Shaping S'pore: New homes, bold plans

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Shaping S'pore: New homes, bold plans

New waterfront city on 1,000ha; eco-friendly estates; land for 500,000 housing units

Published on Nov 20, 2013


An artist's impression of the aerial view of the Holland Village Extension. A makeover of Holland Village is the more immediate and tangible change over the next five years in the latest blueprint of Singapore's land use for the future. -- PHOTO: URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

By Melissa Tan

CYCLING paths, walkways, green corridors, a new waterfront city and enhancements to already much-loved areas are all envisioned in a new blueprint drawn up by the nation's planners.

The sweeping plan unveiled today points to how the country could develop over the next decade or so, and the central themes that will drive the process.

It is part pragmatic - more homes, better transport - but also reaches for the more intangible goals of greater community interaction in a cleaner, greener, more liveable nation.

Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan had said in a blog post on Monday that "the underlying philosophy of making Singapore an endearing home and a clean, green, liveable city remains unchanged".

More homes will come up in new housing areas at Bidadari, Tampines North and Punggol Matilda, as well as in the established estates such as Sembawang, Yishun, Hougang and Choa Chu Kang. In total, enough land has been earmarked for 500,000 new homes - mostly public housing.

The ambitions are detailed in the Draft Master Plan 2013, which guides land use over the next 10 to 15 years with revisions every five years.

The big-ticket item this time is an entirely new area called the Greater Southern Waterfront, to be developed on 1,000ha on the south coastline.

A district called Marina South will also take shape next to Marina Bay with eco-friendly features, including bike paths and an 800m-long car-free street.

Holland Village will be extended by 6ha within the next two years to include a mixed-use private residential project, more housing and a new community park. The developments could add 1,500 homes to the area.

The district, known for its eclectic mix of shops and urban village vibe, was also added to the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) list of "identity nodes" - designating that they are special heritage sites - along with Jalan Kayu and the iconic Serangoon Garden circus near Chomp Chomp food centre.

About 18ha in Kampong Bugis will be developed after 2016 and could yield about 4,000 private homes, while a 21.5ha piece of land in Marina South will likely be developed after 2017 or 2018, near the completion of the Thomson Line. It could have around 9,000 private homes.

The two districts are slated to become environmentally friendly estates with fewer cars, more greenery, fenceless precincts and tree-lined walkways.

These features are aimed at fostering greater community interaction and creating a more conductive environment for pedestrians and cyclists, URA said, adding that a national cycling code of conduct would be developed.

More community spaces in other estates are also on the cards. This includes new town plazas in Bedok and Yishun.

Another major aim of the draft plan is to decentralise jobs further to cut commuting time and ease congestion while continuing to grow the Central Business District (CBD) and Marina Bay.

Major commercial clusters will be developed in the Woodlands Regional Centre and along the rest of the North Coast Innovation Corridor, which stretches to Punggol. Land will be set aside for small and medium-sized enterprises in Woodlands, which will also house the first business park cluster in northern Singapore.

In Punggol, a learning corridor and creative cluster will spring up around a new tertiary institution.

New industrial sites will also sprout in the west and north-east in areas such as Seletar Aerospace Park, the Defu industrial estate and an integrated industrial township near Nanyang Technological University called 2 West.

A new retail and entertainment spine will be created in Bayfront Avenue in the CBD.

On the recreation front, more greenery will be integrated into housing estates across the island, and green spaces such as nature areas and parks will be expanded.

URA also put up several preliminary ideas for the future development of the Greater Southern Waterfront. Suggestions include making a new reservoir in the south between Tanjong Pagar and Pulau Brani accompanied by a network of streetside canals.

The Draft Master Plan 2013 will be exhibited at the URA Centre from today until Dec 19. Admission is free. Members of the public can send their feedback on the draft plan to URA.

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1 | MARINA SOUTH

10 ideas to live better

An environmentally friendly city centre

Published on Nov 20, 2013

By Cheryl Ong


CENTRAL business districts tend to be concrete jungles with power-suited corporate warriors in full flight, but the image is set for a radical clean-green overhaul in Marina South.

The upcoming area will be an extension of the main business district, but it will be one boasting liveable enhancements, including streets that are pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly and energy efficient buildings.

Residential areas will also be developed but characterised by fenceless private housing to better encourage interaction. This means having more links running through housing blocks, open courtyards and public spaces.

Marina South will also be an urban residential district, with plans for a mixed-use development in its heart. Amenities such as childcare centres and clinics will be built, as well as offices, restaurants and hotels.

A focal point will be an 800m-long pedestrian walkway between the upcoming Marina South and Gardens by the Bay MRT stations. An underground mall linking both stations will also be built for pedestrians. Other ideas include an elevated walkway linking the Bay South Gardens to the Marina South seafront.

