BRITISH SERVICES PROPERTIES IN CHANGI (Utilisation of)

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Law and the Environment (a) how many units of buildings used as offices, stores, workshops and living accommodation have been taken over from the British Services in Changi since their withdrawal from Singapore; (b) how many of the units have been fully utilised and how many are vacant at present; (c) if units are unused and left vacant, how much has been lost by way of revenue from rent and damage caused to those properties by vandals; and (d) how many of the unused buildings are housing units and have they been offered for rent or sale.

Mr Barker: Sir, 82 units of Office Buildings; 204 units of Stores; 44 units of Workshops; 947 units of Married Quarters; 43 blocks of Barrack Buildings; and 55 units of other buildings (churches, schools, etc), of British Services properties at Changi were taken over by the Singapore Government in two phases, one in 1970/71 and the other in 1975/76.

Of the 1,375 units, 1,285 units are fully utilised; 35 units are undergoing renovations/alterations for alternative use/affected by development; and 55 units are vacant.

The "loss in revenue" or rather the additional income that would accrue to Government if the vacant 55 residential units were all let out, is estimated at around $11,000 per month.

Some cases of vandalism have occurred, especially during the transitional period of the handover of the properties, but the damage on this account was minimal.

The 55 vacant units are housing units made available to members of the public for rental. Sale of the units, which would put undesirable constraints on the future development of this area, has been ruled out.

The Member for Changi must be aware that, with the development of the Changi Airport and the earthworks in the area, housing units including the 55 vacant ones in the area bounded by Tanah Merah Besar and Upper Changi Road adjoining the runway have become unattractive as living accommodation. The distance from the City and the size of the houses and compounds are added factors dampening demands from members of the public for rental. Rentals have been reduced, in fact, from the original range of $350-$500 per month to $200-$350 per month in an endeavour to get all of them occupied. This has met with partial success.