Deploying Polder Approach to Protect East Coast and North-West Coastal Areas Against Rising Sea Levels

Ms Poh Li San asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) given that the Tekong Polder was the first local empoldering project to reclaim land below the average sea level, will the same approach be deployed to protect our coastal areas in East Coast and North-West against rising sea levels; and (b) what is the resting period required before it is considered safe to construct buildings on the reclaimed land.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Government will closely monitor the implementation of the Pulau Tekong polder to draw insights from this pilot project, including experience gained from operating and maintaining the polder. This will guide our review on the viability of using the empoldering method for future land reclamation projects.

Similar to other reclamation projects, the Housing and Development Board has completed soil improvement works upfront to ensure the polder land is ready for building development.