ST : Tg Pagar set to be next waterfront city

Feb 2, 2010

Tg Pagar set to be next waterfront city

By Jessica Cheam

EVEN as Singapore's iconic Marina Bay nears completion, its next waterfront city has been identified: Tanjong Pagar.

Right now, it is home to cranes and rows of stacked containers waiting to be loaded onto ships calling at one of the world's busiest ports.

But come 2027, when port operator PSA Corporation's lease on the land expires, the prime waterfront space should become home to skyscrapers of another sort.

The Economic Strategies Committee (ESC) yesterday called for Tanjong Pagar to be transformed into a waterfront city catering for the expansion of Singapore's business district and boasting apartments, hotels, and lifestyle and tourism facilities.

'This area is very attractive, it is just at the fringe of the city, the size is comparable to another Marina Bay and it can offer immense opportunities to support future growth,' said Senior Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu yesterday.

Because of its proximity to the Central Business District, Sentosa and universities, Tanjong Pagar 'will give us lots of elements to work on and we're quite excited about the potential', she added.

However, details are not ready at the moment as the Government is not looking at developing it any time soon.

Ms Fu, who co-chaired the ESC sub-committee on higher land productivity for future growth, said this is all part of the committee's push to make the most productive use of Singapore's land.

This is especially since Singapore's competitiveness will in future rest on being 'a global city and a meeting point in Asia for enterprise, talent, cultures and ideas'.

The idea is make each piece of land work harder and examine how land use should be reconfigured to support the new economic strategies for the country.

For example, more incentives and grants could be given to encourage the private sector to pilot innovative plant layouts for key manufacturing sectors to minimise the use of land, she said.

'We will also have to progressively step up the rejuvenation of mature industrial estates and at the more macro level... recycle land to support new economic activities,' she added.

Another look may also be taken at industrial spaces which one cannot imagine could be used for other purposes.

Lorong Halus, for example, used to be just a dumping ground for rubbish, but is now home to wildlife.

'So we would try not to imagine Tuas as it is now, but rather a place where we could find a congregation of not just economic (or) industrial activities but hopefully residential and recreational as well - a much more pleasant place and a place for the birds as well!' Ms Fu quipped.

'We are limited in terms of land but I think we are not limited in terms of imagination and creativity.'

Commenting on the plans for Tanjong Pagar, Mr Steven Choo, chief executive of the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore, said they will add a new dimension to land-scarce Singapore.

However, he also noted that this is a long-term vision which will not have much impact on the current market over the next few years.

'But eventually I'm sure it will open up more options, more quality living, offices, accommodation, and more variety to our urban landscape,' he said.

Singapore Institute of Architects president Ashvinkumar Kantilal said the plans were 'very pragmatic, typical of the Singapore approach'.

The location already boasts Sentosa, residential estates, and a shopping and office hub, and will present a great planning opportunity 'when the time comes', he added.

jcheam@sph.com.sg