Jurong Hill Tower, Turf City grandstands and Dakota Crescent blocks to be conserved
SINGAPORE – Jurong Hill Tower, two grandstands at Turf City in Bukit Timah and six blocks in Dakota Crescent estate have been put forth for conservation.
The state properties were among buildings and structures at five sites that National Development Minister Desmond Lee said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is proposing to conserve.
The two other sites are the former Royal Malayan Navy admin block in Woodlands North and the Singapore Badminton Hall at 100 Guillemard Road.
In a Facebook post on May 14, Mr Lee said the buildings collectively reflect the story of Singapore's post-independence transformation.
For instance, Jurong Hill Tower – built in 1969 by JTC Corporation – is a symbol of independent Singapore's industrial transformation, and signalled the country's economic ambitions, he said.
He said conserving buildings is one important way of 'anchoring our sense of place and identity as Singaporeans', and added that plans for the properties will be showcased at the Draft Master Plan 2025 exhibition, which is set to be held in June.
URA's masterplan is a statutory document which guides Singapore's development for the next 10 to 15 years, and is reviewed once every five years.
To date, more than 7,200 buildings and structures in over 100 areas have been conserved in Singapore.
The URA said in a statement that beyond retaining built heritage, government agencies will work with stakeholders on other ways to recall significant heritage that contributes to Singaporeans' collective history and culture.
Ng Keng Gene is a correspondent at The Straits Times, reporting on issues relating to land use, urban planning and heritage.
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