RECLAMATION AT PASIR PANJANG

3.05 p.m.

The Minister for Law and the Environment (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 approximately 13.6 hectares (34 acres) of the foreshore and seabed at Pasir Panjang as shown hatched pink on the plan marked as "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 15/75", which is deposited in the Land Office. Singapore.'

Sir, you may recall that this House previously approved the reclamation at Pasir Panjang which was carried out in three phases as shown edged orange (Phase I), green (Phase II) and purple (Phase III) respectively on the plan marked as "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 15/75", a copy of which is displayed in the Library of this House for the information of Honourable Members. All these reclamations have already been completed. The land reclaimed in Phase I has been allocated to the Port of Singapore Authority for development of a warehousing complex, that in Phase II will also be allocated to the Authority for port operations and warehousing, and the land reclaimed under Phase III will be developed by Government (the Ministry of National Development) for recreational purposes.

The Port of Singapore Authority now proposes to reclaim another 13.6 hectares (34 acres) of the foreshore and seabed fronting the Phase II reclaimed land as shown hatched pink on the plan to provide the necessary deep water berths for conventional ships requiring a draft of 32 feet for tying alongside the wharves for loading with a one-foot underkeel allowance. The reclamation profile will also present a continuously straight wharf frontage with the land reclaimed under Phase I, which is essential for the safe navigation and berthing of ships. Additional berths will be available for coastal ships.

The reclamation, which will be undertaken by the Port of Singapore Authority as agent of the Government, is expected to take about three years to complete at an estimated cost of $32 million which will include the cost of construction of the wharf wall, Fill required for the reclamation will be obtained from the dredging of Sisters Shoal.

On completion of the reclamation the reclaimed land will be alienated by the Commissioner of Lands to the Authority on suitable terms and conditions.

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 approximately 13.6 hectares 134 acres( of the foreshore and seabed at Pasir Panjang as shown hatched pink on the plan marked as "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 15/75", which is deposited in the Land Office. Singapore.