Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia 23 Jan 10;
SINGAPORE : The Singapore Government is seeking public feedback on how the country should use its land over the next 40 to 50 years.
A consultation exercise for Concept Plan 2011 was launched by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Saturday.
Four issues will be considered during the planning process, including how to enhance the quality of life and build a sense of belonging.
The other two issues deal with an ageing population and growing the nation in a sustainable way.
What does is mean to be Singaporean and how can we provide for the needs of an ageing population are just some of the questions that will be discussed by two focus groups during the public consultation exercise.
Lee Tzu Yang, co-chair, Focus Group on Sustainability and Identity, said: "In terms of identity, it is not about hardware, it is about software. It is about how people want to live in the neighbourhood.
"Once we know how people want to live in the neighbourhood, I think that will suggest to URA the kind of hardware that needs to be put in."
And in land scarce Singapore, planners need to balance different competing needs which can affect the quality of life.
Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, co-chair, Focus Group on Quality of Life and Ageing, said: "Quality of life means different things for different groups of people, and how do we bring all this together into something which will provide an optimal mix of facilities as well as amenities for a broad section of people."
The Concept Plan is reviewed every 10 years to reflect changing trends.
Elaborating on these trends, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said: "Competition from other cities, the need for us to accommodate the changing demographics in Singapore, ageing population, and of course, the need for us to grow in a more sustainable way."
Previous Concept Plans have had a major impact on Singapore's landscape. For example, when the first Concept Plan was established in 1971, plans were drawn up for major infrastructure projects such as Changi Airport, and the first MRT lines.
URA is also seeking online feedback from the public via its website. - CNA/ms
Wanted: Your vision for Singapore in next 50 years
Tan Dawn Wei, Straits Times 24 Jan 10;
If you want a say on how Singapore should shape up in the next five decades, the opportunity has come.
And mind you, it comes knocking only once every 10 years.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has just launched its public consultation exercise for the review of its Concept Plan 2011.
This maps out the long-term directions for Singapore's land use and transportation game plan for the next 40 to 50 years.
Previous concept plans have given birth to major infrastructure projects like Changi Airport and the first MRT lines, which were in the 1971 plan, and the parks and waterbodies plan from the 2001 review.
Yesterday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan launched the exercise. It includes the participation of two focus groups made up of professionals, academics and civil-society representatives.
Singapore has consistently been ranked one of the most liveable cities in Asia, but this did not come about by chance, he said.
With just 710 sq km of land, every inch of space needs to be maximised and outlined.
Mr Mah said the key objective of such a plan remains the same, which is to strive for the best quality of life for Singaporeans.
He spelt out three key trends that set the context for the Concept Plan review this time: economic, demographic and environmental.
With more cities competing for investments, businesses and talent, successful cities must have good lifestyle offerings to attract a highly talented workforce.
Singapore's population mix will also change and age rapidly too. And there is also the issue of sustainability in the face of climate change.
How to strike a balance between the different objectives in land-use planning will depend on what Singapore residents want in each stage of the country's development, Mr Mah said.
The public can give feedback on URA's website at www.ura.gov.sg/conceptplan2011/
They can also share their views through an online survey on the website from now till Feb 21.
The two focus groups - comprising about 35 members each - have also been asked to discuss four key issues identified by URA: quality of life, ageing issues, sustainability, and identity.
National Arts Council chairman Edmund Cheng and National University of Singapore president Tan Chorh Chuan will co-chair the group looking at quality of life and ageing.
Shell chairman Lee Tzu Yang and Institute of Policy Studies director Ong Keng Yong will do the same for the sustainability and identity focus group.
The group discussions will take place over four months, after which they will present recommendations, which will include the public's views from the online survey, at a public forum in the middle of this year.
The final plan will be unveiled at the end of next year.
More links
SPEECH BY MR MAH BOW TAN, MINISTER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE CONCEPT PLAN 2011 REVIEW PUBLIC CONSULTATION EXERCISE ON SATURDAY, 23 JANUARY 2010, AT THE URA CENTRE on the MND website
URA launches public consultation for the review of Concept Plan 2011 on the URA website
