SINGAPORE RIVER PROJECT (Public participation)

Mr Eric Cheong Yuen Chee asked the Minister for National Development whether he is aware that the Urban Redevelopment Authority's call for public participation in the Singapore River project has not met with favourable response as the guidelines and time constraint imposed on the owners of properties in the area are difficult to meet and whether it is necessary to have these guidelines and time constraint.

The Minister for National Development (Mr Teh Cheang Wan): Mr Speaker, Sir, in the URA plan for the Singapore River, the two main objectives are to bring back new activities into the area and to preserve some of the riverside architecture and history. To achieve these objectives, the URA has to set guidelines and time-frame for implementation. The guidelines require the owner to:

(a) preserve the building facade;

(b) use the groundfloor for a purpose which will generate riverside activity such as shops, cafeteria, restaurant; and

(c) amalgamate and make joint development proposals in three parcels.

The requirement for owners to develop jointly and amalgamate the different lots into larger parcels for conservation is to ensure that the project has a greater chance of success. The land ownership in this area is very fragmented. A long time will be needed for the project if the owners are allowed to develop individually. There will also be many implementation difficulties. For example, encroachment by existing tenants are choking many parts of the backlanes. By amalgamation, accessibility and safety features like fire escapes for the renovated buildings can be further improved.

A time-frame has to be imposed to ensure that results can be achieved quickly before the existing buildings deteriorate further. Some of the buildings are already in a very bad condition. Owners are required to submit their plans within a year and start work within three years. If developments are allowed to take place sporadically, it is unlikely that the riverside will be revitalized for a long time to come. With a time-frame, it is far more likely that we will see a new Singapore River in the near future. This will benefit not only the owners of the Boat Quay shophouses but also help to build up a potentially significant tourist attraction quickly.