URA's plans for Marina South dovetails with recent comments by Jones Lang LaSalle national director of research and consultancy Ong Teck Hui, who expects more mixed developments, with supporting entertainment, food and beverage options.

Green modes of commuting will be another feature of Marina South with an underground network of carparks being considered, allowing motorists to drive between buildings and reduce ground-level traffic.

Developers will have the option of building fewer carparks for the residential blocks. Buildings will also be environmentally friendly, with features that can collect rainwater and harness wind energy, making the district one of the greenest in Singapore.

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2 | KAMPONG BUGIS

Travel by water taxi instead of car

Published on Nov 20, 2013


An artist's impression of a plaza at Kampong Bugis. The area near the Kallang riverside has been earmarked for a pilot water management project. -- PHOTO: URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

By Melissa Tan


AT KAMPONG Bugis, near the Kallang riverside, the focus will be on reducing car usage and preventing floods.

For residents, this means driving less in favour of other modes of commuting.

They will be encouraged to take the train via two existing nearby MRT stations, Kallang and Lavender, and public buses, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said.

They will also be able to get about by water taxis in future.

The URA said it would encourage developers to explore having car-sharing and bicycle-sharing programmes in the area.

"With alternative modes of travel easily available, it may be possible to provide fewer carpark lots for future residential developments here," it said.

Kampong Bugis has also been earmarked for a pilot water management project, due to its location at the convergence of two major waterways - Rochor Canal and the Kallang River.

The project will incorporate a storm water management system and other features designed to protect against flooding.

The URA said these features could pave the way for the district to become a new international model for water management in high-density precincts.

One feature is vegetated swales, which are a type of grassy stormwater drainage channel.

Another feature is bio-retention basins. These are shallow basins where stormwater can be collected and treated.

A third feature is detention ponds, which can hold water for a limited time. Such ponds are often used to protect against extreme flooding.

Houses in Kampong Bugis will also be designed without fences, to encourage community interaction and bring residents closer to nature.

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3 | GREEN SPACES

Parks within 400m of most homes

Published on Nov 20, 2013

By Grace Chua


NEW eco-spaces are in the works for the country's wildlife, while there are ambitious plans to have almost everyone in Singapore living within 400m of a park.

The go-green plans initially call for recreational spaces to be more integrated with nature.

Toa Payoh Town Park, for example, will get a new regional library and sports facilities, while Holland Village will get a new community park.

The success of PUB's ABC ("active, beautiful and clean") Waters projects at Siglap and Alexandra canals indicates that other waterways could be covered with decks that serve as plazas and seating areas.

More people will have easy access to green spaces too.

The National Development Ministry's Land Use Plan released in January laid out a target of having 85 per cent of residents living within 400m of a park. This was raised to 90 per cent in yesterday's draft master plan.

In the longer term, a new eco-corridor that will be built through the future Tengah town - now a military training ground - will allow wildlife to pass between the catchment areas.

The corridor will connect the Western Water Catchment to the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment nature reserves.

These are preliminary plans so it is not clear yet whether the Western catchment area, which is military land around the Poyan, Tengeh, Murai and Sarimbun reservoirs, will be accessible to people as well as wildlife.

Such nature links and paths are not completely new. An eco-link built across the Bukit Timah Expressway in 2011 reconnects the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment nature reserves, which were split when the expressway was built in 1986.

And in February, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan opened a "nature way" at Kheam Hock Road comprising a series of trees and plantings that allow birds and butterflies to move between the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

Singapore intends to have 60km of such nature ways by 2015, Mr Khaw said.

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4 | CYCLING TRACKS

Intra-town network for all HDB towns

Published on Nov 20, 2013


The elevated park connector across the Ayer Rajah Expressway. Smooth connectivity is in the works, with crossings to link cycling paths across roads and waterways, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority. -- PHOTO: DARRIC TAN

SINGAPORE is pedalling hard to catch up with more bicycle-friendly nations around the world.

Not only will more cycling routes be built, the Government will also take measures to promote a pro-cycling environment.

For a start, the National Cycling Plan will grow the network of cycling paths from 230km to more than 700km by 2030.

All 26 HDB towns will have their own intra-town network, with paths for recreational and short commuting purposes, and eventually these will all be connected to each other.

Supporting facilities will also be enhanced, including installing bicycle racks at MRT stations and key destinations. Smooth connectivity is in the works, with crossings to link cycling paths across roads and waterways, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority. There will be better signages and easier access to information on cycling routes and at amenities.

The URA also said it will develop a cycling code of conduct.

Meanwhile, it is asking people to send in ideas on ways to improve cycling routes.

