From Scotts Road to Monk's Hill: More homes planned for city centre under Draft Master Plan 2025, Singapore News
Those seeking homes near the city centre will have greater opportunities to do so under the Draft Master Plan 2025 unveiled by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Wednesday (June 25).
A new neighbourhood comprising three clusters at Newton Circus, Scotts Road and Monk's Hill, for example, has been planned next to Newton MRT station.
This neighbourhood, said URA, will be a "vibrant, mixed-use precinct" framed by greenery.
Over at Orchard Road, the Paterson area will be transformed into a mixed-use hub with residential developments, shops and public spaces above Orchard MRT station.
The neighbourhood is planned to be walking- and cycling-friendly, with cycling paths connecting it to the Inner Ring Corridor and beyond.
Launching the Draft Master Plan exhibition at the URA Centre on Wednesday morning, Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat said public outreach efforts for the Draft Master Plan 2025 started two years ago.
And the authority has engaged close to 220,000 people through surveys, exhibitions, dialogues and workshops so far.
"This is the most extensive engagement that URA has conducted to date," said Chee.
"I'll like to thank the participants, Singaporeans who have shared with us a wide range of ideas. The exhibition you see today brings these ideas together into a shared vision for the next 10 to 15 years."
The draft master plan maps out Singapore's detailed land plans for the next 10 to 15 years.
Plans are also in place for Monk's Hill Road to be transformed into a linear park linking Newton MRT station to Emerald Hill.
Chee also said that more homes will also be built at the former Singapore Racecourse site in Kranji, and the Dover-Medway area near one-north.
He added that authorities are studying more areas to meet future housing needs, including developing new towns at where the Paya Lebar Air Base and Sembawang Shipyard are currently located.
"When the Paya Lebar Air Base relocates from the 2030s, it will also free up height restrictions in the surrounding towns, which will allow for more land intensification to meet demand for different land uses," the minister elaborated.
The relocation of the air base will free up about 800ha of land - bigger than Bishan or Ang Mo Kio - for a car-lite town, which will be connected with neighbouring areas including the future Defu neighbourhood in Hougang.
Historical elements such as the old airport structures and a section of the runway will be adaptively reused and integrated into the neighbourhood, and redevelopment will be done in phases — starting with Defu — which is located next to the air base.
At Sembawang Shipyard, the area will be progressively transformed into a new mixed-use waterfront district after the shipyard ceases operations in 2028.
Waterfront public spaces could be created along the berths, and key heritage buildings and structures potentially adapted for community, sports and cultural activities.
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In addition, the authority is also looking to roll out more active ageing centres and senior housing options such as private and public assisted living facilities.
For example, one private assisted living development at Parry Avenue in Kovan, which was awarded the tender in June 2023, is expected to be completed by 2026.
It will feature 200 assisted living apartments, a 100-bed nursing home, a geriatric care centre and a wellness clubhouse.
Said Minister Chee: "MND will work closely with MOH and other agencies to flesh out the plans for this important area of work."
The Draft Master Plan 2025 also proposes three new integrated community hubs in Woodlands, Yio Chu Kang and Sengkang, to be developed in the next 10 to 15 years.
Located near public transport nodes, these hubs will bring together sports facilities, healthcare, and community spaces in a convenient location, said Chee.
Noting that integrated community hubs benefit residents and is a "productive use of our limited land", he added that the authorities are studying other locations for such hubs to be developed.
The exibition at URA Centre will be held till Nov 29, and will also be displayed at several heartland neighbourhoods between August and early November.
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lim.kewei@asiaone.com
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