Wednesday, 20 November 2013

Draft Master Plan 2013

Our Future, Our Home. Draft Master Plan 2013 exhibition at URA

Published Date: 20 Nov 2013

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced the opening of the Draft Master Plan 2013 exhibition today. The key focus of the Draft Master Plan 2013 is to build townships for all ages that are green, healthy, connected, strong in community interaction and spirit, and to bring quality jobs closer to home.
The Draft Master Plan 2013 aims to make Singapore a better home for our people through: 
  • Providing a quality living environment with a variety of housing options 
  • Bringing quality jobs closer to home and growing the financial and business hub in the city 
  • Expanding green and recreational spaces for all 
  • Building an endearing home 
  • Enhancing our transport connectivity and accessibility 
  • Enlivening our public spaces

A quality living environment 

Singaporeans will continue to enjoy a good quality living environment in new housing areas at Bidadari, Tampines North and Punggol. Established towns such as Sembawang, Yishun, Hougang, and Choa Chu Kang will be rejuvenated with new homes, providing more options for those who prefer to live near their families for mutual care. 
A range of housing types will be provided in new and existing estates. Every new and existing town will boast a quality living environment, with green and community spaces for residents to relax and interact. Walkability and cycling routes will be key features, alongside a good distribution of amenities.
The housing concepts at Marina South and Kampong Bugis will be fenceless, green housing developments to encourage community interaction. These features will provide a conducive environment for pedestrians and cyclists. 
Refer to Annex 1 for more details on plans to create a quality living environment.

Some points from Annex 1 relating to Punggol:
- There will be more housing choices in diverse locations with the development of new 
housing areas at Bidadari, Tampines North and Punggol Matilda. These new housing areas will 
provide a quality living environment through abundant greenery and vibrant community spaces 
to encourage interaction and community bonding. Good distribution of amenities throughout the 
estate and well-connected pedestrian and cycling networks will make it more convenient for 
residents to walk or cycle to the different facilities and meet their daily needs. For more 
information, refer to the Housing & Development Board’s (HDB) press release. 

- HDB’s Remaking Our Heartland initiatives will rejuvenate existing towns and housing 
estates such as Punggol, Bedok, Yishun, Jurong, Hougang and Dawson, improving the living 
environment and adding community spaces to encourage social interaction among residents.

More jobs near home 

Providing good and diverse jobs for Singaporeans will strengthen Singapore’s status as a global financial and business hub. The Draft Master Plan 2013 will set aside sufficient land to grow our diversified economy and bring jobs closer to home. 
To enable Singaporeans to work closer to home, reduce commuting time and ease congestion during peak hours, we will continue to grow regional employment centres such as Jurong Lake District, Tampines Regional Centre, and Paya Lebar Central. New growth areas across the entire stretch of the North Coast Innovation Corridor will begin to take shape with the Woodlands Regional Centre and the Punggol Learning Corridor and Creative Cluster. New industrial sites at CleanTech Park, Wenya, Jurong West and Tuas in the west, and Seletar West and Lorong Halus in the north-east, will offer new job opportunities. 
We will also continue to grow the Central Business District and Marina Bay, the heart of our business and financial sector. Within the city centre, a new retail and entertainment spine at Bayfront Avenue will be created, bringing additional job opportunities and more buzz to the Bay.
Refer to Annex 2 for more details on new growth centres, including the Woodlands Regional Centre.
Some points from Annex 2 relating to Punggol:
- One of the major new initiatives is the North Coast Innovation Corridor that will begin to 
take shape with exciting new developments at the Woodlands Regional Centre and the Punggol 
Learning Corridor and Creative Cluster. This will become an attractive major employment node for 
residents in the north and north-eastern part of Singapore.

- The Punggol Creative Cluster will house innovative industries with green areas, community 
spaces and waterfront views that will provide an attractive work and play environment. The 
Learning Corridor will be anchored by a tertiary institution and have strong ties to the Creative 
Cluster. 
Source: URA