RECLAMATION AT PULAU SERANGOON

3.39 p.m.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the motion* standing in my name as it appears on the Order Paper.

• The motion reads as follows:

That this Parliament in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 270), approves the reclamation by Government of that portion of the foreshore and seabed off Pulau Serangoon containing an area of approximately 122 acres as shown coloured pink and edged in black on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 9/73" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.

Sir, Honourable Members will recall that at its sitting on 30th November, 1973, this House was informed of the proposal of the Port of Singapore Authority to carry out development of seaward recreational facilities covering, for a start, Pulau Hantu (Besar and Kechil), Pulau Subar Laut and Subar Darat (Sisters Islands) and Coney Island. As the development involves reclamation of land, approval under the Foreshores Act was then given "by this House for the reclamation of about 32.3 acres of the foreshores at these islands. Work on this reclamation will commence soon.

The Port of Singapore Authority now proposes to reclaim about 122 acres of the foreshores around Coney Island as shown coloured pink and edged in `black on the plan marked as "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 9/73", a copy of which is displayed in the Library of this House for the information of hon. Members. The reclamation is estimated to cost $20 million and the fill required will be obtained from dredging the nearby, navigation channels and from excess materials left over from other reclamation projects.

The Authority is also considering the reclamation of about 24 acres of the foreshore at Punggol as shown coloured orange on the plan and the construction of a bridge (shown coloured green on the plan) to link the enlarged Coney Island with the mainland. These proposals are being studied in the context of a comprehensive scheme for the development of the Punggol area.

On completion of the reclamation, the reclaimed land will be proclaimed as State land and alienated to the Port of Singapore Authority on terms and conditions to be agreed with the Land Office.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Parliament in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 270), approves the reclamation by Government of that portion of the foreshore and seabed off Pulau Serangoon containing an area of approximately 122 acres as shown coloured pink and edged in black on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMAXTION PLAN NO. 9/73" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.