Debated in Parliament on 9 May 2022.
Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the reasons for the further delay to the completion of Woodleigh Hillside and such other BTO projects; (b) whether the new completion dates conveyed by HDB are expected to be firm; and (c) whether there is any possibility that these projects may be completed ahead of the new completion dates given the removal of COVID-19 related restrictions in Singapore and other countries.
The construction industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic with unprecedented global supply chain disruptions and tightened border controls over the past two years. This has caused significant delays to both public and private sector projects.
In 2020, the progress of construction projects was significantly impacted by the two-month circuit breaker, a slow resumption of construction activities thereafter, as well as stringent safe management measures (SMMs) put in place at construction worksites.
In 2021, the situation was further exacerbated by the Movement Control Order in Malaysia which disrupted the inflow of some key supplies needed for HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) projects, and the significant tightening of border controls for workers from South Asia which lasted for several months until the end of 2021.
Over the past two years, HDB has implemented various measures to expedite onsite construction works and assist our BTO contractors. These include helping contractors prioritise work areas, expedite regulatory clearances and securing the manpower and material supplies needed to complete BTO projects.
The impact of COVID-19 on BTO timelines over the last two years has been significant and continues to be felt. HDB has been working hard to catch up and has reduced the delays for most BTO projects to between six months and a year. The extent of delay varies by project and depends on site-specific factors, such as manpower availability, on-site technical challenges, the contractor's performance and available supply of materials.
The ongoing global geopolitical uncertainties and the worsening COVID-19 situation in China add to further supply chain uncertainties, which we continue to monitor very closely for potential impact on our projects.
HDB recognises that the construction delays have caused inconvenience and affected the life plans of flat buyers. HDB will continue to work closely with the project contractors and consultants to expedite construction works as much as possible, without compromising the safety and well-being of workers, as well as the quality of the project. These efforts include various support measures, such as:
(a) Cost-sharing of COVID-19-related cost increases to help contractors tide over this difficult period;
(b) Providing contractors with advance payments and increasing the frequency of progress payments to improve contractors' cash flow situation;
(c) Working with other agencies to expedite clearances and approvals; and
(d) Providing exemptions to allow construction activities which are less noisy to be carried out on Sundays and public holidays, where possible.
HDB will continue to keep flat buyers updated periodically as construction progresses and arrange for flat buyers to collect the keys to their flat as soon as it is ready.
PAPERCUTS