Greater Southern Waterfront development will start in 5-10 years

Thu, Mar 28, 2019
Singapore


DEVELOPMENT of the Greater Southern Waterfront will begin in five to ten years with certain precincts, kicking off with Pasir Panjang Power District and the site of the existing Keppel Club.

Under the Draft Master Plan 2019, the Greater Southern Waterfront - which stretches across the southern coastline from Pasir Panjang to Marina East - will total 2,000 hectares (ha) and is envisaged to be a gateway for live, work and play. About 1,000 ha of land from the 2,000 ha site will be freed up for development after the City Terminals and Pasir Panjang Terminal are shifted to Tuas.

Mount Faber has also been earmarked as one of the precincts that will be developed within the next five to ten years as part of the Greater Southern Waterfront.

Pasir Panjang Power District will be "given a new lease of life as a lifestyle and heritage destination," said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Wednesday, adding that agencies are already looking at potential ways to reuse the former power station buildings and open up the grounds for public access. URA and the Singapore Land Authority will be initiating a competition next month to reach out to the public for potential ideas for the precinct.

Meanwhile, the site that is occupied by the Keppel Club will be redeveloped into a new residential precinct by the waterfront when the current lease expires in 2021. The site is near both Telok Blangah and Labrador Park MRT stations.

In addition, the Master Plan sketched out preliminary ideas for the redevelopment of the site where Paya Lebar Air Base currently sits. Among the ideas mooted are re-purposing the former airport buildings and parts of the runway into community spaces while retaining the area's aviation heritage; creating a network of parks and open spaces for leisure; and building neighbourhoods for future residents.

Paya Lebar Air Base was formerly Paya Lebar Airport, which was Singapore's second international airport from 1955 to 1981. From 2030, Paya Lebar Air Base will be relocated, with the assets and facilities to be housed at Changi Air Base and Tengah Air Base.

Transport connectivity for residents in the adjoining areas is expected to improve as they reduce travelling time by going through the future town instead of around it.

Nicholas Mak, head of research & consultancy at ZACD Group, highlighted that height restrictions around the air base may be lifted. As a result, there could be redevelopment of some older buildings in the vicinity of Paya Lebar, he added.

Desmond Sim, head of research (South-east Asia) at CBRE, said: "The relocation of the Paya Lebar airbase will free up 800 ha of land and the area will be transformed into a future new town, (which) has the potential to be a new residential and commercial hub in the fringe area."

Meanwhile, Huttons Asia head of research, Lee Sze Teck, pointed out that the government is continuing to decentralise jobs from the central areas as it outlined more plans for Paya Lebar, Changi, Woodlands Regional Centre and Punggol Digital District under the Draft Master Plan 2019.