Timelines and Environmental Impact Assessments for Planned Developments in Marsiling, Woodlands and Sembawang Areas

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for National Development with regard to the planned Sembawang and Woodlands housing developments on sites with endangered species (a) what criteria will be used when evaluating the recommended mitigation measures in the Environmental Impact Assessment report for these developments; (b) how will the Ministry oversee the implementation and monitoring of these mitigation measures during and after the construction works; and (c) whether independent ecological experts and community volunteers will be involved in this monitoring process to ensure accountability.

My response will also cover matters raised by Ms Hany Soh and Mr Louis Ng1, scheduled for subsequent Sittings. [Please refer to "Balancing Public Housing Demand and Environmental Preservation at Woodlands N1 Site", Official Report, 8 January 2025, Vol 95, Issue 149, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]

Members have asked about development plans for various sites in the North, including planned housing developments at Woodlands N1 and Sembawang N4. I will first address our overall approach to land use planning, before talking about the specific sites.

Given Singapore's increasingly tight land constraints, we will not be able to keep every piece of vacant land undeveloped. As an island city-state, we must cater for everything that a country needs. We need space to continue meeting Singapore's economic, social, security, residential and recreational needs. These range from providing sufficient housing to training grounds for our national servicemen and land for industries to provide good jobs for Singaporeans. At the same time, we need to strike a balance with protecting our biodiversity and safeguarding our built heritage. We, therefore, take a long-term view towards land use planning, judiciously stewarding our scarce land resources to support competing needs.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA's) ongoing Draft Master Plan (DMP) 2025 review is part of this process, where detailed land use plans are developed to guide physical development in Singapore over 10 to 15 years. As part of this review, URA has been engaging stakeholders extensively, from all walks of life, through a series of workshops, consultations, discussions and exhibitions to gather diverse views and perspectives to ensure that DMP reflects the needs and aspirations of Singaporeans. URA has been inviting members of the public to share their inputs, to ensure a collaborative effort nationwide towards planning and development of the DMP. After the review is completed, Singaporeans can find out more about development plans for their neighbourhoods at the DMP 2025 exhibition that will be held around mid-2025 at the URA Centre and selected locations around the island.

Our land use plans also reflect our continuously evolving needs. In recent years, we have seen strong, broad-based demand for housing. This is due to strong household formation rates and societal trends towards smaller households after the COVID-19 pandemic. To meet housing demand, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has been intensifying and optimising sites as far as possible. Nonetheless, agencies still have to develop greenfield areas to meet Singaporeans' housing needs.

This includes the North Region, where the Woodlands N1 and Sembawang N4 sites that Members have asked about are situated. Most of the Woodlands N1 site is forested and has been zoned for Residential use in URA's Master Plan since 1980; while around 10% of Sembawang N4 site is forested, and the site has been largely zoned for Residential use since 2003. Agencies will share more details on the development timelines for these sites when ready.

We recognise the ecological value of these sites and will develop them sensitively to balance the need for housing and other amenities, while retaining our natural assets. HDB, hence, commissioned an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to assess and recommend measures to mitigate potential environmental impacts arising from the development of the Woodlands N1 and Sembawang N4 sites. EIA reports were reviewed in consultation with Nature Groups and published online in November 2024 for public feedback, which HDB will carefully consider.

The EIA reports recommended measures to mitigate the impact of the developments on flora and fauna. These included, retaining a large part of the native-dominated secondary forest at Woodlands N1, shepherding of fauna to areas not affected by the development works and transplanting plant species of conservation significance. HDB will require contractors to implement these mitigation measures as part of the Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMMP).

To ensure compliance with EMMP during construction works, HDB will hire an independent EMMP consultant, to carry out regular inspections of the project site and submit findings to relevant agencies. As an additional layer of checks, HDB will also be required to submit monitoring reports to the National Parks Board, who will review them and conduct site inspections. Where there are non-compliances with any regulation or the EMMP, including during the post-construction phase, the respective regulatory agencies will investigate and take relevant enforcement actions.

Even as our land use needs evolve, I would like to assure Singaporeans that the Government remains committed to building a home and City in Nature for all Singaporeans.