Upper Bukit Timah residents, authorities reach compromise over land development

Monica Kotwani Channel NewsAsia 9 Jun 12;

SINGAPORE: Residents of Dairy Farm, Chestnut and Petir Road have reached an initial compromise with authorities over the development of a parcel of forest land.

The area's MP Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said the consultation process is an example of "the way forward" where "plans are shared in advance, views are heard, constructive suggestions are made, and then incorporated into plans".

Dr Balakrishnan, as well as representatives from the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Land Transport Authority, met some 200 residents at a dialogue session on Saturday.

The dialogue session was a culmination of four months of intense planning, consultation and meetings. The session lasted for two-and-a-half hours.

The issue for the gathering - the future plans for a 1.86-hectare of forest land between Dairy Farm Estate and Petir Road.

In March, the residents found out that the URA was going to put up the land for sale in June.

Some questioned the need to develop an area that over the years had been reclaimed by nature.

"We have a piece of land that over the last 40 years or so was reclaimed by nature. There are plenty of areas around Singapore that are abandoned industrial estates. I'm asking, why do you have to start the development...that particular plot of land that is fully forested now, instead of taking some of the wasteland that the development and progress has created today," asked a resident.

Others spoke of the need to preserve Singapore's natural areas to leave behind a legacy for future generations.

But instead of merely voicing their grouses, residents presented authorities with a detailed proposal, highlighting what authorities should consider when putting up the land for sale.

Among them - placing restrictions on the height of the development so as to not block the pristine views of the many low-rise housing and reviewing a proposal to extend a road along Jalan Pakis that may cut into a popular canal and jogging trail.

The months of planning and engaging authorities seemed to have paid off.

URA's deputy director of physical planning, Lim Teck Leong, shared one proposal that was incorporated into the plans.

He said: "Storey-height control will be one of the requirements. We intend to cap the storey-height between five to 15 (storeys)."

Authorities added they would also shelve plans to extend the road along Jalan Pakis, for now.

The URA said it would relocate the development of a commercial site from along Dairy Farm Road to Petir Road, after residents said the development would cause heavy congestion.

Dr Balakrishnan said the forest area in question had been part of the government's development plans for decades. He added authorities made sure the plot was not an encroachment of reserve area.

"We make long-term plans, and in Singapore, the PAP's long-term plans are for 50 to 100 years. For decades, we have already convinced ourselves that we would preserve nature reserve. We said we will confine our future development to areas outside the nature reserve," said Dr Balakrishnan.

Still, he assured residents that their views will be heard, and commended them for coming up with solutions.

Dr Balakrishnan said: "People were not just posturing. People were actively looking for solutions, for improvements. You can't get everything that you want, but you can make it better."

Resident Kevin Kho agreed, saying: "This consultative approach, this engagement from the ground is the way forward. We want to be part of our own nation-building."

Dr Balakrishnan said there will be continued engagement with residents.

- CNA/ir

URA amends plans for Dairy Farm site
Height restriction among moves to limit damage to environment from new development, following concerns raised by residents
Feng Zengkun Straits Times 10 Jun 12;

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) yesterday announced several changes to the building plans for a controversial site sale in the Upper Bukit Timah area.

In response to residents nearby who want the sale stopped to preserve the forest on it, the URA said it would limit the property development's damage to the environment.

Its measures include removing a planned road that would have cut into a canal-side jogging trail popular with residents.

The announcements were made yesterday at a dialogue with about 200 residents, held at the Senja-Cashew Community Centre.

The Member of Parliament for the area, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan, attended the dialogue. Also present was was a representative from the Land Transport Authority.

The 1.86ha site along Dairy Farm Road, about the size of four football fields, borders the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and is slated for residential development.

Residents said that besides the environmental harm, towering condominiums on the site would change the atmosphere of the mostly low-rise neighbourhood.

Two nearby plots of land on the reserve's fringe already have 24-storey condominium blocks being built.

The dialogue lasted two and a half hours and drew many impassioned pleas from the residents for the Government to reconsider the sale of the site, which will be put on the market later this month.

They also asked the Government to consider building the homes elsewhere on cleared land, for example on disused industrial estates.

If this could not be done, the residents also presented an alternate plan for the area drawn up by well-known architect Tay Kheng Soon, who designed the low-rise Dairy Farm Estate next to the site.

His plan included five- and 10-storey housing blocks with generous gardens, surrounded by green borders.

'The concrete wall of the nearby canal should also be removed and the canal developed into a water park, like in Bishan Park,' he said in his plan.

In his closing remarks at the session, Dr Balakrishnan said the Government had struck a balance between preserving the country's natural heritage and advancing its progress.

He added that plans for the site development had been in place for decades.

Asked after the session whether the Government was concerned the saga would cause residents elsewhere to speak up against development plans, Dr Balakrishnan said he viewed it as a positive example for the way forward.

'Plans are shared in advance, views are heard, and constructive suggestions are made and incorporated into the plans,' he said. 'You can't get everything you want, but you can make it better. Conversation is beneficial.'

The minister later said on his Facebook page: 'We will form a local group to continue generating ideas to guide the developments in this precious area in the years ahead.'