Singapore and Malaysia expect to conclude a deal on exchanging land parcels between both sides in three months. The prime ministers of both countries met in Putrajaya, Malaysia on Tuesday.

One outcome is that they agreed to reduce the toll charges for motorists using a link which connects the countries.

The meeting was a follow-up on their retreat in Singapore last month.

A key item – details on how both countries will exchange land parcels following the Malaysian railway station’s move from Singapore city centre at Tanjong Pagar to a location closer to the border at Woodlands by 1st July 2011.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: “I have made the prime minister a proposal laying out several variations for the prime minister to choose from. He has raised some issues which we are in discussion. As the prime minister said we aim to settle within 3 months.”

Mr Najib gave the assurance that the concept of joint development remains.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said: “The spirit of our discussion today was very warm, very positive and I thank Prime Minister Lee for being as flexible as possible with the intention that there will be a final resolution of the POA issue.

“Our positions would still be to look at the land swap – the parcels of land with respect to Marina South and Ophir-Rochor, the details of which will be considered. And we will convey to the Singapore government in due course within the 3-month time frame. So the whole concept of joint development still remains.”

Being discussed – three land parcels in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands and three others in Bukit Timah could be swapped for land of equivalent value in the Marina South and Ophir-Rochor area.

Both leaders said they had a productive meeting on the land swap offer and discussed some initial response.

Prime Minister Lee revealed that he had sent up Singapore’s National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan a few days ago to present the land swap proposal to the Malaysian leader and Malaysia has been studying the proposal for the past few days.

PM Lee added: “I have brought up with me an offer on the land swap issue which is the only outstanding issue on the POA. In fact I had sent up Minister Mah Bow Tan a few days ago to convey the offer to the Prime Minister and explain the offer.

“So Malaysia has been looking at it for the last few days and I had a useful exchange with the Prime Minister today and we exchanged some preliminary perspectives and views.

“But this is a major decision so Malaysia will think it over and Singapore will take back the comments Malaysia has made and we will consider them and we look forward to settling the matter within three months.

“It should be settled soon because it is something we want to clear expeditiously. Three months meaning the end of September, it will be soon after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, so I think that’s a good moment to have a final settlement of this matter.”

The good news is the reduction of toll charges by 30 per cent from August for motorists using the second link which connects both countries.

Passenger cars for example currently pay RM10.80 and S$4.60 respectively to use the second link and that’s set to go down even further.

The leaders feel this will boost traffic.

PM Lee continued: “It is good news for Singaporeans going to Malaysia and Malaysians coming to Singapore. And may many more Singaporeans and Malaysians do so.”

Mr Lee said other issues like the use of Malaysian airspace and withdrawal of CPF monies by Malaysians working in Singapore would be progressively resolved.

That’s because the focus of their meeting was the POA, something both sides decided as a priority.

Source: Channel News Asia, 22 Jun 2010

The iconic stretch of black-and-white bungalows from 29 to 35 Scotts Road will soon get a facelift, with more buzz expected as it has been earmarked by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) for redevelopment into a lifestyle belt.

Among the new tenants that can occupy the colonial-style bungalows following the redevelopment include those that operate beauty services, health and fitness stores, bridal and wedding outlets, as well as restaurants.

This means existing tenants that operate businesses that fit the criteria and concept of the new belt may opt to stay on at the premises while others, such as those that operate office units there, may have to move out soon.

About 15 tenants currently occupy the 16,500 square metre land area and each bungalow has a built-in area of about 300 to 550 square metres.

Among the tenants that are operating there now include The Song of India restaurant, which occupies 33 Scotts Road, and the SK-II Boutique Spa at No 35.

While these tenants fall within the approved list of tenants that can occupy the bungalows in future, they are still required to submit a fresh tender bid.

The lease of all units there expires in September and an SLA spokesperson told MediaCorp that “there are plans to launch them (the bungalows) for tender by end June”.

“Current tenants interested in such uses will be invited to participate in the tender as well,” the SLA spokesperson added.

The bungalows’ managing agent DTZ said most tenants are glad to participate in the tender, as they are operating beauty or food and beverage (F&B) businesses and so far, they had no major objection on the redevelopment.

Tenants whose businesses do not suit the new lifestyle concept can bid for the space if they adapt or change their businesses accordingly, said DTZ property manager Keh Peng Leong.

