SINGAPORE: CITY IN A GARDEN

Posted:
18. November 2013

Through decades of planning and cultivation, Singapore

has earned the name of Garden City. As the city
becomes more built-up, the continued planning for the
natural heritage and green spaces becomes just as
important as high-density, urban living.
Connecting People and Nature
In Singapore, the aim is to develop and enhance greenery and create a city that is nestled in an environment of trees, flowers,
parks, and rich bio-diversity. Besides creating green spaces and making existing natural heritage accessible to the public, the
National Parks Board (NParks) in charge of all parks and green spaces in Singapore spend a great amount of time and resources
promoting public responsibility and awareness of Singapores natural environment.
One of the citys most impressive natural green landmarks is the Southern Ridges, including highlights as the labyrinth-inspired
Forest Walk and the iconic wooden bridge Henderson Waves. The idea of the Southern Ridges was first mooted by the Urban
Redevelopment Authority (URA) under the 2001 Parks and Waterbodies Plan and Identity Plan. The two plans presented ideas and
possibilities on how to enhance the natural heritage, and turn challenges into opportunities.
From Garden City to City in a Garden
Along the program for Southern Ridges a key element of the overall vision is the roadside greenery. The Streetscape Greenery
Master Plan is a blueprint for optimizing existing green spaces along the roads as well as creating pocket parks. All initiatives
support the same vision of turning Singapore into a City in a Garden.
Our overall vision and idea behind Southern Ridges has evolved from the notion of turning Singapore as a Garden City into City
in a Garden. Instead of creating a garden in the City, the strategy was enlarged to develop the city enclosed by nature. In our
opinion, this represents a far more ambitious plan that strengthens Singapore and its brand as a green, livable city.
- Mr. Tee Swee Ping, Assistant Director/NParks.

Vision and Principles

Over the last four decades, Singapore has undergone a significant transformation to become a thriving
city-state. Since 1965, we began comprehensive urban redevelopment and planning, transforming
Singapore into the modern and global city-state that is a great city to live, work and play in.
We strive to create a vibrant and sustainable city of distinction by planning and facilitating Singapores
physical development in partnership with the community.
URA has successfully transformed Singapore into one of the most liveable cities in Asia through
judicious land use planning and good urban design. We adopt a long term and comprehensive planning
approach via the Concept Plan and the Master Plan, to guide the physical development of Singapore in
a sustainable manner.
Our plans and policies focus on achieving a balance between economic growth and a quality living
environment.

Our Planning Process

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) takes a long term and integrated approach in land use
planning to optimise the use of our limited land in meeting the current and future needs of our people.
We work with relevant government agencies to develop broad planning strategies to guide long term
planning, identify sufficient land for different needs and establish the broad pace of development.
Infrastructure is then planned and developed to support the proposed land uses, and resources
channelled to develop these areas over time.
We plan ahead for the needs of our future generations while taking into account social, economic, and
environmental considerations in a holistic manner.

Figure 1: Balancing economic, social and environmental considerations in planning for sustainable growth

By balancing economic, social and environmental considerations, we aim to create a sustainable

Singapore that

offers future growth opportunities and jobs for our people

provides a good quality living environment with adequate housing and a range of amenities
and facilities to meet different needs

safeguards our clean and green environment for future generations

Summary of our
planning process
Concept Plan
The Concept Plan is the strategic land use and transportation plan
that guides Singapores development over the next 40-50 years

Master Plan
The Master Plan translates the broad and long-term strategies of the
Concept Plan into detailed plans for implementation over 10-15
years.

Implementation
Through the Government Land Sales (GLS), state land is released
for development.
Our Development Control group evaluates and grants approval for
development projects, to ensure they are in line with our planning
strategies and guidelines.

Concept Plan
The Concept Plan is a strategic land use and transportation plan that guides Singapores development
over the next 40-50 years. Reviewed every ten years, the Concept Plan ensures that there is sufficient
land to meet long-term population and economic growth needs while providing a good quality living
environment for our people.

