Impact of Cancellation of High Speed Rail Project on Development Plans for Jurong Lake District and Related Areas

Mr Speaker, the development of Jurong Lake District (JLD) is part of our broader effort to develop urban centres outside the downtown area, so as to bring jobs, amenities and recreational options closer to homes.

We started this endeavour to build urban centres outside the downtown area with the building of our first regional centre at Tampines in 1992, and then we started the work to transform Jurong in 2008. The plans for Jurong Lake District were developed well before Malaysia proposed the HSR Project. It was only in 2015, after further study of the HSR proposal, that we decided to locate the Singapore terminus of the HSR in Jurong. The transformation plans for Jurong Lake District include the following components.

(a) The development of a commercial precinct and the injection of up to 20,000 new homes;

(b) The upgrading of Jurong Lake Gardens, including the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, with a new Science Centre integrated within the Gardens; and

(c) The development of a major transport hub connecting the existing North-South and East-West Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Lines, as well as the upcoming Jurong Region and Cross Island Lines.

These are some of the key features of our transformation plans. These plans are still relevant today. The land parcels that the Government has acquired are needed to realise these plans. The Jurong Country Club site will provide for new mixed-use developments and community facilities. The Raffles Country Club (RCC) site is needed for the Cross Island Line's (CRL's) western depot and other transport-related uses.

Regardless of the outcome of the HSR Project, the overall impetus and vision for Jurong Lake District have not changed. Some details may need to be adjusted along the way, as circumstances change. But the bottom line is that we have an exciting transformation plan for the whole area, and we will proceed with the implementation of these plans when ready.

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. Just a very quick clarification. If and when the HSR Project is terminated, will there be any delays to the surrounding areas of the site set aside for the terminus, as well as the depot?

Mr Speaker, as I mentioned, should that scenario come to pass, we may have to adjust some of the plans. It may include the staging, the timing. It would be difficult to speculate now or to give details at this stage. But we are monitoring the situation closely and we will make adjustments, if need be.