Landowners can get grant to defray cost of coastal defences, which are required under new law
This grant will cover the cost of flood risk studies, diversion of power and water lines, and the eventual construction of coastal protection measures.
Shabana Begum Straits Times Mar 06, 2026, 05:14 PM
SINGAPORE - All coastal landowners in Singapore will be eligible for a grant to help defray the costs of building shields to protect their assets from rising seas, as required under a new coastal protection law passed in Parliament on March 6.
This grant will cover the cost of flood risk studies, diversion of power and water lines, and the eventual construction of coastal protection measures, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said. She did not reveal the quantum of the grant.
Under the Coastal Protection and Other Amendments Bill, government agencies and private companies that occupy land along Singapore’s shorelines are required to implement measures to shield their coastal areas from rising seas, or face a fine and jail term.
The new law will likely apply to more than 100 coastal landowners.
The Government, which owns 70 per cent of coastal land, will be responsible for protecting the majority of the coastline segments.
The remaining 30 per cent of private land are non-residential and comprise mostly shipyards and ports, as well as businesses in the oil and gas and manufacturing sectors. Most are located on the south-west and northern coastline segments, including Jurong Island and the industrial estates of Tuas, Pioneer and Senoko.
Occupiers of coastal land will be given about 10 years’ notice to take coastal protection measures, which could include building seawalls, raising land or putting up deployable barriers at jetties.
The first tranche of notices is expected to be sent out to affected landowners from the early 2030s. Landowners can apply for the grant once they receive a second notification, about five years later.
Ms Fu said the funds disbursed will be sized according to benchmarks while considering prevailing market rates and inflation.
The total grant amount awarded to each agency or company will be split into tranches to help landowners with their planning and cash flow, said Ms Fu, adding that the grant details will be further developed and shared when ready.
Ms Fu added that the Government will also offer technical advice and consultations to landowners as they navigate their obligations under the new law.
She pointed out that training programmes on coastal protection are available to help raise the engineering sector’s competency to implement proper coastal protection measures for landowners.
One such training programme is the coastal protection masterclass run by the Singapore Water Association.
The grant and technical support came about after affected waterfront firms shared with the Government that they had not factored in the cost for additional coastal protection measures when the land was leased or purchased, said Ms Fu.
The Bill was passed following a two-hour debate, in which a total of eight MPs spoke.
Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang West) had asked about the potential for the continuous line of coastal defence around Singapore to be breached if landowners’ measures are not well coordinated.
A critical requirement under the new law is that landowners must ensure that one plot’s coastal protection measures are tightly connected to another’s, to ensure there is a continuous line of defence to keep out rising seas.
“Even if all (waterfront) companies or landowners have the best of intentions, they may have knowledge gaps and coordination failures,” added Ms Poh, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Sustainability and the Environment.
Ms Fu said the law will grant and facilitate access to landowners if they need access to a neighbouring property to connect their flood shields and ensure they are watertight.
On the need for a law to allocate responsibility for coastal protection to specific landowners, Ms Fu noted that different landowners require customised coastal protection measures to suit their individual needs.
For example, a shipyard may choose to build a seawall along the perimeter of the dry dock while leaving the seaward entrance accessible.
“It would not be practical, nor desirable, for the Government to implement standard coastal protection measures for such a wide range of land uses, from ports, ship-building yards to petrochemical plants,” said Ms Fu.
Ms Nadia Samdin (Ang Mo Kio GRC) and Ms Cassandra Lee (West Coast-Jurong West GRC) asked for greater clarity on how the development of a coastal measure would be affected if ownership of a seaside plot were to change during the 10-year period.
Ms Fu said outgoing landowners will need to submit relevant reports and blueprints of their coastal structures to national water agency PUB, which will then transfer the reports to new owners.
On accounting for coastal firms that may suddenly wind up before the 10-year period, as raised by Ms Lee Hui Ying (Nee Soon GRC), Ms Fu said PUB will use its enforcement powers to ensure the continuous line of defence is not compromised due to any firm’s exit.
For example, PUB has powers to step in and undertake maintenance and repair works and also recover the costs from the landowners, if needed.
The government grant could also be reimbursed to landowners in tranches, so that PUB can monitor the progress of coastal works.
Several MPs, including WP’s Mr Dennis Tan (Hougang) and Non-Constituency MP Andre Low, said they hoped for nature-based solutions to be incorporated in coastal protection measures. These could include the use of coral reefs and mangroves to weaken wave energy and prevent erosion.
“Where possible, the continuous line of defence can be set behind mangroves to minimise any impact to them,” said Ms Fu.
A soon-to-be-published code of practice to equip landowners with coastal solutions could also include hybrid solutions, which combine nature and hard structures, she added.
Private coastal landowners to receive grant, face new obligations after Coastal Protection Bill passed
Private firms – mainly shipyards, ports and industrial operators – must implement flood defences on their land as part of a nationwide coastal defence line.