Master Plan
The Master Plan is a statutory plan that guides our development over the next 10 to 15 years. It
translates the broad, long-term strategies of the Concept Plan into detailed plans for implementation
by specifying the permissible land uses and densities. It is reviewed once every five years.

Bringing plans to reality

Based on the planning directions set out in the Concept Plan and Master Plan, land is then released for
development to bring our plans to reality. The release of State land for development is carried out
through the Government Land Sales (GLS) programme. The pace of development depends on various
factors such as market demand, prevailing market conditions, and development momentum of the
sites immediate surroundings. To facilitate timely development of new, selected large-scale areas, we
also work with other government agencies to ensure that basic infrastructure and utilities are provided.
Finally, our Development Control evaluates and grants approval for development projects and ensures
they are in line with our planning strategies and guidelines.

Our Broad Planning Principles

Planning for sustainable urban growth is very important, given Singapores small land area. The
planning process is comprehensive, taking into consideration housing needs, commercial activities,
and the needs of the nationairports, seaports and major utilities.
It is also important to provide sufficient land for economic growth and future development, while
balancing economic, social, and environmental considerations.

Figure: Balancing economic, social and environmental considerations in planning for sustainable growth

While taking a long-term and integrated approach in our land use planning, we also keep
implementation in mind to bring our plans to reality.

TAKING A LONG TERM AND INTEGRATED APPROACH

Careful long-term planning helps ensure that we have sufficient land for both population growth and
economic activity.
We work together with government agencies involved in economic, social, environmental and
infrastructural development to plan and resolve competing needs and trade-offs.

PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Planning alone is not sufficient to realise our goals. We have to plan with implementation in mind to
ensure our plans can be executed. Feasibility of our plans is also important, and we try to put in place
the right mechanisms to ensure that they can be implemented.

OUR PLANNING GOALS

While Singapores economy grows, our population is also expanding. Juggling competing land needs
and uses will therefore become even more challenging for us.
With our limited land resources, trade-offs will have to be made between different land uses. Our longterm growth strategies have to meet three objectivesensure economic growth; provide a good
quality living environment and grow in an environmentally sustainable way.

PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT

We work with various agencies to develop key infrastructure and facilities, such as:

Agricultural developments - Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA)

Community facilities Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)

Educational institutions and schools Ministry of Education (MOE)

Energy, water and waste utilities Energy Market Authority (EMA), PUB- The National Water
Agency(PUB), National Environment Agency (NEA)

Healthcare and eldercare facilities Ministry of Health (MOH)

Industrial developments Jurong Town Corporation (JTC)

Parks and park connectors National Parks Board (NPARKS)

Public housing developments Housing Development Board (HDB)

Roads and rail projects Land Transport Authority (LTA)

Sports facilities Singapore Sports Council (SSC)

Tourism developments Singapore Tourism Board (STB)

The development timeframe depends on various factors such as market demand, prevailing market
conditions, and development momentum of the sites immediate surroundings. The release of State
Land is carried out through the Government Land Sales (GLS) programme.

Interim or temporary uses may be allowed for vacant State land that is not required for development in
the near term. More information is available at the Singapore Land Authority website.
For more information on existing developments and facilities in your neighbourhood, you can
view OneMap. For estate upgrading and improvement projects in your neighbourhood, you can find
more information at your town council website.

ABOUT MASTER PLAN 2014

Developed as an inter-agency effort, the Master Plan features a comprehensive and integrated
planning approach that ensures our social and economic needs are met, while maintaining a liveable
and sustainable environment.
In reviewing the Master Plan, we balance all major land needs in collaboration with relevant
government agencies and take into account public feedback gained through our engagement process,
before finalising the plans.

PLANNING FOR SINGAPORES FUTURE

Singapore is economically vibrant and one of the most liveable cities in the world. This is a result of our
comprehensive and long-term approach in land use planning. This integrated approach is needed to
optimise the use of Singapores limited land, to meet the current and future needs of our people. There
are difficult trade-offs, but we try our best to plan ahead for the needs of current and future
generations, considering social, economic and environmental factors in a holistic manner.

