MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MR S DHANABALAN Minister for National Development

MND will improve the quality of housing, roads, infrastructure and recreational facilities in Singapore. This will require judicious planning and fresh ideas for using our limited land resources. Housing

Public housing will be further improved to meet the aspirations of Singaporeans for a better living environment. The older housing estates will be upgraded to the latest standards to enable residents to enjoy quality living while preserving established community ties.

HDB will continue to simplify its rules and regulations. Flat prices will gradually move to reflect construction and land costs, and take into account buyers' preference for locality, design and orientation.

By the first quarter of this year, Town Councils will have been established in all public housing estates. Through Town Councils, residents will take the lead in running HDB estates, help to improve the physical environment, and participate in the comprehensive upgrading of precincts. These changes will help each town to develop its own character and identity, and strengthen existing social and community ties.

Planning & Developing a City of Excellence

The Ministry will complete the review of the Concept Plan by early 1991. The revised plan will safeguard land for major developments and guide the physical development of Singapore.

In addition to the Simpang and Kampong Bugis Development Guide Plans (DGP), URA will invite the private sector to prepare two more DGPs, one at Jurong East and the other at Changi Point.

In planning the cityscape, URA will safeguard the quality of the environment by insisting on good designs for new buildings at strategic sites, and by refurbishing selected old buildings owned by the State. It will continue to clear squatters.

The Ministry will release a steady supply of state land to the private sector, and announce in advance the annual programme of sale of sites.

URA will continue to take the lead in conserving historic districts, and in creating a distinctive identity for the Civic District. A Conservation Master Plan will be drawn up by 1991. Roads

PWD will improve the road network to allow a reasonable growth in the vehicle population, at an acceptable level of congestion and within the constraints of competing demands for land. It will build roads and expressways to new areas, and widen and upgrade existing roads and expressways. It will build interchanges to relieve bottlenecks at road junctions.

We are studying the possibility of a network of traffic tunnels, to carry through traffic under the city. We will extend the computerised traffic management and information system within the Central Area to the rest of the island. This will improve traffic flow without using up more land. PWD will also build more pedestrian walkways and integrate them with the public transport system.

Parks

PRD will develop parks with diverse themes and character, to serve the different recreational needs of the people. It will build green corridors to connect parks and integrate them into a park network.

The National Parks Board will develop the Botanic Gardens, Fort Canning Park and the Nature Reserves to tap their full potential for recreation, research, education and conservation.

Construction

CIDB will continue to improve the quality and productivity of the construction industry through trade testing and training of construction workers employed in Singapore, in order to raise their skill levels.

The new Architects Act and Professional Engineers Act will provide the legal framework for setting up multi-discipline consultancy firms to provide comprehensive services.

Primary Production

PPD will maximise the productivity of our limited agricultural land by developing agro-technology parks. Pig farming was completely phased out by the end of 1990.