Further Renovation Works and Felling of Trees at 26 and 31 Ridout Road

Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Law (a) since July 2023, whether any further renovation or construction work has been done at 26 and 31 Ridout Road with any part of the costs borne by the Singapore Land Authority; (b) if so, how much is the cost borne by SLA; and (c) whether any trees with more than one-metre girth have been felled.

Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai (The Second Minister for Law): The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) does not typically make public information on works carried out on specific residential state properties. Nonetheless, given that 26 Ridout Road and 31 Ridout Road are currently occupied by Minister K Shanmugam and Minister Vivian Balakrishnan respectively and there has been public interest on this matter, relevant information on the works carried out on the two properties are set out below.

SLA carries out building maintenance and inspection works to the residential state properties it manages to ensure that the properties remain tenantable in the longer term 1 . These works are part of SLA's obligations, as the landlord, to ensure that the properties are in reasonably good condition so that tenants are able to reside in these properties safely 2 .

For residential state properties that are subject to conservation requirements, like 26 Ridout Road and 31 Ridout Road, specialised building maintenance and inspection works are carried out in accordance with the relevant conservation guidelines to protect their heritage value 3 . In addition, in line with an established framework, SLA also carries out maintenance and other works as it is legally required, as the landlord, to do. This is done for all its tenantable properties, including those at 26 Ridout Road and 31 Ridout Road.

During the tenancy term, tenants are responsible for the general day-to-day maintenance of the building and facilities and for all land within the tenancy boundary. Tenants are also generally allowed by SLA to carry out improvement works on their property during the tenancy.

In this case, since July 2023, the tenant of 26 Ridout Road has carried out various substantial improvement works on the property. These were done with all the necessary regulatory approvals obtained and at the tenant's own cost. These improvements will become part of the property and can be retained for the benefit of the landlord upon the termination of the lease .

In the period since July 2023, two trees with more than one-metre girth were felled and replaced at 26 Ridout Road and one tree with more than one-metre girth was felled and replaced at 31 Ridout Road. The health of the two trees at 26 Ridout Road had deteriorated, whilst the tree at 31 Ridout Road was struck by lightning and, subsequently, infected by disease. The necessary approvals for the felling and replacement of these trees were obtained from the National Parks Board prior to felling.

Note(s) to Question No(s) 18:

1 This information was provided in Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean's report dated 26 June 2023 on the Review of the Rentals of State Properties at 26 and 31 Ridout Road.

2 This information was provided in Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean's Ministerial Statement on 3 July 2023 on the Review of the Rentals of State Properties at 26 and 31 Ridout Road and Senior Minister Teo's report dated 26 June 2023 on the Review of the Rentals of State Properties at 26 and 31 Ridout Road.

3 A similar point was made by Second Minister for Law Edwin Tong in his Ministerial Statement on 3 July 2023 on the Rentals of State Properties.