MASTER PLAN 2014

The Master Plan 2014 is driven by the vision of an inclusive, highly liveable, economically vibrant and
green home for all Singaporeans. As a small city-state, we have to ensure that sufficient land is
available to accommodate a whole range of land uses, including greenery and other critical needs such
as housing, schools and employment centres.
We strive to plan for a quality living environment with amenities for all ages within reach, bringing jobs
closer to homes, as well as creating green, healthy and connected towns with strong communities
united in diversity.

The planning strategies to achieve the vision for Master Plan 2014 are presented through these six key
focuses.

The Master Plan 2014 will continue to enhance the liveability of Singapore across all areas.
Singaporeans can look forward to good quality living environments and a variety of housing options
with supporting amenities to serve residents of all ages.
Government agencies will continue to actively work together to provide public amenities closer to
homes, with more co-located facilities for greater convenience. Public facilities and spaces within easy

reach also serve as social spaces for community bonding, and enable seniors to continue living in
environments they feel at home in. As Singapore develops and older towns are rejuvenated, we will
continue to ensure that the character of each town remains special and distinctive.

Land will be set aside to sustain Singapore as a vibrant economy to provide a wide variety of jobs and
opportunities that will meet the needs and aspirations of our people. As we strengthen our city area
and other employment centres, we will also make a greater effort to decentralise jobs and create new
hubs for businesses.
As part of the North Coast Innovation Corridor, we will see the emergence of the Woodlands Regional
Centre, the Punggol Learning Corridor and Creative Cluster. New industrial estates such as Jalan
Bahar / Wenya / Tengah, Lorong Halus and Seletar West will also be progressively developed.
In future, Singapore residents can look forward to job opportunities in the northern, southern, eastern
and western regions of Singapore.

By taking a holistic approach to planning and balancing our needs, we have managed to safeguard
land for nature reserves, nature areas and parks. Earlier this year, we have added two new sites to our
list of Nature Areas. While we will not be able to conserve every local green space, we have conserved
a significant and representative segment of our native ecosystem through conscientious planning.
We will continue to safeguard land for greenery to ensure that parks and green spaces are well
distributed so at least 90% of our residents will live within 400m walking distance of a park. More open
spaces and local parks have been planned, and residents can also look forward to upgraded green
spaces and facilities with fresh recreational options. Efforts to increase accessibility to parks will
continue, with the Round Island Route anchoring Singapores green network.
Agencies will plan for eco-corridors to strengthen Singapores biodiversity and connections between
our existing nature areas to sustain our rich natural systems, providing safe environments for nature to
flourish as well as green havens where residents can find relief from the intensity of urban life. We will

also continue to make creative use of functional water bodies such as reservoirs, canals and drains for
recreation.
Under Sport Singapore's Sports Facilities Master Plan, new spaces for sports will be created and
existing ones will be enhanced to cater to the communitys needs. A tiered approach of sporting
facilities will provide a network of venues for sports and leisure activities for various sporting needs at
the national, regional, town and neighbourhood level. There will be more common spaces (e.g.
integrated community sports hub and community playfields) for the community to interact and bond
through sports.

Within the Master Plan 2014 are initiatives to protect our built heritage and social memory. Existing
areas with distinctive identities will be enhanced, while new ones will be nurtured in community-centric
ways.
To make Singapore an endearing home for all, we will provide more community spaces to foster social
interaction, and integrate local identity and heritage into the development and design of future towns
and projects. Our efforts will also be focused on strengthening collaboration with local communities
and safeguarding our local identity via conservation efforts and the designation of identity nodes.

