Missed out on other MND news over the past couple of months? Here’s a sampling of some of the more significant developments.
Opening of Sengkang's first wet market-cum-food court
Senior Minister of State for National Development, Ms Grace Fu officiated at the opening of the Sengkang Kopitiam Square on 10 January 2010, and mentioned that more of such markets could be built if the response was good. Located opposite Sengkang MRT station, Kopitiam Square is the first wet market and food centre to be built and run by a private operator. It is also the first food complex to make use of cashless payments for parking and groceries. About 20,000 customers have patronised it daily since its soft opening, and nine in ten of its market and food centre stalls have been taken, said Kopitiam's managing director. SMS Grace Fu concluded that, "the food centre and market has an important role in creating an identity within the community and building residents' attachment to where they live."
Punggol to become Singapore's first eco-town
The Housing and Development Board has identified Punggol as Singapore's first eco-town, and the area is set to become a 'living laboratory' for ideas and technologies promoting sustainable development. HDB announced that Punggol is perfect as a test bed for green technologies at the International Housing Conference at Suntec Singapore on 28 January 2010. The objectives are that over the next five years, energy consumption in public areas will go down by up to 30 percent while energy use in households is targeted to decrease by 10 percent. Measures to achieve these aims include building facilities in carparks for people to power up their electric cars, and solar panels to generate electricity. HDB CEO, Tay Kim Poh, said: "We will provide a lot more greenery in the town [Punggol] in terms of park, green connectors, roof gardens. Buildings will be designed so there is good cross-ventilation, and they don't really have to use their air-con."
Concept Plan 2011 and You
A public consultation exercise for Concept Plan 2011 was launched by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on 23 January 2010 by National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan. Minister Mah had highlighted that the key objective of the exercise is to strive for the best quality of life for all Singaporeans. Four issues will be considered during the planning process, including how to enhance the quality of life and build a sense of belonging. The other two issues deal with an ageing population and growing the nation in a sustainable way. What it means to be Singaporean, and how we can provide for the needs of an ageing population are just some of the questions that will be discussed by two focus groups during the public consultation exercise.
Measures to ensure a stable and Sustainable Property Market
In order to cool the heated property market, the Government implemented a few measures, including introduction of a seller’s stamp duty on all residential properties and residential lands bought after 19 February 2010 and sold within a year from the date of purchase, as well as lowering the Loan-to-Value (LTV) limit to 80 percent for all housing loan provided by the financial institutions regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). In addition, the Government will also ensure that there is an adequate supply of housing to meet the demand. Sites that can yield 10,550 private housing units have already made available in the Confirmed and Reserve List of the Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme in the first half of 2010.
Economic Strategies Committee’s (ESC) Subcommittee: Maximising Value from Land as a Scarce Resource
The Economic Strategies Committee (ESC) announced its report on how to utilise Singapore’s scarce resources and future opportunites to achieve future growth on 1 February 2010. ECS member and Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education Grace Fu shared that one of the proposed recommendations was to replan, rejunvenate and recycle the land, where one example cited was that the Tanjong Pagar Port could be moved to Jurong and the site could be redeveloped into a new waterfront district (similar to Marina Bay). Besides recycling the land, another proposal is for the Government to create new space. One innovative solution to meeting the nation’s expected shortage is to develop underground space, which would be integrated with the surrounding developments and infrastructure.
Unveiling the World Cities Summit in 2010
The Singapore media caught a glimpse of the exciting events lined up at the second World Cities Summit at a media briefing on 25 February 2010. Co-organised by the Centre for Liveable Cities and the Civil Service College, the theme of the Summit is 'Liveable and Sustainable Cities for the Future'. Proceedings are expected to focus on issues related to urban leadership and governance, building eco-friendly cities and fostering harmonious and sustainable communities. Over 1,000 delegates, comprising Ministers, Mayors and business leaders are scheduled to attend the Summit, to be held here from 28 June to 1 July 2010. Prominent speakers include Haruhiko Kuroda, President of Asian Development Bank, and Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. The inaugural Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize will also be presented at the Summit.