When asked about the likely rent these bungalows will fetch following the redevelopment, Mr Keh said that the current market value of the area and the redevelopment’s details are still being worked out.

Market experts said this move is timely as it will serve the nearby Cairnhill Road area, which is fast becoming a luxury condominium stretch.

Mr Colin Tan, head of research and consultancy at Chesterton Suntec International, said new apartments in the area are attracting many high-net-worth individuals.

For instance, The Urban Suites, located less than a kilometre away from Scotts Road, was sold for between $2,400 and $2,800 per square feet.

The redeveloped bungalows will draw very niche businesses as the entire land area is quite small. Clientele-wise, outlets there will draw sophisticated individuals who prefer the colonial vibe of the place, said Mr Tan.

“By itself, it has no critical mass of shops to be a hub destination by itself. The services there have to be very niche, unlike a big shopping centre,” he said, who estimates rentals for that area will be $25 per square feet for an F&B outlet.

Source: Today, 31 May 2010

THE valuation of land owned by Malayan Railway (KTM) in Singapore will be completed within a month, Khazanah Nasional’s managing director Azman Mokhtar said yesterday.

‘Then we’ll work out commercially what is the best thing to do,’ Mr Azman told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

Khazanah and Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, which will set up a joint company to develop the land, have already met and set up a working group, he said.

Asked if the valuation would be based on Singapore market rates, he said it was being done by independent parties and each side would present its own valuation.

‘Some numbers have been mentioned but it is certainly substantial,’ he said.

Mr Azman said the resolution of the decades-long railway land dispute was a ‘breakthrough’ for the two countries.

‘It is not like I win, you lose, it is we both win. If you look at it carefully, the exchange is fair, it is good,’ the Khazanah chief said.

He said he did not expect the issue of valuation to bog down the intended development of the KTM land.

‘We need to see the valuation by both sides. The intention is to move forward,’ he said, adding he hoped the matter could be concluded when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visits Malaysia later next month.

BERNAMA
Source: Straits Times, 28 May 2010

Despite 2 years of notice, tenants say it’s hard to relocate

SEVERAL businesses at Jalan Kayu are caught in a bind, partly of their own making: Their leases are due to expire at the end of the year, and they are having poor luck looking for new sites.

The 18 tenants at Seletar West Farmway 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 – 16 plant nurseries, a kindergarten and a halfway house – were told as early as two years ago that they would have to go.

But they could relocate to only Government-approved locations, and most have had a hard time finding alternative sites.

The Straits Times understands that only two have managed to set up shop elsewhere. The others are still looking, but most say they are resigned to closing down if their searches prove futile.

The 20ha plot – roughly the size of 13 football fields – has been slated for new roads and industrial development.

When contacted, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said it had given the tenants ample notice. It added that tenants have been told several times to move. But the affected businesses countered that they have tried, but have been unsuccessful in their searches for new locations.

The nurseries, especially, said their businesses require large tracts of land of more than a hectare in size. The tenants also said cost was another factor. The going rates for sites up for tender were much more costly – about 20 times higher, they said.

‘We need space and approved land. This makes it really difficult to find a new location,’ said Mr Patrick Tan, who manages a 1.2ha nursery owned by Far East Orchids. ‘I am searching like crazy, but there is nowhere to go.’

The 48-year-old currently pays $2,000 a month in rent. He said he had considered a 3ha plot of land in Queenstown that the Government put up for tender recently. ‘But after calculations, I realised there was no way I could afford the $35,000 rental per month,’ he said, adding that he is unsure of his next move.

The owner of Yee Peng Orchid Nursery Ho Wai Ron, 50, has decided what to do: He will give up his 26-year-old business.

‘Land is so scarce here and our leases keep expiring and we have to move again and again,’ said Mr Ho, who said the company has moved four times so far. ‘It is too disruptive.’

The SLA said it is working closely with other government agencies on the possibility of a further extension.

‘But tenants are aware that they will have to move if this is not possible,’ said its spokesman.

Source: Straits Times, 27 May 2010

All eyes on site at Tanjong Pagar as observers sketch out the possibilities

(SINGAPORE) Just a day after the prime ministers of Singapore and Malaysia announced that six Malaysia- owned land parcels here would be jointly redeveloped, the market was abuzz with the possibilities awaiting these prime plots of real estate estimated to be worth billions of dollars.