As outlined in the Land Transport Master Plan 2013, our transport network will be expanded with an
emphasis on green and sustainable transportation modes, such as public transport, cycling and
walking. This will bring about greater connectivity for all commuters over the next 10 to 15 years.
Agencies will continue to be guided by the vision of a more connected Singapore, with greater
accessibility to public transport and a reduced reliance on private cars as a mode of commute.
The rail network will double to about 360km by 2030, so that 80% of all homes are within a 10-minute
walk of an MRT station. Bus services will be enhanced with increased fleets, and there will be more
integrated transport hubs provided for more convenient journeys. Infrastructure will be put in place to
encourage cycling as an alternative mode of transport for both commuting and leisure. Pedestrian
connectivity within a 400m radius of MRT stations will be further improved through a network of
covered linkways that connect to activity-generating hubs in the vicinity.

With these enhancements to our public transport services, our towns will possess more options for
walking and cycling, and ultimately lead to sustainable living environment.

Well-designed public spaces are essential to the enjoyment of city life, and to make Singapore more
attractive and liveable for all. More public spaces will be set aside to create and realise new shared
community spaces. The successful implementation of these projects will require closely coordinated
efforts between government agencies and collaboration with the community.

MOVING FORWARD
The Master Plan supports the needs of current and future generations of Singaporeans. As a city-state,
we have a diverse range of land use needs, and we cannot predict the entirety of these needs nor the
forms that they will take in future. Thus, we review the Master Plan regularly to refine it and take into
account changing developmental needs.
We continue to explore better use of Singapores land by consolidating activities that require a large
area, such as military training, golf courses and farming in order to release more land for other uses. In
addition to land reclamation as a strategy for Singapore to expand our physical capacity, we will also
continue to explore innovative ways to use underground space, such as for infrastructural, industrial
and commercial developments.

Concept Plan

The Concept Plan is a strategic land use and

transportation plan that guides Singapores
development over the next 40-50 years. Reviewed
every ten years, the Concept Plan ensures that
there is sufficient land to meet long-term
population and economic growth needs while
providing a good quality living environment for our
people.
Given the constraints of our small land area, the
Concept Plan has played a vital role in helping us
balance our many land use needs, such as housing,
industry, commerce, parks and recreation,
transport, defence and community facilities. In
reviewing the Concept Plan, we take into account
all major land needs in collaboration with relevant
government agencies.
Public consultation is an important component of
the Concept Plan process. Through engaging our
stakeholders and the public at large, we can better
understand our peoples concerns and aspirations
as we plan for the future. In past Concept Plan
Reviews, extensive public consultation has been
carried out through various channels such as
surveys, focus group discussions, and public
forums.
The first Concept Plan was formulated in 1971 and
laid the foundation for Singapores growth for a

better quality of life with new towns, transport

infrastructure and access to recreation. The
Concept Plan was subsequently reviewed in 1991
and in 2001 to factor in changes in local and global
trends, and ensure that our plans remain relevant
to address future challenges and meet needs.
The most recent review was carried out in 2011.
The review was extended to take into account the
public feedback gathered by the National
Population & Talent Division (NPTD) on building a
sustainable
population
for
Singapore.
This
population discussion resulted in the release of the
National Population Talent Division (NPTD)s
Population White Paper in January 2013, which set
out the key considerations and roadmap for
Singapores population policies and also projected
that Singapore could have a population of between
6.5 and 6.9 million by 2030. MND released the
Land Use Plan to complement the Population White
Paper. It outlines the strategies to support
population and economic growth going forward,
with the strategic intent of ensuring a high quality
living environment for all Singaporeans.

Master Plan

The Master Plan (MP) is the statutory land use plan

which guides Singapore's development in the
medium term over the next 10 to 15 years. It is
reviewed every five years and translates the broad
long-term strategies of the Concept Plan into
detailed plans to guide the development of land
and property. The Master Plan shows the
permissible land use and density for developments
in Singapore.
The Master Plan and the Concept Plan provide a
comprehensive, forward-looking and integrated
planning framework for sustainable development.
Given the constraints of our small land area, the
Master Plan and the Concept Plan have played a
vital role in helping us balance our many land use
needs, such as housing, industry, commerce,
parks, recreation, transport, defence and
community facilities. In reviewing the Master Plan,
we take into account all major land needs in
collaboration with relevant government agencies.
Public consultation is an important component of
the Master Plan process. Through engaging our
stakeholders and the public at large, we can better
address their concerns and aspirations as we plan
for the future. In past Master Plan Reviews,
extensive public consultation has been carried out
through various channels such as exhibitions, focus
group discussions, and public forums.

