression due to rigid requirements.

- Corner plots with two-way road access often require a larger front yard/turning radius, resulting in less actual buildable space.

- Overlooking drainage/power reserve areas or future road widening lines can lead to forced land concessions later.

Summary

- In Selangor and similar areas, the area required for above-ground factory buildings on 1 acre of industrial land is generally around 0.5 acres; the exact size depends on setbacks, coverage, and plot shape.

- For projects with significant capacity, warehousing, and logistics needs, a plot of 2 acres or more makes it easier to create an efficient and compliant layout.

- The safest approach is to perform a double calculation of "setback + coverage" based on the actual plot dimensions and have a professional team review it against the latest PBT guidelines.

雪兰莪1英亩工业地，为什么常见只能建约半英亩厂房？给地主的实用说明

很多地主以为买到1英亩（约43,560平方英尺）的工业地，就能几乎铺满建厂。实际操作里，扣除前方、侧向与后方退让（setback）、道路与消防通道等要求后，可用于建厂的地面建筑面积通常只剩约0.5英亩（约21,780平方英尺）。下面把逻辑、计算与注意事项讲清楚，便于您在拿地或设计前做正确评估。

一、影响可建面积的关键因素

- 退让要求（Setback）

- 前方退让：常见约40英尺（≈12.2米）

- 侧/后退让：常见约25英尺（≈7.6米）

- 以上为行业常见值，实际以当地PBT（地方议会）书面指南为准，轻工/重工、角头地/中间地、邻近用途不同，可有差异。

- 地块形状与尺寸

- 同样1英亩，长宽比例不同，扣除退让后剩余“净长×净宽”的乘积会差很多。规则越“瘦长”，损耗比例越高。

- 容积率/建筑覆盖率

- 工业用地常用建筑覆盖率（地面占地）或容积率（总楼面）。典型范围约45%–60%（以PBT为准）。

- 实务上“可建地面占地”由“两道闸门”决定：A. 退让后净用地；B. 覆盖率上限×总地面积；取两者的较小值。

- 其他隐性占地

- 消防环道与回车位、装卸月台、停车位、保留沟/河（drain reserve）、电力设施（如TNB分站/高压走廊）、污水与雨水处理、绿化带、垃圾屋、保安岗亭与车道等。

二、一个直观的快速估算

以接近1英亩的地块200英尺×218英尺为例：

- 扣除退让后的净尺寸

- 净宽度 = 200 − 25 − 25 = 150英尺

- 净深度 = 218 − 40 − 25 = 153英尺

- 退让控制下的最大地面建筑占地

- 150 × 153 = 22,950平方英尺 ≈ 0.53英亩

- 若覆盖率上限为60%

- 60% × 43,560 = 26,136平方英尺

- 取较小者：min(22,950，26,136) = 22,950平方英尺

结论：该示例里，退让是主导因素，可建地面面积约0.5英亩，与行业经验一致。

三、为什么常建议至少2英亩

- 同样的固定退让在更大的地上占比更低，净可建面积提升更显著。

- 示例：假设一块约2英亩（87,120平方英尺）的长方形地约300英尺×290英尺：

- 净宽度 = 300 − 25 − 25 = 250英尺

- 净深度 = 290 − 40 − 25 = 225英尺

- 退让后理论最大占地 = 250 × 225 = 56,250平方英尺 ≈ 1.29英亩

- 若覆盖率是60%，上限 = 52,272平方英尺，则以覆盖率为主导，约1.2英亩多。

- 对需要较大生产车间、更多装卸/停车/储运空间的企业，2英亩更易达到功能与合规的平衡。

四、如何在合规前提下“做大”有效面积

- 选地策略

- 优先考虑“深度更长”的长方形地，前后退让的占比更低。

- 避免有宽沟、河保留地、高压走廊、规划道路拓宽保留地的地块。

- 设计策略

- 将办公室做两层或夹层（mezzanine），把地面留给生产与物流动线。

- 提前按货车（如40尺柜车）转弯半径布置车道与月台，减少死角和回车占地。

- 与消防顾问配合，优化6米消防车通道与消火栓布置，减少重复道路。

- 审批策略

- 早期与建筑师/规划师核对PBT的覆盖率/容积率、车位标准、绿化率、排水与环保要求，避免后期因补足指标而“吃地”。

五、在购买或设计前，建议准备与核对

- 文件清单

- 地契与测量图（title & certified plan）、实测长宽与四至、现状地形高程、现有/规划基础设施（道路宽度、沟渠、电力/电讯、污水）。

- 用途分区与地类（须为工业或可转换为工业）、任何限制性附注（conditions & restrictions）。

- 与谁确认

- 当地PBT城市规划与建筑控制单位（退让、覆盖率/容积率、停车、绿化、建筑高度与缓冲带）。

- 建筑师（主导总图与合规性）、土木与排水工程师、消防顾问、规划顾问、房地产与测量师（地界与地役权核对）。

六、常见误区

- 只看地面积，不算退让与消防环道，导致最终厂房尺寸“缩水”。

- 忽略覆盖率/停车位/装卸位指标，仅按退让推面积，后期被硬性指标压缩。

- 角头地双向临路，往往需要更大的前场/转弯半径，实际可建反而更少。

- 漏看沟渠/电力保留地或未来道路拓宽线，后期被动让地。

小结

- 在雪兰莪等地，1英亩工业地能建的地面厂房占地普遍约0.5英亩上下；具体取决于退让、覆盖率与地块形状。

- 若对产能、仓储与物流有较大需求，2英亩起更容易做出高效、合规的布局。

- 最稳妥的路径是：用真实地块尺寸做一次“退让+覆盖率”的双重测算，并让专业团队对照PBT最新指南把关。