The ‘crown jewel’ among them is a 16-hectare site in downtown Tanjong Pagar, sitting just a stone’s throw from the Republic’s busy financial district. The area is also where the 78-year-old Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway station is currently located. It will be shifted to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint by July next year.

Property veteran Nicholas Mak, a real estate lecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, said that one possibility for the railway building – which will be conserved because of its historical significance – could be to turn it into a historical hotel similar to the iconic Fullerton Hotel in Raffles Place.

‘The site and the surrounding areas where the railway tracks run are very large. By my own estimates we could be looking at several million square feet of potential built-up area,’ he told BT yesterday. ‘We could see a combination of offices, shops, retail space, as well as some apartments and condominiums. I wouldn’t be surprised if the land is eventually carved up into several smaller parcels.’

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is now awaiting an updated valuation of the railway land, after which he will visit his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak in Kuala Lumpur next month to discuss the swap of the railway land for other real estate in Singapore.

Between them, the six parcels of land span more than 200 hectares, according to Malaysian media reports. Apart from Tanjong Pagar, the other land parcels include one each in Kranji and Woodlands, and three in Bukit Timah.

Cushman & Wakefield managing director Donald Han said that it would make sound business sense for Malaysia to consider swapping Tanjong Pagar for a more urban and developed location such as the Ophir-Rochor area because of the greater potential in enhancing people connectivity.

‘The Rochor area has hotels and shopping centres. So there is complementary potential for Malaysia to build and create more attractions for their citizens who want to come to Singapore,’ said Mr Han.

While not much is known about exactly where the land parcels in Kranji or Woodlands are, two of the three Bukit Timah sites are likely to be a vacant plot and another that is currently housing workers’ quarters near Methodist Girls’ School, said Mr Mak. Both are likely to be used for residential purposes owing to their small size.

On Monday, Mr Lee and Mr Najib announced that a new private company set up by the two countries’ sovereign wealth funds – Khazanah Nasional and Temasek Holdings – will take charge of the Tanjong Pagar land and five other sprawling plots.

Mr Mak ventured that the joint company, called M-S Pte Ltd, could well decide to allow private developers to take charge of building up the land once the master plan is completed. ‘It’s a much neater way to do things. The company decides what to do with the land, and then sells it in an open tender afterwards. This is a cleaner way to extract the highest value from the land with minimum hassle,’ he said.

Efforts to contact KTM yesterday for comments were unsuccessful. Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, which is handling all local media queries regarding Malaysia’s railway land, was unable to respond to BT’s queries by press time.

Source: Business Times, 26 May 2010

PROPERTY owners in Bukit Timah and Upper Bukit Timah will be cheering – and possibly reaping some capital gains – when the Malayan Railway (KTM) station moves from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands next year.

The railway cuts through the middle of the heavily residential area and locals have long been fed up of the trains clattering past their windows as they go through Bukit Timah Railway Station.

‘I think it will be a boon for many of the owners who in the past have been dismayed by the noise pollution and tracks running close to them,’ said Mr Donald Han, managing director of property consultancy Cushman & Wakefield.

He believes the values of homes in the area could rise by about 5 per cent to 8 per cent if the tracks are removed, although he added that this would simply allow them to catch up to the prices of neighbouring estates that are farther from the tracks.

‘It’s not so much that the price will go up significantly, but now the properties will be easier to sell,’ he said.

‘Previously, if you owned a home in an estate that is located right next to the track, you probably had to sell at a discount to your neighbours whose properties were not affected by the noise. But now you will be on a par with them.’

Residential developments beside or near the tracks in Bukit Timah and Upper Bukit Timah include The Sterling, 1 King Albert Park, Jardin, Mayfair Gardens, The Blossomvale, Summerhill and Glendale Park.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic real estate lecturer Nicholas Mak agreed that property values in Bukit Timah and Upper Bukit Timah could strengthen slightly if the tracks, which are an ‘eyesore’, are taken away.

But he added that the noise may not improve much as traffic in the area is still heavy.

There is also potential for some redevelopment of existing estates near the tracks, which could raise interest in the area, he said.

‘Around the Hindhede Walk area especially, the track runs alongside a lot of private condominiums,’ said Mr Mak.

