Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Hawker Stall Sizes by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Written Reply by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, to Parliamentary Question on Hawker Stall Sizes

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the current average size of hawker stalls; (b) whether the Ministry is open to the idea of allowing hawkers to take over an adjoining vacant stall so that the hawker can reconfigure the space to have more working space; and (c) whether there are any plans to build hawker stalls with larger spaces.

Answer:

1. The sizes of hawker stalls within hawker centres managed by the National Environment Agency or NEA-appointed operators have changed over the years. Hawker centres built before 1985 have stall sizes ranging from 5 sqm to 13 sqm. Newer centres built after 2011 have a minimum stall size of 10 sqm and provide hawkers with a more comfortable working environment, with more space for cooking and storage. We will continue to use these larger stall size norms for upcoming centres, as well as centres that undergo redevelopment.

2. Each hawker is able to rent up to two cooked food stalls. They can tender for two adjacent stalls, subject to availability. The successful tenderer of two adjacent stalls can apply to NEA to remove the dividing wall to create a larger working space. Many hawkers have successfully done this.