Occupancy Rates at Biopolis and One-north Area, and Proportion of Tenants Paying Subsidised or Grant-supported Rent

Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the current occupancy rates of Biopolis and the wider one-north area, compared with Biopolis' 2003 launch; (b) what proportion of Biopolis tenants pay subsidised or grant-supported rent versus market rent; (c) whether A*STAR has plans to relocate from Biopolis; and (d) what is the Ministry's assessment of Biopolis' long-term viability as a biomedical research hub.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: Biopolis was developed by JTC Corporation as a purpose-built biomedical research hub. The occupancy of Biopolis has grown from 63% at the launch of Phase One in 2003 to more than 90% today, with its rental rates pegged to market. The Greater one-north area, comprising research, science, engineering, artificial intelligence and infocomm technology, and start-up clusters across Biopolis, Fusionopolis, Ayer Rajah and Science Parks, has a similarly high occupancy rate of over 80%.

The Prime Minister had announced during Budget 2025, that we would refresh A STAR's biomedical research infrastructure by extending it into the Greater one-north area. This refresh builds on the strong foundation established in Biopolis and brings A STAR closer to key ecosystem partners, like the National University Health System (NUHS) clinical community, and venture builders in the Greater one-north area, strengthening the translation of research into commercial and public health solutions. More information on the refresh will be announced in due course.

Biopolis and the Greater one-north remain a key node in our biomedical research ecosystem, given its proximity to NUHS and the National University of Singapore. The Government will continue to invest in research and development to build long-term, strategic capabilities for our country.