‘If the track is removed, there’s a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the track and the road that can be freed up and possibly amalgamated with the existing condos if they are redeveloped.’

More generally, residential enclaves in the Bukit Timah district such as Holland Road, Ewart Park, King Albert Park and Rifle Range Road may become more attractive after the tracks go, said Ms Chua Chor Hoon, head of South-east Asia research for DTZ Debenham Tie Leung.

The commercial land site at North Buona Vista Drive that was recently triggered for public tender could also be seen more favourably, she added, as could land around the Bukit Panjang MRT station, which is under construction. The railway tracks also run through these areas.

Source: Straits Times, 26 May 2010

NEWS that a rapid transit line from Johor Baru to Singapore will be up and running by 2018 has whipped up anticipation among commuters, transport industry players and academics.

The experts, who say such a line has been a long time coming, add that it will open up a host of entertainment, shopping and leisure options for Singapore when it begins running.

The idea of a rapid transit link between the two countries has been talked about ever since the first Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) trains started rolling in Singapore 20 years ago.

A formal announcement was made on Monday, when a joint statement by the two countries revealed that it would connect the Republic to Tanjung Puteri, which is near the Malaysian end of the Causeway.

When contacted yesterday, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said he was pleased that both governments had committed themselves to the project.

‘I believe that a rapid transit link will greatly enhance connectivity between Singapore and Johor Baru,’ he said, adding that the Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia – an economic zone in southern Johor about three times the size of Singapore – will oversee the implementation.

The committee has been hammering out ways in which the two countries can cooperate on Iskandar Malaysia.

The Transport Ministry said it was still studying ‘technical details’ of the link, and added that additional information would be ready ‘in the months ahead’.

Industry watchers, however, said the new line is likely to go north from Woodlands MRT station, and would likely be 4km to 5km long.

They noted that when the Singapore Government announced a northern extension of the MRT system in 1991, it said the Woodlands station would cater to a future connection to Johor Baru.

The line would benefit people on both sides of the Causeway immensely, they added.

Some 30,000 to 40,000 vehicles – mainly motorcycles – enter Singapore from Malaysia daily, and many such motorists would be tempted to switch to a train to avoid the hassle of jams and such.

Associate Professor Anthony Chin, who specialises in transport economics at the National University of Singapore, said: ‘One other benefit I can think of – if we can get people off their bikes and onto the train – would be a reduction of air pollution from motorbikes.’

The chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, Dr Lim Wee Kiak, said: ‘Singaporeans who do not drive will find travelling to Johor a breeze.

‘This will certainly give Singaporeans more options of leisure, entertainment and shopping.’

He warned, though, that potential problems such as the smuggling of illicit and banned goods would arise.

However, he added: ‘But I am confident these issues will be efficiently handled, just like at our airport, sea ports and land checkpoints currently.’

Resorts World Sentosa spokesman Robin Goh described the go-ahead for the link as a ‘breakthrough in connectivity between Singapore and Malaysia’, and expects it to benefit the tourism sectors on both sides of the border.

But would easier access to Malaysia hit Singapore retailers hard?

FairPrice, Singapore’s largest provisions supplier, does not think so.

Said its chief executive, Mr Seah Kian Peng: ‘Competition is something we’re familiar with.

‘Cost is not the only consideration. There are other aspects in our stores that contribute to the shopping experience.’

Source: Straits Times, 26 May 2010

Tg Pagar station to shift; KTM land may be developed jointly or swapped for other plots

(SINGAPORE) Many of the disputes that have dogged ties between Singapore and Malaysia over the past 20 years have stunningly been resolved.

The relationship is entering a new phase in which travelling between here and Johor Bahru will be a breeze while Singapore’s Temasek Holdings and Malaysia’s Khazanah Nasional join hands for a major project to develop Malayan Railway land here.

The jigsaw puzzle fell in place as an agreement was reached to move the 78-year-old Tanjong Pagar railway station – which sits on Malaysia-owned land along the fringes of the Republic’s financial district – to Woodlands by July 1 next year. The announcements were made yesterday by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak as they stood nearly shoulder-to-shoulder during a joint press conference at the Shangri-la Hotel here after a two-day retreat.

The breakthrough could see the Points of Agreement (POA) – a document signed back in November 1990 but stalled for years – finally put to rest as early as next month.