Koh Wan Ting Channel NewsAsia 06 Mar 2026 05:59PM
SINGAPORE: Private landowners of coastal plots will face new obligations and receive capital grants to help them implement mandatory coastal protection measures after the Coastal Protection and Other Amendments Bill was passed in parliament on Friday (Mar 6).
The grants are designed to ease the upfront capital burden on landowners who will be legally required to install flood defences as part of an islandwide line of defence against rising sea levels, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said.
These landowners will also receive advice and consultation from national water agency PUB on how to carry out the required works.
The new law will require all coastal landowners - including government ministries, statutory boards and private firms - to implement coastal protection measures as part of a continuous line of defence.
About 70 per cent of Singapore’s coastline is government-owned and will largely be handled by the state. The remaining stretches are held by private companies, mostly shipyards, ports, and businesses in the oil, gas and manufacturing sectors.
The capital grants will cover studies, diversion of services and construction costs. Grants will be sized against cost norms that account for prevailing market rates and inflation, and paid in reimbursement tranches to help landowners manage cash flow. Landowners may apply for the grant only after a legal obligation has been formally imposed on them.
PUB will notify affected landowners of their obligations around 10 years before the expected completion date.
The Bill also gives PUB enforcement powers, including emergency powers of entry if the continuous defence line is incomplete due to delays, or if a landowner cannot be reached during an imminent coastal flood event.
Mean sea levels around Singapore are projected to rise by up to 1.15m by the end of this century. Combined with storm surges and high tides, water levels could spike by 5m instead.
“This is serious. It means that around 30 per cent of Singapore could be flooded by seawater. Our businesses along the coast, such as shipyards or ports that rely on having access to the sea, will be at risk of coastal flooding,” Ms Fu said.
CONCERNS IN PARLIAMENT
Eight MPs raised questions largely centred on the responsibilities that private landowners or lessees would have to bear.
MP Poh Li San (PAP-Sembawang West) pushed for a centralised approach to the design and construction of coastal protection measures to avoid points of weakness and allow the government to leverage economies of scale.
MP Lee Hui Ying (PAP-Nee Soon) echoed similar concerns, suggesting it might be more efficient for the government to build the entire defence line and then seek reimbursement from landowners.
In response, Ms Fu said landowners should be responsible for works on their own land.
“Having the government centrally implement solutions will be suboptimal, since it may not be feasible to account for every landowner's unique needs and timelines,” she said, adding that landowners were better placed to implement measures suited to their business operations.
MP Dennis Tan (WP-Hougang) asked for the type of private landowners that occupied coastlines, and whether they were non-business entities.
Ms Fu said the vast majority had leased industrial land from JTC, which PUB is working with to explore a centralised procurement model and other options to support lessees.
Mr Tan also asked if there were any industrial lessees that had short tenures remaining, which would affect their ability to carry out the coastal protection measures.
“If a waterfront company runs into financial problems or goes into liquidation and is not able to build or to complete the construction, may we also be left with a public safety risk that neighbors cannot fix alone. How will the government intervene in such a situation?” asked Mr Tan.
Ms Fu said that PUB will have the power to step in and undertake maintenance and repair works for companies that face short-term liquidity issues and are unable to maintain their coastal protection measures. PUB will then recover the cost as necessary from the landowners, she added.
MP Cassandra Lee (PAP-West Coast-Jurong West) raised concerns about long project lifecycles that may span multiple ownerships, asking how liability and repair costs would be allocated if defects emerge after a change of hands.
Ms Fu said the transfer of liability is no different from when a property changes ownership.
Previous landowners would have had to engage a qualified person to certify that the structure was up to standard before PUB approved it, she added.
Coastal area landowners, occupants must protect their properties against rising seas under new Bill
Shabana Begum Straits Times Feb 03, 2026, 01:46 PM
SINGAPORE – Those who own or rent land along Singapore’s shorelines will be compelled under a proposed law to implement measures to shield their coastal areas from rising seas, or face a fine and jail term.
The Coastal Protection Bill was tabled in Parliament on Feb 3.
Government agencies, private landowners and long-term lessees will be given 10 years’ notice to take coastal protection measures. These could include building and maintaining sea walls and barrages, or planting mangroves, to prevent coastal flooding.
For shipyards and fuel storage facilities that need access to the sea, deployable barriers or movable flood-defence systems could be potential solutions, as they can be installed just before bad weather hits.
The first tranche of notices is expected to be sent out to affected landowners from the early 2030s.
Under the Bill, coastal landowners will also need to appoint flood protection managers who will oversee the measures and carry out the flood response plan. These managers will be national water agency PUB’s main points of contact for each site, and will need to undergo training.
PUB and the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said in a joint statement: “Coastal protection is a long-term endeavour, which requires years of planning and construction. The (Bill) is tabled now to give landowners and the industry sufficient notice and lead time to be familiar with the requirements.”