Completion is targeted for 2030.

RACHEL AU-YONG

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5 | GREATER SOUTHERN WATERFRONT

A chance to build inclusive and walkable district

Calls for diverse use of area beyond commercial purposes, luxe housing

Published on Nov 20, 2013

By Grace Chua


THE juicy prospect of a vast slice of coastal land being freed up once the ports move from Pasir Panjang and Tanjong Pagar to Tuas by 2027 has planners sharpening their design pencils.

Some ideas have already emerged from government planners for the 1,000ha area that will be known as the Greater Southern Waterfront. These range from erecting a barrage around Pulau Brani to form another reservoir and network of streetside canals, to creating a single continuous waterfront promenade that snakes around the coast.

Other ideas include creating several waterfront districts from Labrador to Marina South, each with its own unique character.

These could include varied styles of housing, such as island living on Pulau Brani or piers and marinas.

Green corridors of open space linking Mount Faber to Pulau Brani are a possibility, as is extending a central linear park in Marina Bay to the waterfront.

The Central Business District and nearby housing could be extended to the waterfront as well.

The Government wants the public to contribute ideas for the new waterfront area too.

When the port move was announced last year, Business Times reader Ee Teck Siew suggested that the land be used for public housing and common amenities like parks and water sport facilities instead of "expensive waterfront estates that cater to only a few nouveaux riches".

Other input has come from Dr Lai Choo Malone-Lee, director of the Centre for Sustainable Asian Cities at the National University of Singapore, who is a lead contributor to an upcoming report on Singapore 2050 by the Institute of Policy Studies.

She said the Greater Southern Waterfront is an opportunity to plan an inclusive, public-transit-oriented and walkable district in a way that would be harder in more developed areas.

It ought to be a dense multi-use area with diverse land uses such as housing, arts facilities and even universities, she suggested.

"If you merely have an extension to the CBD, it will be another mono-use commercial centre."

The Urban Redevelopment Authority said the plan for the waterfront is a large-scale project and it welcomes ideas.

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6 | REGIONAL BUSINESS CENTRES

New commercial belt in Woodlands

Published on Nov 20, 2013


An artist's impression of the Punggol creative cluster, which will contain innovative industries. -- PHOTO: URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

By Melissa Tan


WOODLANDS Regional Centre will house the first business park cluster in Singapore's northern area. Some land will also be carved out for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which will benefit from being close to Malaysia via a future cross-border rail link.

Woodlands Regional Centre is part of a larger commercial belt called the North Coast Innovation Corridor, first announced in the Government's Land Use Plan released in January.

This belt, which is slated to become a major source of jobs in the north and north-eastern parts of the island, runs east from Woodlands to Punggol, where a "learning corridor" and "creative cluster" will be developed.

A new tertiary institution will anchor the learning corridor. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has not identified the exact form this new school will take.

The creative cluster will contain "innovative industries with green areas, community spaces and waterfront views".

The draft plan has specific development targets for Woodlands North Coast and Woodlands Central, which together form Woodlands Regional Centre.

Woodlands Central will become a pedestrian-friendly retail hub with a mall linked to Woodlands MRT station and bus interchange. The business park cluster and land set aside for SMEs will be in Woodlands North Coast, which will offer jobs in the innovation and manufacturing sectors.

A tender next month for a commercial site at Woodlands Avenue 5 is likely to be closely watched, as this site would be one of the first catalytic projects for the North Coast Innovation Corridor development, said Knight Frank research head Alice Tan.

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7 | EXISTING TOWNS

Established estates to get new lease of life

Published on Nov 20, 2013


ESTABLISHED housing estates will not be left out in the cold when new residential blocks spring up under the new masterplan.

While new housing areas in Bidadari, Tampines North and Punggol will boast green spaces and cycling networks, there are rejuvenation plans for mature estates that will mean newer facilities and more community spaces.

The aim is to ensure that those living there will not be left behind while also encouraging more interaction among residents and improving the environment.

Bedok, the fifth oldest and most populous estate, is getting a breath of fresh air, thanks to a number of projects under way or in advanced planning stages.

For example, its integrated transport hub to connect buses, trains and shops will be ready next year, a year ahead of schedule.

A new sports centre to house tennis courts, swimming pools and a community club will be built on the site of the Kampong Chai Chee Community Centre and Bedok Sports and Recreation Centre.

The area will also be one of 10 to get a new hawker centre. It will be built in the next four years.

An 11km heritage trail that runs along Siglap Road, Upper East Coast Road and Bedok Road to showcase historical landmarks, like where the old coastline used to be, is expected to be completed soon.

Meanwhile, Yishun residents are eagerly awaiting an air-conditioned bus interchange and their first community club, which is to be housed in a shopping mall.

