Singapore defends housing plans amid forest concerns

Singapore’s government has defended plans to develop housing at Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks while assuring lawmakers that the proposed layouts remain open to changes aimed at protecting greenery, wildlife corridors and heritage buildings.

The debate in Parliament on Tuesday followed public opposition to proposals that could involve clearing about 15 hectares of Maju Forest at Sunset Way and at least 10 hectares of forest around Gillman Barracks. Eighteen parliamentary questions were raised, with lawmakers pressing the government on alternative sites, ecological damage, public consultation and whether development could be abandoned.

Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan said the two areas would proceed towards housing development because they had been designated for residential use and were needed to meet demand over the next decade. He said, however, that environmental and heritage studies were part of the process of shaping the projects rather than exercises designed to justify predetermined plans.

“The question before us is not whether housing, greenery or heritage matters. They all do,” Tan told Parliament. “The challenge is how we balance these needs responsibly within our limited space.”

The formal period for public comments on the environmental and heritage assessments closes on August 6, but government agencies will continue discussions with residents, nature groups and other stakeholders. Feedback could result in changes to construction footprints, development density, ecological corridors and the number of heritage structures retained.

Maju Forest covers about 23 hectares beside Sunset Way in Clementi. The land has largely been zoned for residential development since the 1980 Master Plan, although decades of natural regeneration have created secondary forest containing streams, native vegetation and threatened wildlife.

Housing authorities have proposed retaining about eight hectares, including a freshwater stream and surrounding buffer zone, as a refuge for wildlife and a corridor connecting neighbouring green areas. The remaining land would accommodate public housing, although the number and mix of flats have not been finalised.

Environmental surveys recorded several species of conservation importance, including the critically endangered straw-headed bulbul. Earlier studies connected with the Cross Island Line also identified the Sunda pangolin in the wider forest area.

Nature groups have argued that narrowing the habitat could displace animals, increase roadkill risks and weaken connections between Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Clementi Forest, the Rail Corridor and the Southern Ridges. They have also warned that secondary forests cannot be quickly replaced because mature ecological systems take decades to regenerate.

Christopher de Souza, a lawmaker from Holland-Bukit Timah, urged the government to examine other land near Maju Forest, including a construction site being used for the Cross Island Line. He cited changes made to earlier plans for Dover Forest, where part of the forest was preserved after alternative housing arrangements were considered.

Tan said the Cross Island Line site could be assessed for homes once railway construction was completed, but it was not available to satisfy near-term demand. Authorities were already prioritising vacant and previously developed land where practical, he added.

Gillman Barracks presents a different planning challenge because the area contains both forest and buildings associated with Singapore’s military and cultural history. Established as a British garrison in 1935, it was converted into an arts precinct in 2012 and now accommodates galleries, restaurants and lifestyle businesses.

The environmental and heritage studies covered 47 hectares, including an estimated 40-hectare development zone and a seven-hectare green area north of Telok Blangah Heights. The wider study area contains about 21.8 hectares of forest and 10 hectares of urban vegetation, scrubland and grassland.

Authorities are considering retaining most of the native-dominated secondary forest and creating ecological routes linking Telok Blangah Hill Park, HortPark, Berlayer Creek and Labrador Nature Reserve. Proposed corridors would be at least 30 metres wide to support the movement of birds and other wildlife.

Gillman Barracks has 86 buildings, with preliminary plans indicating that 25 could be retained. Officials are studying the preservation of all structures assessed as having exceptional heritage value and most buildings considered highly significant.

Rachel Ong, who represents the area, questioned whether alternative housing sites had been evaluated and called for continued dialogue with residents, conservation groups and heritage specialists.

Workers’ Party representatives also challenged the government on whether cancelling the projects remained possible. Tan said the developments would proceed because of national housing requirements, but the design, scale and conservation measures remained under review.

The government’s position places the two projects within a broader effort to maintain an adequate housing supply while controlling prices and meeting demand from new households. Singapore has also been converting previously developed sites, including the former Old Police Academy at Mount Pleasant and land occupied by golf courses, into residential districts.