Lawrence Wong to helm Jurong Lake District committee

[reporter2]

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real...rict-committee

Lawrence Wong to helm Jurong Lake District committee

It will study plans for the Jurong Lake District area to ensure its vibrancy and opportunities for jobs, learning and recreation, says DPM Tharman

By Lynette Khoo

[email protected]@LynetteKhooBT

20 Oct


A STEERING committee comprising members of the public and private sectors has been formed to oversee developments in the Jurong Lake District and its surrounding areas.

The 14-member committee will be headed by Lawrence Wong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Ministry of Communications and Information, said Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

He was speaking at a grassroots event on Sunday morning at Jurong Lake where over 700 Jurong residents had gathered to participate in a line-up of environmental conservation activities.
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Plans are afoot to give Jurong Lake District a fresh makeover with the development of Jurong Lake Gardens with a new Science Centre and other longer-term possibilities around the lake as announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day Rally speech this year.

The Jurong Lake District has also been suggested as a possible site for the terminus of the proposed high-speed rail line between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

"Since the 2008 Master Plan, we have developed commercial and residential spaces at Jurong Gateway. Now, we are in a new phase of this transformation that will change the image of Jurong," Mr Tharman said.

The government is also studying further plans to improve the Jurong Lake District and its surrounding areas.

"One idea is to integrate the Pandan Reservoir area south of the AYE with Jurong Lake District to form a larger and more cohesive area," he said. "We could create new housing options for Singaporeans, near the waterfront and beautiful parks."

The government will also study how to improve accessibility between Jurong Lake District and surrounding residential and business nodes, Mr Tharman added. "For instance, we could make cycling a choice mode, with more dedicated cycling paths and park connectors, linking up Jurong and areas such as Pandan and Teban Gardens estates, Tengah New Town, Clean Tech Park, NTU and Bulim and Tengah industrial estates."

He noted that these are ambitious plans involving many agencies and requiring close partnership with the private sector and local community, which is why the steering committee is necessary.

Also in this committee are Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport Josephine Teo, and Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee, as well as executive director for Centre for Liveable Cities Khoo Teng Chye, Housing and Development Board CEO Cheong Koon Hean, and Koh Boon Hwee, who is chairman of several companies including Yeo Hiap Seng Ltd and Far East Orchard Ltd.

The committee will look at all the options, and gather ideas and feedback from the local community before the plans are finalised.

Over the next one to two years, it will study the plans for the areas in and around Jurong Lake District to ensure its vibrancy and opportunities for jobs, learning and recreation.

Early next year, NParks will be inviting the public to give ideas that will be incorporated into the brief for the masterplan design competition for Jurong Lake Gardens, slated to be bigger than Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.

"The new Jurong Lake Gardens will not be developed in a rush," Mr Tharman said. "We will take care that it retains its special character."

The development will take place in phases over several years, starting with the completion of Jurong Lake Destination Park on the western shore of the lake in 2017.

[Allthepies]

Jurong huat huat huat ah : ) : ) : )....

[Arcachon]

Don’t Count Your Chickens, or Eggs, Before They Hatch

Punggol 21[edit]

Edgedale Plains
In his National Day Rally speech on 18 August 1996, then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong announced the Singapore Government's plan to develop Punggol, known as "Punggol 21". Punggol 21 was a new model for housing Punggol, which would feature a new concept in housing as a model for new towns in the 21st century. It would have a mix of private houses, executive condominiums, and high-grade HDB flats grouped into smaller, distinctly designed estates. Each estate would contain between 1,200 and 2,800 units, with a common neighbourhood green. Every housing unit would be located within 300 metres of the nearest LRT station. Schools, libraries, and community clubs would be clustered for convenience, and there would be three commercial centres, including shopping centres.[3][4]

A few months after the speech, Punggol 21, which was part of Cheng San Group Representation Constituency then, became an election carrot for the People's Action Party (PAP) to beat a Workers' Party team led by J.B. Jeyaretnam and Tang Liang Hong. At the general election in 1997, the five-man PAP team managed to retain Cheng San GRC with 54.8% of the valid votes.[5]

However, Punggol 21 did not materalise fully as Singapore's economy was affected by the Asian economic crisis in 1997. Although construction began the next year, it was stopped when demand for new flats fell sharply. Plans were again delayed when the construction industry in Singapore experienced financial troubles in 2003. As a result, only some 16,000 flats, out of the 80,000 planned units, have been built as at 2007. There is only one shopping mall in the estate, Punggol Plaza, and there are no recreational facilities like cinemas or swimming pools.[5][6]

[rymccondo77]

Well things have changed / are changing for Punggol since 2007. Sometimes plans get delayed / takes a longer time to materialise.

[teddybear]

Think similar fate for JLD come 2020 recession.........
Many empty condos nobody rent because foreigners living in JLD sent home.........
Foreigners living in other places will never want to live in the West like JLD where 97% of all SO2 in Singapore is produced and concentrated there, not to say many other pollutions also produced there..............
When recession over, probably shift focus to next growth area, eg WLD..........

