SINGAPORE: New attractions are being planned for Pulau Brani, similar to Universal Studios Singapore on Sentosa, announced Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Aug 18).
The island, currently home to Brani Terminal, will be set aside for “fun and recreation” as part of the Government’s plans to remake Singapore’s Greater Southern Waterfront (GSW), he said in his National Day Rally speech.
Mr Lee added that a resort could also be built on Pulau Brani, with land set aside for the Labour Movement.
“When we discussed these plans in Cabinet, Ng Chee Meng put his hand up. He said: ‘NTUC is very grateful to the Government for Downtown East. How about a Downtown South?’
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“So I said: ‘Okay, we will do that’.”
He said this gesture was to thank workers for their contribution to the nation.
Other than Pulau Brani, the Government also has plans to rejuvenate Sentosa Island, and redevelop two decommissioned power stations in Pasir Panjang.
Entrance to Sentosa. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
“We will also revitalise Sentosa’s beach areas and expand its nature and heritage trails, to keep its island character,” said Mr Lee at the rally.
He added that the Government will “find creative new uses” for the two power stations.
In addition, there are plans to improve Singapore’s greenery by linking the GSW with the surrounding green areas. West Coast Park and East Coast Park will be connected, and so will the Rail Corridor and Sentosa Island.
“With a new green heart at the centre, Singapore will be even more of a City in a Garden,” he said.
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“WORK NEAR WHERE THEY LIVE, AND LIVE NEAR WHERE THEY WORK”
Apart from recreation, the Government also hopes to develop residential and commercial properties in the GSW, said Mr Lee.
One of the first developments will be on the plot occupied by the Keppel Club, whose lease will expire in two years’ time.
It will be remade into a residential quarter with both public and private housing.
“There is enough land here to build 9,000 housing units… HDB and private housing with waterfront promenades, with greenery and open spaces,” said Mr Lee.
“And that is just the start, because there’s space and land for public and private housing elsewhere in the GSW too.”
He added: “With GSW the size of two Punggols, you get a sense of the possibilities. Think of it as Punggol by the Bay!”
While several large corporations such as Google, Cisco and Unilever already have offices near Labrador Park, the Government “will develop more office space in the GSW, like this one, which will bring in more jobs,” said the Prime Minister.
“People can work near where they live, and live near where they work. This will create life and activity during the day and at night.”
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THE GREATER SOUTHERN WATERFRONT
Stretching from Gardens by the Bay East area to Pasir Panjang, the GSW covers 30km of Singapore’s southern coastline. With 2,000 hectares of land, its overall area is six times the size of Marina Bay, and includes PSA city terminals at Tanjong Pagar, Keppel, Brani and Pasir Panjang.
Source: PMO
“By 2027, the city terminals will go to Tuas where we are building a new port, and later on in 2040, the Pasir Panjang Terminal will also go to Tuas Port,” said Mr Lee.
“This will free up prime land for re-development. It will be an opportunity to reshape the GSW into a new place to live, work and play.”
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Modern Singapore consists of “multiple layers and imprints of different eras”, of which the GSW would add another layer, he said.
While there are many major projects ongoing, such as the Punggol Digital District, Tuas Port, Jurong Lake District, Changi Terminal 5, Paya Lebar Airbase and the GSW, “all these will not be done in a decade, or even in one generation”, he added.
“There will be space for successive generations to fill with their hopes and dreams. Each new generation will leave their mark on our city, as their predecessors have done,” Mr Lee said.