‘There is urgency,’ said Mr Lee. ‘This matter really cannot wait indefinitely because it is already 20 years. And there are many development projects in Singapore which have been held up because the POA has not been implemented as it should have many years ago.’

One immediate fallout concerns the land owned in Singapore by Malayan Railway, which is said to be worth billions of dollars and runs alongside the tracks from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands.

With an agreement on the Tanjong Pagar KTM station finally reached (Singapore will help move the station to the Woodlands train checkpoint), the focus shifts to developing six parcels of Malayan Railway land – one each in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands, and the other three in Bukit Timah.

To do this, the two countries have agreed to set up a company called M-S Pte Ltd to jointly develop the land. The company, which will be established by December at the latest, will be 60 per cent of the equity owned by the Malaysian government’s investment holding arm Khazanah Nasional Berhad, with the remaining 40 per cent stake held by Singapore’s state investment agency Temasek Holdings.

One option mentioned by Mr Lee yesterday was to obtain an updated valuation of the KTM land and make an offer to Mr Najib to swap the six land parcels for land of equivalent value in Marina South near the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort and/or the Ophir-Rochor area.

Mr Lee said he would make a trip to Kuala Lumpur in June to make such an offer to Mr Najib.

‘We will make them an offer and it’s up to them whether they want to accept. It will be very substantial, these are very valuable pieces of land we have developed,’ said Mr Lee in response to queries from the media. ‘Land prices have been moving over the past one year as the property market is quite active. That’s why we didn’t settle the land swap today.’

Song Seng Wun, a regional economist with CIMB-GK Research in Singapore, told AFP that the railway land’s worth ‘could be in the billions’ of dollars.

Meanwhile, other pieces of the jigsaw have also fallen in place and they will boost connectivity between Singapore and Johor.

Once the railway station has been shifted to Woodlands, the Singapore government will ensure that train commuters will enjoy proper bus service connections to a nearby MRT station.

The two countries agreed to build a rapid transit system link between Tanjung Puteri in Johor and Singapore by 2018. The plan is to integrate this with public transport services to improve connectivity even further. The Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facility will be co-located in Singapore. Malaysia has the option of moving the new Woodlands KTM station to Johor after 2018 should it wish to do so.

The toll charges at the Second Link will be ‘reduced significantly’ on both sides to increase usage there, with the new amounts to be announced next month, said Mr Lee.

And instead of taxis picking up and dropping passengers only at designated stands in Singapore and Johor, they will be allowed to do so anywhere on the domestic leg of their journey.

The number of cross-border bus services will be doubled with eight additional routes, four from each side, between two pick-up points in Johor and the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa IRs, Boon Lay, Yishun, Newton and Changi Airport in Singapore. ‘The improved rail and road connectivity would cut down the amount of transfer time,’ Credit Suisse AG’s director and Asian chief economist Joseph Tan told BT. ‘There is definitely a positive effect on aggregate and this may take some business away from the airlines too.’

Meanwhile, the existing Tanjong Pagar railway building will be conserved given its historical significance, while the old Bukit Timah railway station building at Blackmore Drive could also be preserved.

‘We see now the light at the end of the tunnel,’ said Mr Najib. ‘This is a big legacy issue and the time has come for a resolution. We cannot allow it to fester because it will always be seen as an impediment preventing us to progress and move forward in terms of our bilateral ties.’

Mr Lee added: ‘It’s a matter for rejoicing. We’ve got a good deal, and both sides are happy.’

Source: Business Times, 25 May 2010

S’pore and Malaysian PMs also announce plan for rapid transit link

A LARGE thorn in the side of Singapore-Malaysia relations was removed yesterday as leaders of both countries took big strides towards resolving a two-decade-old dispute over land owned by Malayan Railway (KTM) in Singapore.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, were all smiles as they emerged from their retreat at the Shangri-La Hotel to announce a breakthrough in the impasse over the Points of Agreement (POA) signed in 1990.

The two prime ministers told reporters that they had agreed to move the existing railway station from Tanjong Pagar to the Woodlands train checkpoint by July next year, and had sorted out how the redevelopment of the railway land left behind would be dealt with.

They had also agreed to set up a rapid transit system linking Johor Baru and Singapore by 2018. To make it easier for commuters, the link will be integrated with public transport systems on both sides.

