OLD KALLANG AIRPORT ESTATE (Construction of hawkers' emporium and high-rise flats)

The following Question stood in the name of Mr Ng Yeow Chong -

Mr Ng Yeow Chong: To ask the Minister for Law and National Development when work will commence on the construction of a hawkers' emporium and high-rise flats on a site in Old Kallang Airport Estate which was cleared for redevelopment in early 1970, and whether the flats will include 5-room units.

Mr Hwang Soo Jin (Jalan Kayu) rose -

Mr Speaker: Mr Hwang Soo Jin.

Mr Hwang Soo Jin: Sir, I have been asked by the Member for Mountbatten to raise Question No. 2.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Board proposed to build a 2-storey hawkers' emporium together with 16-storey flats above on a site in the Old Kallang Airport Estate. It has now been decided to abandon the construction of high-rise flats and build only the 2-storey hawkers' emporium. Investigations have revealed that the soil condition in the area is extremely poor, and extensive piling will be required to support a high-rise building. The Board will be calling for tenders at the end of August to construct the proposed 2-storey hawkers' emporium. The project is expected to be completed by early 1972.

Mr Hwang Soo Jin: Mr Speaker, Sir, two supplementary questions. First, what will be the capacity of the proposed hawkers' emporium? Second, can the Minister give an indication of the estimated cost of piling per unit if the high-rise flats were to be constructed?

Mr Barker: Sir, the emporium will comprise 136 lock-up shops on the first floor and 176 hawker stalls on the ground floor.

As for the second question, the soil investigations have revealed that the length of piling for high-rise flats will have to be more than 150 feet deep. In the circumstances, the piling cost for each 4-room flat in this area will be about $6,000 as against the average cost of about $1,500 for piling in other areas.