Latest news with #DraftMasterplan2025
Straits Times
16 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
S'pore's new blueprint will give residents more flexibility to choose ideal home: Analysts
Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat touring the Urban Redevelopment Authority Draft Masterplan 2025 exhibition, at URA Centre, on June 25, with Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Baey Yam Keng and Mayor of Central Singapore district Denise Phua. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY SINGAPORE – Singapore's latest draft masterplan will give residents greater flexibility in choosing an ideal living environment across the island, with amenities – as well as workspaces in some cases – located nearer homes, said analysts. The new masterplan – Singapore's land use development blueprint for the next 10 to 15 years – focuses more on creating an environment that fosters a healthier and more active lifestyle, supports the Republic's ageing population and addresses the challenges of climate change, they added. Ms Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at property agency OrangeTee Group, said there is a bigger emphasis on an environment that enhances the quality of life for Singaporeans through the provision of more homes with access to sea, river and park views, as well as more parks and amenities, and the preservation of heritage buildings and cultural sites. Furthermore, there is a dedicated effort to build new sports facilities closer to residential areas to encourage a healthier lifestyle, Ms Sun said. This means that Singaporeans will have a more diverse array of housing options to suit their needs, be they near the city centre, schools, parks or waterways. With each community designed to be better connected with essential amenities, this ensures convenient access to schools, healthcare facilities and recreational areas wherever residents choose to live, added Ms Sun. 'All these initiatives will help to create a more balanced, sustainable living experience for all residents, regardless of age and budget,' she said. At least 80,000 public and private homes will be introduced across more than 10 new housing areas in the next 10 to 15 years, with new neighbourhoods planned in areas such as Dover, Defu, Newton and Paterson. Integrated community hubs with sports facilities, healthcare and community spaces are also in the works for Sengkang, Woodlands North and Yio Chu Kang. Mr Marcus Chu, chief executive of real estate agency ERA Singapore, said that with more housing estates catching up in terms of amenities and accessibility, housing demand may start to be spread more evenly across Singapore. This could, in turn, lead to more even price growth across different regions. More land parcels around MRT stations and more business hubs are also being planned outside the Central Business District to bring work closer to homes, spread the load on the transport network and reduce the need to set aside land for roads, said Mr Mark Yip, CEO of property firm Huttons Asia. One such example is the greater one-north precinct, which has developed into a bustling research-and-development hub with more than 50,000 knowledge workers . Mr Lee Sze Teck, Huttons' senior director of data analytics, said there is therefore a need to provide more homes so that the workers can live near their workplaces. 'This will reduce travelling time and stress on the transport network,' he added. The Dover-Medway neighbourhood in the precinct could see 6,000 new public and private homes built in the first phase, while some 5,000 new private homes could be introduced in Mediapolis, which is also in the area. Ms Sun said building more homes in Dover-Medway and Mediapolis will in turn attract more workers, researchers, students and expats to live there, and support business growth in the area. Mr Ismail Gafoor, CEO of property firm PropNex, said land use for three plots in Ayer Rajah Crescent, near Media Circle in one-north, has been changed from business park to residential, with commercial use on the first storey. That should bring more amenities to Media Circle, which is set to see more high-density housing. In addition, two sites in the nearby Singapore Science Park II have been updated from business park use to residential. This ties in with the ongoing rejuvenation of the Science Park, he added. In the heart of town, Paterson – on the doorstep of Orchard Road – could get 1,000 new private homes as part of an integrated development with retail, food and beverage and office spaces above Orchard MRT station. Ms Sun said expanding the residential landscape in the Orchard Road precinct is a good move due to the scarcity of available land in prime areas. New government land sites in prime areas – especially near Orchard Road – are quite rare, and it has been many years since The Orchard Residences, an integrated development near the heart of Orchard, was launched, Ms Sun noted. But given the luxury property market's slower growth, some of these new sites may be placed on the reserve list of the Government Land Sales (GLS) programme, she added. Such sites are launched for sale when a developer offers a minimum price that the Government accepts, or when there is enough market interest. Mr Lee pointed out that the land parcel above Orchard MRT station has been rezoned to a white site, and the plot ratios have been bumped up. White sites refer to land parcels designated for mixed-use development and allow for flexibility in development plans, while plot ratios measure how intensively land can be developed. 'This is a prime opportunity to build an iconic shopping and residential project as the last GLS site above Orchard MRT was Ion Orchard and The Orchard Residences in 2005,' he said. But the 60 per cent additional buyer's stamp duty on foreign buyers may not give developers the confidence to bid for that site if it is launched for sale, Mr Lee added. Meanwhile, Ms Catherine He, head of research at commercial real estate services firm Colliers, said sites including Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB), Sembawang Shipyard and the former Singapore Racecourse in Kranji were chosen for redevelopment into housing estates to optimise land use for the maximum benefit of residents, and relocate industrial and commercial activities farther out. In particular, the relocation of PLAB in eastern Singapore from 2030 will be a game-changer, said real estate consultancy Knight Frank Singapore's research head Leonard Tay. With about 800ha of land to be freed up for the development of residences, offices, factories and recreational areas, this means that building height restrictions imposed for the safe navigation of aircraft in surrounding towns could be lifted. Although higher plot ratios around PLAB have not been announced in the latest draft masterplan, Mr Tay said it would be reasonable to expect some collective sale opportunities, as older properties that are no longer constrained by low-rise plot ratios could see an increase in land values after 2030. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
New housing areas in Dover, Defu, Newton and Paterson unveiled in URA's Draft Master Plan 2025
