Sunday, May 18, 2008

Development plans taking shape in Punggol

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 17 May 2008

Punggol residents can expect a new shopping mall as large as Junction 8, in their town centre, when the Housing and Development Board (HDB) launches the first sale site at Punggol in the next two to three years.

The site will be used for a mixed commercial and private residential development.

Earmarked as Singapore’s waterfront town, much of the activities in Punggol will centre around a new waterway.

The HDB has completed technical studies for the waterway.

It will now explore ways to integrate eco-friendly features and how to make it safe and vibrant for different recreational options.

Work on the waterway is expected to start next year.

Mah Bow Tan, National Development Minister, said, “We are actually going to dig a major waterway, over four kilometres long and four metres deep; the width will varying depending on where it is. In three to four years’ time, we should have the new waterway completed.”

HDB has also launched a new design competition to get the private sector involved in the design of the waterway landscape.

A Waterfront Housing Design Competition will also be held to develop more concrete plans for a new generation of public housing.

Mr Mah said, “HDB is going to launch and build another 4,000 new homes in Punggol later this year for sale under the BTO (Build-to-Order) programme. So if you add it all up, we are going to have more than 20,000 new flats in Punggol.”

Going forward, HDB plans to launch the first public housing site along the waterfront in the next two to three years, after major works of the waterway are completed.

Some land will also be set aside for private residential projects.

HDB said fun and adventure await residents along the coastline.

Work on the coastal promenade will begin soon, while the development of a Rustic Park at Coney Island will start next year. - CNA/ms

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