How will Singapore transform in the next decade?
What changes are happening in Singapore?
Careful planning helps land-scarce Singapore optimize its resources to meet the needs of current and future generations.
In formulating new land use plans, the Singapore government adopts a long-term strategy aimed at achieving a balance between social, economic, and environmental factors alongside urban development.
The future Singapore will rely on technology to drive economic growth, feature more green spaces, and have vibrant towns that integrate work, education, and entertainment.
Here, I will introduce some of the major infrastructure projects that will be completed in the coming years.
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11 Upcoming Infrastructure Projects
Table of Contents
1. Changi Region
A vibrant “live-work-play-learn” ecosystem around the airport.
The development plan for the Changi Region focuses on three main areas: Changi Aviation Park, Changi City, and Changi Airport Terminal 5.
The existing Changi Aviation Park will be expanded with the development of the Changi East Industrial Zone, providing a base for new aviation-related sectors and businesses. The expansion of freight facilities will increase Changi’s throughput from 3 million to 5.4 million tonnes per year upon project completion.
Changi Airport Terminal 5
Changi Airport’s Terminal 5 is under construction and will become the airport’s largest terminal upon completion, capable of handling up to 50 million passengers annually. The airport’s expansion will also add a third runway, allowing the airport to operate a three-runway system by the mid-2020s. The construction of the terminal was delayed by 2 years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A new waterfront district is being developed to the south of the airport. It has the potential to offer a “fly-ferry” connection service for tourists between Terminal 5 and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.
The new waterfront district will connect to Changi East Urban District, which can offer new offices, convention facilities, hotels, and serviced apartments. Freight and aviation-related organizations can also leverage the expertise of the Singapore University of Technology and Design for research and development at Changi Business Park.
2. Greater Southern Waterfront
Residential, commercial, and recreational facilities extending along Singapore’s southern coast.
Stretching over 30 kilometers from Pasir Panjang to Marina East, this project will see the construction of approximately 9,000 residential units along Singapore’s southern coast, including a continuous waterfront promenade with green and open spaces.
This 2,000-hectare plot of land, twice the size of Punggol, includes prime land that will be freed up by the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA). PSA will move its city terminals at Tanjong Pagar, Keppel, and Brani to Tuas by 2027, and its Pasir Panjang terminal by 2040.
Two old power stations at Pasir Panjang will also be repurposed, and new attractions will be built on Pulau Brani, near Sentosa, which could include a brand-new NTUC Downtown South resort. Keppel Club will be one of the first sites to be redeveloped in the district and will become a new residential precinct. The club’s lease expires on December 31, 2021.
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3. NS Square
A permanent venue for major national events.
The upcoming NS Square will pay tribute to Singapore’s national servicemen and will replace the popular Marina Bay Floating Platform. The project is set to be completed by the end of 2025 and will be used for future National Day Parades.
It will feature community sports facilities such as a swimming pool, a water activities center, and a new waterfront promenade. This new promenade, which forms a loop around Marina Bay, will improve pedestrian connectivity in the area.
Besides hosting the National Day Parade, the square can also serve as a venue for events of different scales and types, such as concerts, performances, sports activities, and competitions. A new waterfront promenade area below the grandstand will be open to the public year-round and will feature F&B and retail outlets.
4. Founders’ Memorial
A place to commemorate Singapore’s pioneers.
The upcoming Founders’ Memorial will be located on a 5-hectare site in Bay East Garden. It will include a viewing gallery, a lake, a forest trail, and an amphitheater suitable for large gatherings.
Construction of the memorial is set to begin in 2022. It will be located at the upcoming Founders’ Memorial MRT Station on the Thomson-East Coast Line. The memorial will likely feature artefacts and stories about key milestones in Singapore’s history, collected from Singaporeans. The memorial is expected to be completed in 2027.
5. Tuas Mega Port
The heart of Singapore’s maritime industry.
Singapore is currently building a mega port at Tuas, which will be the world’s largest fully automated terminal when completed in 2040. The port’s development is being carried out in four phases, with the first phase scheduled to become operational this year.
The port will include automated wharf and yard functions, as well as features like fully automated guided vehicles. The new port will be able to handle up to 65 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually, more than double the volume handled in 2016.
