DESIGNING our CITY Planning for a sustainable Singapore 1 DESIGNING OUR CITY Cities as we know them today Designing our city looks at how are already dramatically changing. Singapore is planned for long-term Our living environments are sustainability, encouraging us to reshaping the way we live. think about how we can shape it This new ‘urban age’ presents and new ideas that can transform a unique opportunity for us to our future. remake and reinvent our cities. How well we plan and design our living environments will matter. Moscow Paris New York Beijing Istanbul Tokyo Delhi Dhaka Cairo Los Angeles Osaka-Kobe Karachi Guangzhou Shanghai Shenzhen Mexico City Mumbai Kolkata Manila Lagos Rio de Janeiro São Paulo Population in Millions Buenos Aires 10 20 2 Population Figures in 1970 2 a look at 3 Population Figures in 2011 urbanisation INTRODUCTION DESIGNING OUR CITY Projected Population Figures in 2025 While it took London a hundred years In 40 years’ time, three-quarters of the world’s to become the world’s first megacity*, population will be city dwellers. This has a Note: it is now taking just decades for new profound impact on the ecological balance This map shows the population of urban agglomerations with 10 million people or more in 2011 and their projected urban population by 2025. megacities to emerge. The scale and of our planet and human conditions. You can also see how much their urban population has grown since 1970. While cities such as Tokyo appear to have the largest urban population by speed of urbanisation* is unprecedented. 2025, in actual fact, cities such as Lagos, Delhi and Shanghai are expected to register a higher urban population growth than others. This is evident by the thicker blue rings indicated on the map. Singapore is not in this list as its urban population is under 10 million. * megacity — a metropolitan area with a total population in excess of 10 million people. Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2011 Revision, New York, 2011 urbanisation — increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities. planning for sustainability REVIEWED EVERY SINGAPORE’S 10 YEARS STRATEGIC LAND USE LONG-TERM While our challenges today are vastly different from & TRANSPORTATION PLAN the 1960s, our priority remains the same: catering PLAN TO GUIDE for economic growth and a good quality of life, DEVELOPMENT SUFFICIENT LAND maintaining a clean and green environment, and IN THE NEXT CONCEPT making the best use of our resources. What has 40-50 YEARS constantly guided our approach to sustainable GOOD ANTICIPATED development is far-sighted, holistic, and PLAN LIVING POPULATION + comprehensive planning, which enables us to take ENVIRONMENT ECONOMIC into account future development needs through an GROWTH integrated planning process. Our objectives are: TRANSLATE THE BROAD PUBLIC LONG-TERM COLLABORATION Economic ENGAGEMENT & STRATEGIES OF THE WITH GOVERNMENT Sustain a robust and vibrant economy CONSULTATION CONCEPT PLAN AGENCIES Social Provide a good quality of living and a sense of well-being for all MASTER Environmental PLAN Develop in an environmentally responsible manner LAND USE PLANS FOR SHOWS PERMISSABLE LAND USE & DENSITY Land and sea STATUTORY LAND 5 REGIONS Optimise our limited land and sea space FOR DEVELOPMENTS USE PLAN GUIDING WEST, NORTH, IN SINGAPORE SINGAPORE’S DEVELOPMENT NORTH-EAST, EAST, DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION CENTRAL 4 OVER THE NEXT 5 Public consultation is an integral part of land & LAND SALES use planning. The public and stakeholders are 10-15 YEARS PROVISION OF BASIC DEVELOPMENT consulted throughout the planning process INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES during the Concept Plan and Master Plan CONTROL FOR VARIOUS LAND PARCELS TO PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABILITY DESIGNING OUR CITY reviews, on area-specific plans (such as the MEDIUM-TERM SUPPORT THE REALISATION OF GUIDELINES TO ENSURE ALL ongoing public consultation efforts for the Rail PLAN PLANNING INTENTIONS SET OUT PROPERTIES ARE DEVELOPED & Corridor), and development control guidelines. IN THE MASTER PLAN We also proactively realise our vision, in REVIEWED EVERY USED ACCORDING TO collaboration with the public and private 5 YEARS THE MASTER PLAN LAND USE sectors, and the community. ZONING, GROSS PLOT RATIO AND BUILDING HEIGHT CONTROLS The challenge of balancing land use needs within Singapore has never been an easy one. In making Decisions for land use decisions, planners often have to think about meeting current and future needs. Here are the future five decisions made by planners 40 years ago that have a significant impact on our lives today. Greening paid off Even in the 1960s when DID YOU KNOW? planners grappled with Since 1971, a Tree Planting Day has been slums and overcrowding, held every year without fail, where Members choices greening was made a priority. of Parliament, community leaders, and others Today, Singapore stands plant saplings throughout the island. we make out as a City in a Garden. 