Over 10 years they will become lifestyle and commercial hubs
GOOD news, Kallang and Paya Lebar: It is your turn to shine.
The two sleepy industrial estates have been identified as Singapore's next big urban hotspots, as the nation's land planners draw up blueprints for the next 15 years.
Now colourless and underdeveloped, these towns will burst into full bloom over the next decade. Paya Lebar will be transformed into a thriving commercial and civic centre, while Kallang will become a residential and lifestyle hub with homes and offices set among green parks and sandy beaches.
'To make Singapore an endearing home, the Draft Master Plan will seek to retain places of identity and heritage.' (Above) an artist's impression of the beaches at Kallang Riverside. -- PHOTOS: URAThey are the stars of the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) highly anticipated Draft Master Plan, which was released by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan yesterday.
The Master Plan, which guides Singapore's land use over the next 10 to 15 years, is revised every five years to provide more housing and leisure options and ensure that sufficient space is set aside to support a growing population.
The plan also continues a sustained effort to decentralise and reduce congestion in the Central Business District by building offices all across the island, bringing jobs closer to homes.
Some of the plan's highlights, such as the new Jurong Lake District and the new MRT lines, have already been revealed.
Other plans were more fully fleshed out yesterday, such as the expansion of the city's commercial centre, which will double in size to include Marina Bay and Tanjong Pagar, as well as the Beach Road/Ophir-Rochor corridor.
The Government also announced that it has earmarked enough land for 328,200 new homes around the island. More than a third will be in the central region bordered by Bishan, Sentosa, Marine Parade and Queenstown.
'We have seen significant transformation of our city over the past 10 years,' said Mr Mah yesterday.
'The next 10 years can be just as exciting, if not more. Despite the current economic uncertainties, I am optimistic that we can grow from strength to strength.'
Property players were impressed by the new Master Plan, saying it proves Singapore can remain a sustainable global city and a promising investment destination.
Equally importantly, there is 'a piece of action for every developer, no matter what kind of homes or offices or hotels they build', said Mr Simon Cheong, chief of developer SC Global and president of the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore.
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