SINGAPORE: The 146-hectare Raffles Country Club site in Tuas will be acquired by authorities for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail project.
The club announced the move on its website on Wednesday (Jan 4). The announcement included a letter from the Singapore Land Authority informing the club of the move.
According to the announcement, the land is also needed for the Cross Island Line’s western depot and other transport-related uses.
“We understand that many of you may have queries regarding the future of RCC,” the club said in the announcement. “We would like to assure you that the club has been contacted by the relevant Government agencies and we will provide members with a more detailed update in due course.”
The club will be required to vacate its premises by 31 July 2018, according to the letter.
Founded in 1988, Raffles Country Club has two 18-hole golf courses. Its lease was due to expire in 2028. A check on club membership broker websites showed RCC memberships going for between S$32,500 to S$34,000. It has about 2,650 members.
In May 2015, authorities announced that the Jurong Country Club would have to make way for the HSR project. The club closed for good on Dec 31 last year, ahead of its lease expiry in 2035. The 67-hectare site it was on will be occupied by the HSR terminus, as well as mixed-use developments and community facilities.
Leaders of Singapore and Malaysia signed a bilateral agreement for the high-speed rail last month. The high-speed rail, which is slated for completion in 2026, is expected to cut travel time between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to about 90 minutes. The line will run for 350km, with 335km in Malaysia and 15km in Singapore and will be connected via a bridge over the Straits of Johor.
There will be eight stations in total, with the two terminal stations at Jurong East in Singapore and Bandar Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.
The Cross Island Line, which stretches from Jurong to Changi, is scheduled to be ready by 2030. It has been the subject of controversy over a possible option of running the line under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.