1960s NOW As one of the few city-states in the world, Marina Bay realised our conditions are unique. Like all cities, we Marina Bay as a seamless DID YOU KNOW? have to cater for housing, business, social, extension of the Central Land around Marina Bay was reclaimed and recreational needs. But as Singapore is Business District, was first throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. mooted in the 1970s. From The first detailed land use plan was exhibited not just a city but also a sovereign state, we in 1992. Planners have worked on this project just an empty land, it has from the 1970s until today. also have to accommodate activities that are become an iconic destination. typically located outside a city like seaports To achieve sustainable development, we need and airports, water catchment areas, utilities to preserve options for the next generation. 1970s NOW such as waste treatment plants and power Often, we need to make difficult decisions DID YOU KNOW? Airport relocated stations, as well as military training areas that may require trade-offs in the short term The idea of reclaiming land at Changi was and bases. but will reap benefits in the longer term. We The international airport was inspired by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s relocated to the east as visit to Boston’s Logan Airport, where planes also have to carefully manage diverse and took off and landed over water, reducing decided in the 1971 Concept competing land use demands and priorities. aircraft noise. Plan, allowing for several It is not about keeping every tree and shrub expansions. It is one of the The first 1971 Concept Plan guided Singapore’s early development and into the 1990s. It was in Singapore untouched or about building busiest in the world. devised with United Nations’ help and ensured as many petro-chemical plants as we can. 1971 NOW that essential infrastructure was provided for. It is about considering all land use demands comprehensively so that potential trade-offs between uses can be evaluated holistically for Jurong Island DID YOU KNOW? continued economic growth and the provision Jurong Island as a chemicals Jurong Island has a dedicated “plug and play” of good quality living environments. hub was conceived in 1991. It infrastructure to help companies save on not only supports our industrial capital costs and build synergy through 6 product integration. 7 needs but frees up land for other needs. It is one of Asia’s The island has a rock cavern at a depth of leading petrochemical hubs. 130 m, Southeast Asia’s first underground liquid hydrocarbon storage facility. 1991 NOW CHOICES WE MAKE DESIGNING OUR CITY Bustling hubs The idea for commercial DID YOU KNOW? and regional centres was The centres were mooted by planners as introduced in the 1991 Concept a way to better manage peak-hour congestion Plan. Tampines Regional and traffic in and out of the city and to bring jobs Novena Fringe Centres have closer to homes. since become bustling hubs. More are underway. 1991 NOW Given our compact limited land, planning for a compact city city is critical. This strategy enables us to make the best use of our land, allow for more efficient provision of facilities, and maximise the use of our transport infrastructure. By building more homes and amenities around major MRT housing stations, residents can benefit from greater convenience to public transport and ready for all amenities nearby. This will translate to greater A sustainable city is also one travel convenience, lower car usage, and more that offers a good quality social interaction and bonding. More than of life for all. A key aspect 10,000 housing units of more than 30 storeys of this is in ensuring that will be injected in vacant land around MRT housing is available and stations like Commonwealth, Queenstown, affordable. Land is set aside and Bishan in the next decade and beyond. for a variety of housing types to meet different needs and Even though our living environments are likely aspirations. This ranges to become denser, quality living environments from affordable and quality will continue to be planned for. There will be high-rise public housing, more ground level open spaces and parks, where over 80 per cent of the and community spaces at intermediate levels population lives, to private to facilitate community bonding. Good design housing that includes landed and landscaping can also offer visual relief. properties and high-rises. It is not just about Coming up, Jurong Lake, East Coast, and quality providing good Hougang will be given makeovers under the housing but it is Housing Development Board’s Remaking also about creating Our Heartlands programme. 8 living 9 a total good quality living environment around where we live. Our population is also ageing.