Singaporeans Prioritise Green Spaces, Affordable Housing
Eight in 10 of those who responded to a poll on long-term land use plans felt that parks, nature spaces and greenery are key to making Singapore a good place to live, work and play. A similar number said affordable housing was critical in the poll by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), which gathered Singaporeans' views as part of a year-long consultation on the long-term plan review. More than 5,600 people responded to the poll between July 17 and Aug 27, said URA on September 12, adding that respondents were of diverse backgrounds and profiles. Previously known as the concept plan, the long-term plans will guide development over the next 50 years and beyond. They are reviewed every decade to take into account evolving trends and changing demands. Their top concern about the future was the impact of climate change, with many also keen to see Singaporeans live in an environmentally sustainable manner. Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah said, "The idea of sustainable living and sustainability goes beyond addressing climate change, as she touched on the sustainable use of land. I noticed that in one of the (small group) chats, there was discussion on lease expiring, and would it be possible to extend the leases," she said, citing the 99-year leases for Housing Board flats.” If you look at it from a sustainability viewpoint, that wouldn't be what we want to do," said Indranee, adding that 99-year-old buildings were not designed to last longer than that, and may face issues such as leaking pipes and spalling concrete. She said, "The Government has plans to redevelop ageing precincts, citing the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme that was announced in 2018, which will see residents vote on whether to give up and be compensated for their flats at about the 70-year mark. You can see that this is a sustainable cycle. Because what eventually we are doing, we are recycling all the land in Singapore, one part after another, renewing, rebuilding for future generations.”
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