These will be ready in 2018.

Currently, residents of Nee Soon Central ward make do with a "void deck" community club.

RACHEL AU-YONG

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8 | HOLLAND VILLAGE

Fresh injection of life for charming enclave

Published on Nov 20, 2013


An artist's impression of an extension to Holland Village, an area deemed by the URA as an identity node. -- PHOTO: URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

By Cheryl Ong


IT IS already a magnet for locals and expats alike but Holland Village will enjoy a fresh injection of life with a mixed development, new community park and more pedestrian walkways.

The proposals are seen as a way to extend an area already widely regarded as a successful enclave and not as an attempt to change its character.

In fact, the Urban Redevelopment Authority has deemed the Holland Village area an identity node, which means it will not lose the charm and ambience that entice so many visitors and residents.

One of the proposed additions is a mixed-use project, which can involve commercial, retail and residential use. It will be built on a Housing Board site behind existing commercial developments in Holland Village.

The land will be sold to a private developer within the next two years as part of the Government Land Sales Programme.

Two more sites will also be set aside for more homes, but it is yet to be decided if these will be for private or public housing.

The three plots could yield a total of 1,500 new homes, and will feature a mixture of low, mid- and high-rise residential developments.

A new community park and urban plaza have also been proposed to create a public space for interaction between residents from surrounding housing developments.

Holland Village's streets will also be made pedestrian-friendly, with a proposed access road that will divert traffic from the heart of the area.

This road will run through Holland Village, connecting Holland Avenue and Holland Drive and lead to a basement carpark to be built by the mixed-use project's developer.

Shoppers, diners and residents will also have easier access with new walkways leading to North Buona Vista Road, the Buona Vista and Holland Village MRT stations, Holland Road and Holland Avenue.

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9 | SERANGOON GARDENS

Character and unique features to be conserved

Published on Nov 20, 2013


Serangoon Gardens’ distinctive roundabout. New developments have to follow guidelines to retain the area’s identity. -- PHOTO: URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

WITH sambal stingray, Hokkien mee and other delicacies at Chomp Chomp hawker centre, and a distinctive roundabout at Serangoon Garden Way, it's no wonder that Serangoon Gardens has been named a special heritage site.

Serangoon Gardens is to be designated an identity node by the Urban Redevelopment Authority today, and the future of the Serangoon Garden circus near Chomp Chomp is safe.

Identity nodes are places with distinctive character, such as Pulau Ubin, Thomson Village and Balestier, so efforts are made to retain some of their unique characteristics, like roundabouts or conserved shophouses. The designation is also conferred on Holland Village and Jalan Kayu today.

Chomp Chomp holds centre stage in Serangoon Gardens, which housed British soldiers in the 1950s.

In 2001, public areas in the private, mostly landed estate received a facelift under the Government's Estate Upgrading Scheme.

Now street-block plans will be drawn up to guide new developments so that they retain the area's identity and charm.

While banks, the myVillage mall and chain eateries have sprung up in the past few years, other outlets like Liquid Kitchen have moved out due to rent increases.

And last year, the Urban Redevelopment Authority imposed a ban on new food joints in Serangoon Gardens shophouses in response to traffic and parking woes, a move that some residents have said is not effective.

GRACE CHUA

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10 | JALAN KAYU

A footpath and better access to LRT stop

Published on Nov 20, 2013


An artist's impression of what Jalan Kayu will look like. A tree-lined footpath will be built along the road. -- PHOTO: URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

By Rachel Au-Yong


FOODIES have been beating a path to Jalan Kayu in such numbers that the area has been designated an "identity node".

The coveted label marks it as a place with "strong character and distinctive identity" under a scheme launched in 2002.

Jalan Kayu, Holland Village and Serangoon Gardens are the latest to be added to the list, which now numbers 18, including Balestier and Siglap Village.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority said that it intends to improve access and visitor experience to the historical street.

Once a quiet access route leading to the Royal Air Force base in Seletar, the Jalan Kayu area is now being developed into the Seletar Aerospace Park.

The new aviation hub has contributed to the lunchtime crowd, and with that, parking woes.

It gets worse at dinner, when cars outnumber the 135 spaces in a single carpark, so motorists park in the driveways of landed homes. This will be tackled by improving the Lorong Semat link between the road and nearby Thanggam LRT station, giving diners a more convenient mode of transport.

Another problem centres on the lack of a dedicated pavement on the side of the shophouses which house the eateries.

Pedestrians are sometimes forced to walk dangerously close to passing vehicles, so a footpath alongside the two-lane road will be built once shop awnings are reduced and obstacles removed.

A row of trees will be planted beside the walkway acting as both buffer and a beauty touch.

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