New private homes will be developed in the Paterson area (foreground), alongside a mixed-use development above Orchard MRT station. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY New housing areas in Dover, Defu, Newton and Paterson unveiled in URA's Draft Master Plan 2025 SINGAPORE – New neighbourhoods are set to be established in areas such as Dover, Defu, Newton and Paterson, offering a mix of public and private homes islandwide. Also in the pipeline are new office spaces and amenities in Bishan, more parks in Singapore's north-west, as well as community hubs in Sengkang, Woodlands North and Yio Chu Kang fashioned after Our Tampines Hub. These development plans were laid out on June 25 at the launch of the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) Draft Master Plan 2025 exhibition, which presents the agency's latest blueprint that will guide Singapore's development for the next 10 to 15 years. Besides new housing areas and recreational facilities, the draft masterplan also includes proposals to revitalise Singapore's city centre and preserve its heritage by conserving buildings like the NatSteel Steel Pavilion and former Pasir Panjang English School. The launch follows an extensive public engagement campaign since October 2023, with the URA getting feedback from nearly 220,000 people through exhibitions, dialogues, focus groups and surveys. National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said this was URA's most extensive public engagement yet, and that the exhibition brings together ideas that Singaporeans have put forth into a 'shared vision' for the coming years. Homes will be built in areas such as Kranji, Dover and Newton, he said at the launch at The URA Centre in Maxwell Road. Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat speaking at the launch of the Urban Redevelopment Authority Draft Masterplan 2025 on June 25. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY New amenities and recreational spaces will be built in the upcoming Dover-Medway neighbourhood, which is near one-north and education institutions such as the National University of Singapore and Singapore Polytechnic. The first phase will focus on the eastern section near one-north and Kent Ridge MRT stations, and provide around 6,000 public and private homes. Development is set to begin in November 2025 with a Government Land Sales site in Dover Road that can yield 625 private apartments. Plans for the development of Medway Park, which currently houses colonial bungalows, will be studied in the coming years, URA added. The development of the Dover-Medway neighbourhood will be kick-started later in 2025 when a Government Land Sales site in Dover Road is launched. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG In Newton, a new neighbourhood that draws on the area's greenery and identity will be introduced. The precinct will have 5,000 private homes, and be anchored by a high-density, mixed-used development to be built next to Newton MRT station and Newton Food Centre. Monk's Hill Road will be turned into a linear park, said URA, adding that existing mature trees and heritage buildings will be integrated in the neighbourhood so that it retains its sense of place. Private homes will also be developed in Paterson, with about 1,000 new units planned for the area – including some in a mixed-use hub above Orchard MRT station that also has retail and office spaces. URA also outlined longer-term plans for towns in larger areas such as Sembawang Shipyard, which will cease operations in 2028, and the former Singapore Racecourse in Kranji, which held its final race in October 2024. Another new town with public and private homes will be built in the Defu industrial area, after Paya Lebar Air Base is relocated in the 2030s. Defu, which is located just outside the air base, will be prepared for development when leases of existing firms expire in the coming years. Residents of the new neighbourhood will have essential services and amenities within a 10-minute walk. Plans for the future town will not affect the ongoing leases of businesses in the industrial estate, URA said, without stating when these leases will end. URA also gave more details for the Greater Southern Waterfront, which will have its first flats launched in October. In the area's next phase of development, residential precincts will be built at Keppel Distripark and Keppel Terminal. The authorities are looking to rejuvenate existing neighbourhoods as well, with towns such as Pasir Ris and Yishun set to get new homes and amenities. Plans to liven up the Orchard and Downtown areas are also underway, URA said, announcing an elevated pedestrian link bridge at Dhoby Ghaut Green that will link the expanded Istana Park to Fort Canning Park. An artist's impression of a new destination park in the heart of Orchard Road that includes the existing Istana Park. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD Another new bridge will be built by 2029 to give cyclists and pedestrians a direct link between Marina Centre and Bay East Garden. Meanwhile, as part of ongoing studies for a 'Long Island' to be reclaimed off East Coast, investigation works will begin in July in the waters off East Coast Park, to obtain data on the site's geological and seabed conditions. This is expected to take a few months. URA's exhibition also touched on efforts to spread jobs across the island and to optimise the country's limited land. In Bishan, new office and retail spaces will be built, alongside a new hawker centre, a revamped bus interchange and a polyclinic. An artist's impression of future mixed-use development within Bishan sub-regional centre. PHOTO: URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY URA said some Government agencies may move to Bishan, which will be positioned as a sub-regional centre, with office space equal to that of Paya Lebar Central. Sub-regional centres are business nodes such as Paya Lebar that bring jobs closer to homes, but are not as large as regional centres in Woodlands, Jurong and Tampines. Agencies such as JTC Corporation are pressing on with studies for Gali Batu Cavern, an underground aggregate storage facility to be built near Mandai to free up surface land. Mr Chee said land use plans continually need to be refined to deal with new challenges, such as a more uncertain global environment and its impact on business activities and supply chains, the effects of climate change and the need to meet housing demand and refresh older towns. 'Tackling these challenges will require a concerted effort by government, stakeholders and all Singaporeans,' he said. 'We need to work together to shape our collective future. Along the way, there will be some difficult trade-offs that we need to discuss and find a way to strike a careful balance.' URA's masterplan is reviewed once every five years. The current edition came into force in 2019. The Draft Master Plan 2025 exhibition will run until Nov 29, 2025, at The URA Centre from Mondays to Saturdays. The exhibition will also be brought to locations across the island from Aug 2 and Nov 9. More details are available at Ng Keng Gene is a correspondent at The Straits Times, reporting on issues relating to land use, urban planning and heritage. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