The entire project covers an area of approximately 1,400 hectares, about twice the size of Ang Mo Kio. The port will be able to accommodate the largest container ships, as well as even larger ones yet to be built.
6. Paya Lebar Air Base
A new town in the northeast.
By the 2030s, the assets of Paya Lebar Air Base will be relocated to Tengah, and a new town will replace the existing air base.
Approximately 800 hectares of land, equivalent to five Toa Payoh towns, will be redeveloped. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has stated that the planning of the new town will be based on the identity of the old airport and air base.
Some former aviation buildings and parts of the runway may be repurposed to preserve the site’s historical and cultural heritage.
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7. Punggol Digital District
A smart district integrating industry and academia.
The 50-hectare digital district will house key industries of the digital economy, such as cybersecurity and digital technology companies. The area will also feature a JTC business park and a new campus for the Singapore Institute of Technology.
The digital district will showcase how planning and technology can be used to create more livable and sustainable towns. For example, infrastructure and services will be managed at a district level, which will include a central logistics hub and a district cooling system.
The project is planned to open progressively from 2024. Trials in Punggol will be scaled up to guide the development of future new towns and districts like Tengah and Jurong Lake District, as well as the redevelopment of existing towns across Singapore.
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8. Rail Corridor
A green artery running through Singapore.
The former railway line spans 24 km from north to south Singapore and will connect the future Woodlands North Coast with the Greater Southern Waterfront.
By the end of 2021, most of the Rail Corridor will be open when Kranji MRT station is connected to Spooner Road. In the coming years, community nodes will also be developed along various sections of the route, featuring facilities like urban farms, food and beverage outlets, and parks.
Parts of the corridor are currently undergoing renovation and reconstruction works. Upgrading works on historical landmarks like the Bukit Timah Railway Station and the Station Master’s Quarters will be completed in 2022. By 2025, the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station will be connected to the upcoming Cantonment MRT station on the Circle Line.
9. Woodlands Regional Centre
The “Star of the North” project is poised to become the largest economic hub in Singapore’s northern region.
Over the next 15 years, Woodlands Regional Centre will provide new spaces for business, industry, research and development, as well as learning and innovation. The URA states that the area will serve as a hub for the northern agri-tech and food corridor, including other developments like the Sungei Kadut Eco-District and the future Agri-Food Innovation Park in Kranji.
The waterfront precinct at Woodlands North Coast will feature new residences and create new job opportunities. JTC Corporation also plans to build a new building that can provide flexible-use industrial space for general manufacturing businesses.
In Woodlands Central, new mixed-use developments will be built, including residential, office, and retail components. They will be connected to Woodlands MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line. A new pedestrian street will also link Woodlands Central and Woodlands North Coast.
10. Jurong Lake District
Singapore’s second Central Business District (CBD).
The 360-hectare Jurong Lake District will become the largest mixed-use business district outside the city center upon completion. It promises to provide housing for a large residential population, allowing more people to work closer to home.
Leveraging the area’s unique lakeside and garden setting, a leisure and recreation cluster is planned around Jurong Lake. Plans include a new waterway on the eastern shore of the lake, which will create a new third island within the lake.
Like Punggol Digital District, Jurong Lake District will also feature district-level infrastructure with a data-driven decision-making platform. This includes simulation models that can help planners analyze and visualize the impact of urban development on outdoor thermal comfort, allowing them to make decisions on adaptive measures, such as increasing greenery.
An expressway connecting northern Singapore to the city.
When the North-South Corridor is completed in 2027, bus travel time from northern towns like Woodlands, Sembawang, and Ang Mo Kio to the city will be reduced by 10 to 15 minutes.
The 21.5 km long expressway was originally intended as a vehicle-only highway but was later redesigned. It now includes dedicated bus lanes, cycling paths, and pedestrian walkways, making it Singapore’s first integrated transport corridor.
Additionally, traffic on the Central Expressway and major arterial roads like Thomson Road and Marymount Road will be eased. At the same time, the North-South Corridor’s cycling paths and pedestrian walkways will connect to the park connector network and HDB cycling paths along the corridor.
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