Mr Lee and Mr Najib hailed the agreements as a boost to bilateral relations.

Referring to the POA impasse being broken, Mr Lee said: ‘It enables us to move forward on many other areas, to cooperate and work together for mutual benefit without having this outstanding issue always there.

‘If you can’t solve this, how can you talk about new things? But we can solve this, and we are talking about new things.’

He noted that the two sides had been focused on developing the bilateral relationship, knowing the region needs to work together to stay competitive.

The original POA was signed in 1990 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Malaysian Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin. However, over the next two decades, the two sides disputed its interpretation.

Following yesterday’s agreement, the railway station in Tanjong Pagar will be relocated to the Woodlands train checkpoint by July 1 next year.

Singapore will facilitate the move, and ensure bus services connect the Woodlands train checkpoint with a nearby MRT station.

A company known as M-S Pte Ltd will be established by Dec 31. Malaysia’s Khazanah Nasional Berhad will hold a 60 per cent stake, while Temasek Holdings will control 40 per cent. This company will undertake the development of railway land.

Currently six parcels of land are involved – one each in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji, and Woodlands, and three in Bukit Timah.

However, these parcels of land may be swopped for land of equivalent value in the Marina South and the Ophir-Rochor areas.

PM Lee will go to Kuala Lumpur within a month with a land swop proposal. He noted yesterday that the value of the land involved was ’substantial’.

The transfer of the land parcels to M-S Pte Ltd for development will take effect when KTM vacates the Tanjong Pagar station.

Mr Najib called yesterday’s agreement historic, saying it was the light at the end of the tunnel for ‘a big legacy issue’.

He said: ‘With the understanding that we achieved at today’s meeting, we can say that the POA agreement, and some enhanced features of that agreement, should finally be put to rest, particularly when Prime Minister Hsien Loong meets with me in Kuala Lumpur in a month’s time.’

The groundwork for yesterday’s agreement was laid as early as 2008, when Singapore sent a proposal on how to resolve the POA dispute. PM Lee discussed the issue with Mr Najib when they met at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru that year. Foreign ministry officials from both sides have also been in discussion.

Following yesterday’s agreement, a joint team will be set up to iron out implementation details. This will be led by the secretary-general of the Malaysian Foreign Ministry and the permanent secretary of the Singapore Foreign Ministry. It is due to complete its work by the end of the year. From there, a written instrument will be produced, to be signed by both countries once approved by the respective governments.

The POA aside, the two leaders also ironed out a host of other matters, including Singapore’s role in the Iskandar Malaysia region in Johor, and means to increase connectivity between the two countries.

Mr Najib, in Singapore on a two-day visit, returned to Malaysia yesterday.

Source: Straits Times, 25 May 2010

Project part of plan to enhance green spaces, water bodies

WOODLANDS Waterfront – Singapore’s latest recreational addition in the north – was officially launched yesterday.

The launch, organised by Sembawang GRC, Nee Soon Central and Nee Soon East SMCs, was held in conjunction with a community walk and sports carnival attended by more than 2,500 people.

The project is part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Parks and Waterbodies Plan to enhance Singapore’s green spaces and water bodies.

Woodlands Waterfront forms part of a network of parks and park connectors in the area and will be linked to the recently completed Admiralty Park and the park connector along Woodlands Centre Road and Admiralty Road West.

The project is being developed in two phases. Phase one, which features a 200m waterfront promenade connected to a 400m refurbished jetty, an interactive playground and an event plaza, has been completed.

The facilities have been designed to boost community bonding. For instance, the playground has facilities and fitness equipment to encourage residents of all age groups to interact. The waterfront promenade also offers various recreational activities to facilitate interaction.

Phase two, which will be completed by year-end, will provide a further 1.3km long waterfront promenade with fitness stations and lookout points.

Aiming for the new development to cater to the needs of the community, URA designed Woodlands Waterfront according to feedback from local people.

URA chief executive Cheong Koon Hean said: ‘The Woodlands Waterfront is part of URA’s plan to continually enhance the living environment by capitalising on natural assets to improve the quality of life.

‘It will bring the scenic northern coastline closer to people and offer more choices, particularly for residents in the north.’

Source: Business Times, 24 May 2010