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Singapore's 7 Important Long-Term Plans for the Next 50 Years

A wider range of housing types, new parks are among the immediate plans outlined in the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) latest long-term plan, which was unveiled earlier this June.

Through August 4, the URA Center (Singapore) is hosting an exhibition titled "A Space for Our Dreams," which will showcase Singapore's development strategies for the next 50 years.

Here are seven key points from the long-term plan, which is reviewed every 10 years:

1. the best mix of private and public housing across the island

The Bayshore development under construction near East Coast Park will feature a mix of private and public housing.

More public housing and amenities will be built in Shimei, near Upper Changi MRT station. They will be integrated with existing private residential complexes.

Authorities in Singapore are also working out the details to offer a wider variety of apartment layouts to give HDB homeowners more flexibility in configuring different spaces according to their needs.

To offer more housing options for the older population, a private nursing home model will be piloted on Parry Avenue in Cowan.

Singapore's second pilot Community Care Apartments project is set to launch in Queenstown. These are serviced apartments offered jointly by the Ministry of National Development, the Ministry of Health and HDB Singapore.

2. more mixed-use development in the city center and industrial areas

The concept of "vertical zoning" in industrial areas is being explored to help integrate different but complementary uses within a single project.

For example, pure industrial activities could occupy the lower floors, co-working spaces could occupy the middle floors, and food courts and cafes for Singaporeans would be located on the upper floors.

The Kolam Aere and Ishun Industrial Zones will be redeveloped to accommodate non-industrial uses such as co-working spaces to provide more flexibility for new business models in Singapore.

Some commercial properties will be offered for shorter leases of 15 to 30 years to allow businesses to adapt to rapidly changing trends.

3. more options for outdoor recreation

To begin with, parts of Singapore's South Islands can be used to test new vacation and tourism concepts, such as nature and heritage trips, low-impact eco-accommodation.

Over the next few decades, Sentosa and Pulau Brani will be transformed into vacation and tourism destinations.

Other new attractions in the pipeline include the Marina Bay and Sentosa integrated resorts expansion, the new Mandai Wildlife Sanctuary and a new tourist complex in the Lake Jurong area.

4. Five new "identity corridors" across the island

One of the key aspects of the Singapore authorities' strategy is a new concept called "identity corridors," five distinctive areas around the island, each defined by characteristics such as unique streetscapes that resonate with Singaporeans.

These include the 24-kilometer rail corridor to the west, the Thomson-Callang corridor to the north, and the Inner Loop, which connects neighborhoods on the edge of the city from Zion to Crawford Road.

The new initiative aims to strengthen the identity of unique places and preserve the nation's heritage.

5. Revision of the Long Island Plan

The Long Island Plan will combine Singapore's coastline protection measures with planned future reclamation - along the southeast coast, from Marina East to Changi.

A new reservoir and residential homes, parks and recreational facilities could be built on the future site. The latest URA plan also identifies possible reclamation areas beyond the original Long Island sites in the future.

6. Four new "natural corridors"

Four new ecological corridors in Hatib, Krangi, Lim Chu Kang, and Seletar were identified after the National Parks Council completed an extensive mapping of Singapore's key biodiversity areas and their interconnections.

The first will be the Hatib Nature Corridor, which will have three new parks - Ni Sun Nature Park, Miltonia Nature Park, and the Lower Seletar Reservoir Park expansion. They will appear in addition to the previously announced Hatib Bongsu Nature Park and Canberra Park.

It will serve as a highway for wildlife between two main habitats, Central Catchment Nature Preserve and the future Hatib Bongsu Nature Park.

Two upcoming residential and mixed-use projects, Springleaf and Miltonia Close, will also be developed within the Khatib Natural Corridor.

7. A new city on the site of Paya Lebar Air Base

After the relocation of Paya Lebar Air Base in the 2030s, the area will be transformed into a new generation city with homes, business spaces and recreational options, building on its identity as a former international airport.

After the relocation of the airbase will be released about 800 hectares.

Existing infrastructure, such as the former passenger terminal buildings, control tower, airport hangars, runway, bunkers, and other historic buildings, can be transformed through adaptive reuse to create an anchor district in the city.