Don’t Count Your Chickens, or Eggs, Before They Hatch

Punggol 21[edit]

Edgedale Plains
In his National Day Rally speech on 18 August 1996, then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong announced the Singapore Government's plan to develop Punggol, known as "Punggol 21". Punggol 21 was a new model for housing Punggol, which would feature a new concept in housing as a model for new towns in the 21st century. It would have a mix of private houses, executive condominiums, and high-grade HDB flats grouped into smaller, distinctly designed estates. Each estate would contain between 1,200 and 2,800 units, with a common neighbourhood green. Every housing unit would be located within 300 metres of the nearest LRT station. Schools, libraries, and community clubs would be clustered for convenience, and there would be three commercial centres, including shopping centres.[3][4]

A few months after the speech, Punggol 21, which was part of Cheng San Group Representation Constituency then, became an election carrot for the People's Action Party (PAP) to beat a Workers' Party team led by J.B. Jeyaretnam and Tang Liang Hong. At the general election in 1997, the five-man PAP team managed to retain Cheng San GRC with 54.8% of the valid votes.[5]

However, Punggol 21 did not materalise fully as Singapore's economy was affected by the Asian economic crisis in 1997. Although construction began the next year, it was stopped when demand for new flats fell sharply. Plans were again delayed when the construction industry in Singapore experienced financial troubles in 2003. As a result, only some 16,000 flats, out of the 80,000 planned units, have been built as at 2007. There is only one shopping mall in the estate, Punggol Plaza, and there are no recreational facilities like cinemas or swimming pools.[5][6]

[Ringo33]

Think similar fate for JLD come 2020 recession.........
Many empty condos nobody rent because foreigners living in JLD sent home.........
Foreigners living in other places will never want to live in the West like JLD where 97% of all SO2 in Singapore is produced and concentrated there, not to say many other pollutions also produced there..............
When recession over, probably shift focus to next growth area, eg WLD..........

2020 will be an exciting year for JLD actually, by then, the new world class science center will be open, Jurong garden will be ready, JRL will be ready, a new ITH will be under construction to welcome HSR and CRL, plus many shipping related industry will also start to move west because of the port consolidation. By then, those who invest in the wrong side of CCR will still be harping about pollution and holding for long term. Like i said before if you are so confident about woodlands, then by all mean start a new thread.

[Jem]

The chances of JLD plans being abandoned like Punggol is extremely low.

We need to remember Punggol was nothing more than swamps and farms then. Jurong now is already a mature estate and has a large population. These days our government are also aware that they cannot anyhow make statements with no proper consideration that those plans will eventually be delivered. The negative repercussions will be great.

[august]

What if he is voted out next year, lol.

[Allthepies]

No intelligent person taking over will abandon good project...

[Ringo33]

LW is from West Coast GRC plus WP has got no presence in the West. Vote out? Very very slim.

[Allthepies]

Of course if people become irrational and anyhow vote there is nothing logical people can predict and prevent.

[Ringo33]

Of course if people become irrational and anyhow vote there is nothing logical people can predict and prevent.

Majority of Singaporeans are rational voters, they will not want to vote the PAP out nor do they want PAP to get carried away with total dominance.
Of course there will be minority who will just vote without thinking.

[teddybear]

But Punggol has no such serious pollution and toxic gases like almost 97% of all SO2 produced in Singapore is produced and concentrated in Jurong area....

Regarding your that statement:
These days our government are also aware that they cannot anyhow make statements with no proper consideration that those plans will eventually be delivered. ,
Are you telling all of us that Singapore government HAD MADE statements with no proper consideration previously?

The chances of JLD plans being abandoned like Punggol is extremely low.

We need to remember Punggol was nothing more than swamps and farms then. Jurong now is already a mature estate and has a large population. These days our government are also aware that they cannot anyhow make statements with no proper consideration that those plans will eventually be delivered. The negative repercussions will be great.

[Ringo33]

But Punggol has no such serious pollution and toxic gases like almost 97% of all SO2 produced in Singapore is produced and concentrated in Jurong area....

Regarding your that statement:
These days our government are also aware that they cannot anyhow make statements with no proper consideration that those plans will eventually be delivered. ,
Are you telling all of us that Singapore government HAD MADE statements with no proper consideration previously?

Please dont embarrass yourself, the petrochemical plants and other heavy industry at Pasir Gudang is only 3km from Punggol
What no pollution? LOL...

[teddybear]

JLD is <5km from Jurong Island, no much better than Punggol lah!

Please dont embarrass yourself, the petrochemical plants and other heavy industry at Pasir Gudang is only 3km from Punggol
What no pollution? LOL...

But Punggol has no such serious pollution and toxic gases like almost 97% of all SO2 produced in Singapore is produced and concentrated in Jurong area....

Regarding your that statement:
These days our government are also aware that they cannot anyhow make statements with no proper consideration that those plans will eventually be delivered. ,
Are you telling all of us that Singapore government HAD MADE statements with no proper consideration previously?

[Jem]

But Punggol has no such serious pollution and toxic gases like almost 97% of all SO2 produced in Singapore is produced and concentrated in Jurong area....

Regarding your that statement:
These days our government are also aware that they cannot anyhow make statements with no proper consideration that those plans will eventually be delivered. ,
Are you telling all of us that Singapore government HAD MADE statements with no proper consideration previously?

Fair enough. What I should have said was that though the government has always made plans and announcement after full planning and evaluation, it wasn't until recent years that when plans do not materialize or backfire that the citizens are no longer as forgiving as before. The younger generation are not like how the pioneer generation/baby boomers are and the government is well aware of that.

[Jem]

Teddy really, why do you keep harping on pollution in the west? I grew up staying in Jurong and no one in my family has any health condition resulting from long term exposure to the air quality there.

I can see that you really dislike Jurong and I wonder why?

[Ringo33]

JLD is <5km from Jurong Island, no much better than Punggol lah!

You are also pretty good at flip flopping huh? since when you become a Prata man?

But Punggol has no such serious pollution and toxic gases like almost 97% of all SO2 produced in Singapore is produced and concentrated in Jurong area....