By 2100, Singapore’s mean sea level is projected to rise by up to 1.15m. In the event of high tides and extreme events like storm surges, sea levels could rise by 5m, leading to coastal flooding.
A continuous line of defence
PUB and MSE said the Government, which owns 70 per cent of coastal land, will be responsible for protecting the majority of the coastline segments.
The remaining segments are occupied by private landowners and lessees who will need to implement their own coastal protection measures.
These segments are non-residential and comprise mostly shipyards and ports, as well as businesses in the oil and gas and manufacturing sectors, said Ms Angela Koh, PUB’s deputy chief executive of flood resilience.
Most are located on the south-west and northern coastline segments, including Jurong Island and the industrial estates of Tuas, Pioneer and Senoko.
Tabling the Bill now will allow the affected groups to make more informed decisions, as they assess their long-term development or renewal plans, added Ms Koh.
A critical requirement under the proposed law is that landowners must ensure that one plot’s coastal protection measures are tightly connected to another’s, to ensure there is a continuous line of defence to keep out rising seas.
In the event that landowners need to enter to build on another owner’s land, the Bill will provide access and facilitate this.
Failure to ensure this connection, causing seawater to gush through an unprotected area, is an offence. Failure to put in place a coastal protection measure by the deadline or altering the structure without PUB’s approval could result in the highest penalty of two years’ jail and a $200,000 fine.
Code of practice
The authorities will publish a code of practice in mid-2026 to help equip landowners with knowledge about solutions against sea-level rise and standards to be met.
The code will provide common design standards and requirements to guide the industry on planning, designing and constructing various types of protection structures, PUB said previously. To maximise land use, it will also include best practices for the use of multifunctional solutions.
PUB has divided Singapore’s coastline into eight segments. Each has unique environmental or economic conditions that coastal protection measures must be tailored to. For instance, the Greater Southern Waterfront region will be protected by arm-like coastal barriers, instead of the raising of seawalls and construction of tidal gates which would affect the waterfront character of the area.
Since 2021, Singapore has progressively carried out site-specific studies to develop tailored coastal protection plans for different segments of the coastline.
The study for the south-eastern section – which runs from Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal to Changi – was completed in 2025. Solutions recommended for this stretch include coastal barriers, raising shoreline slopes and constructing bunds on Changi Beach.
Studies for the north-west stretches are expected to be done by 2026, while studies for Jurong Island and the south-west coast, which includes Tuas, will be completed by 2030.
After each site-specific study is done, affected landowners and leaseholders will be informed of their responsibilities from the early 2030s. They will be given at least 10 years’ advance notice to plan and implement coastal protection measures, said PUB and MSE.
The water agency and the ministry noted that measures such as seawalls and revetments are not new to landowners, since these have been constructed at their sites to prevent coastal erosion.
When asked how much a coastal landowner has to set aside for coastal protection, PUB and MSE said they are unable to give a cost estimate. This is because costs would differ based on landowners’ specific operational needs, length of coastline and site conditions, they explained.
But they added that the Government will provide support in the form of financial assistance and technical advice for affected private landowners and leaseholders.
These could include, for instance, consultations on solutions and assistance to coordinate with neighbouring seaside plots to ensure a continuous line of defence.
More information on the financial assistance will be revealed when it is ready, PUB and MSE added. The authorities previously consulted potentially affected landowners and took their feedback into account.
Accommodating nature
The proposed law also gives PUB the powers to designate nature spots such as parks and beaches as areas that can be flooded temporarily, especially during extreme high tides and storm surge events.
This ensures that nature spots will not be permanently walled up, and marine habitats like seagrass meadows, mangroves and intertidal zones can be preserved.
For instance, the recommendation for Changi Beach Park was for a raised platform – such as a bund – to be built farther inland to ensure access to the beach. This means the beach will be left to flood temporarily during extreme weather events.
However, landowners need to prepare a flood response plan in the event of a park closure and conduct periodic drills. The plan may also include evacuation protocols and setting up warning signs.
The landowners must also prove that sheltered facilities like toilets, seaside eateries and sites for religious rituals will not be damaged by the coastal floods.
Infrastructure near the shore, including jetties, terminals, piers and nature boardwalks, must be protected from both permanent and temporary flooding.
However, owners can seek exemptions from PUB if they assess that the structures can withstand flooding.
Overall, the Bill will amend the Sewerage and Drainage Act and rename it as the Sewerage, Drainage and Coastal Protection Act. Parliament is expected to debate the proposed law in March.
Professor Adrian Law, executive director of the Coastal Protection and Flood Resilience Institute Singapore, noted that the cost of coastal defences depends on how each landowner assesses the long-term redevelopment, renewal or investment plans for a site.
“The proposed law is well thought through towards achieving the key objective of a continuous line of defence. The landowners will be given at least 10 years’ advance (notice and) they can take advantage of this ample... notice to actively plan ahead and make things smoother,” he added.