The Master Plan was introduced in 1958 and has

undergone regular updates every 5 years. The
Master Plan has evolved from being a plan which
simply reflected preceding land use amendments
to one which focuses on planning ahead for future
developments. In particular, it was transformed to
a more forward-looking planning document in the
mid 1990s through the advent of the Development
Guide Plans (DGPs), which set out detailed
planning objectives at the local and regional levels
that were aligned with the broader planning
intentions of the Concept Plan. The regular review
and amendments to the Master Plan have factored
in changes in local and global trends, and ensured
that our plans remain relevant to address future
challenges and meet the needs of Singaporeans.
Find out more about the Master Plan

Master Plan 2014

Master Plan 2008
Master Plan 2003
Master Plan 1980
Master Plan 1958

Note :

The development timeframe of growth areas, key

infrastructure and facilities will depend on various
factors such as market demand, prevailing market
conditions, and development momentum of the
sites immediate surrounds. The release of State
Land is carried out through the Government Land Sales (GLS)

. Interim or temporary uses may be allowed

for vacant State land that is not required for
development in the near term. More information is
available at the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) website.
programme

For more information on existing developments

and facilities in your neighbourhood, you may
view OneMap. For estate upgrading and improvement
projects in your neighbourhood, you may view
more information at your town councils website.
For development of key infrastructure and facilities,
please refer to the relevant government agencies
websites, for example :
Agricultural developments - Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of
Singapore (AVA)
Community facilities Ministry of Social And Family Development (MSF)
Educational institutions and schools Ministry of
Education (MOE)
Industrial developments Jurong Town Corporation (JTC)
Parks and park connectors National Parks Board (NPARKS)
Public housing developments Housing & Development
Board (HDB)
Roads and rail projects Land Transport Authority (LTA)
Sports facilities Sport Singapore (SPORTSG)
Tourism developments Singapore Tourism Board (STB)

Master Plan 2014

The key focus of the Master Plan 2014 is to build

townships for all ages that are green, healthy,
connected, strong in community interaction and
spirit, and to bring quality jobs closer to home.
The planning strategies to achieve the vision for
Master Plan 2014 are presented through six key
focuses: Housing, Transport, Economy, Recreation,
Identity, and Public Spaces. Find out more about
our key focuses and regional highlights.
View Master Plan 2014 (Approved Amendments Incorporated)
View Master Plan Written Statement 2014 (Approved Amendments Incorporated)

The Master Plan is to be read in conjunction with

the Master Plan Written Statement. A certified copy
of the Master Plan 2014 and its Written Statement
are available for public inspection at:
Urban Redevelopment Authority,
45 Maxwell Road, The URA Centre,
Ground Floor Atrium,
Singapore 069118.
Amendments to the Master Plan 2014

The Master Plan may be amended from time to

time. Please use the following links to view the
proposed and approved amendments to the Master
Plan and the Master Plan with approved
amendments incorporated.

View the list of Gazetted Approved Amendments to Master Plan 2014

View the list of Gazetted Proposed Amendments to Master Plan 2014

Download Master Plan 2014

You can have an overview of the Master Plan 2014

by downloading the island-wide Master Plan 2014.
Alternatively, you can also download the Master
Plan 2014 by the 55 planning areas.
Buy Certified Interpretation Plan

The Certified Interpretation Plan gives a more

detailed interpretation and certification of the
Master Plan on a larger scale. For example, when a
site falls on multiple land use zones and you want
to determine the area of each zone or confirm the
zoning of a site.