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| Pulau Jong and The Landfill from natural Pulau Semakau all enclosed in the profile announced by the PM. |
Timeline, reclamation profile of new western island not yet determined: Chee Hong Tat
Ang Qing Straits Times Sep 08, 2026, 10:15 PM
SINGAPORE – Details of the upcoming western island, such as its reclamation profile, land use plans, construction methods and timeline, have yet to be determined, said Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat on Sept 8.
In a written response to parliamentary questions raised by 13 MPs on both sides of the House about the planning and impacts of the new development, Chee noted that a project of this scale is complex and technically challenging.
The Government will conduct technical studies to inform development plans, including the reclamation profile, he said. At the same time, it will also continue to engage stakeholders, including nature groups and descendants of former island communities, on the plans for the area.
“These include feasibility studies, site investigations and surveys, as well as engineering and environmental studies, to better understand development possibilities and their preliminary impact on areas like geology, hydrology and biodiversity,” Chee said.
He said the Government recognises that the existing islands and surrounding waters are an important part of natural biodiversity, and hold historical and cultural significance for former island communities, including the Orang Pulau and Orang Laut.
“We have been and will continue to engage stakeholders early, including nature groups, domain experts and descendants of former island communities and community representatives,” he added.
The plan to merge several southern islands to form a new industrial island, dubbed the western island, for future energy, industry and defence needs was first mooted by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the National Day Rally on Aug 23.
A preliminary outline of the development area, which is near Jurong Island, showcased during the rally showed that some of the affected islands could include Pulau Semakau, Pulau Bukom and Pulau Sudong.
Following the announcement, scientists, nature and heritage groups, descendants of former islanders, as well as other stakeholders of Singapore’s marine community, called for more details about the developmental plans. They also expressed concern that the works could impact the area’s rich marine biodiversity and result in the loss of heritage.
Ahead of the September parliamentary sitting, MPs asked about the environmental impact of the plans, how the Government will incorporate heritage and community considerations, as well as its plans to consult different stakeholders.
For instance, Charlene Chen (Tampines GRC) had asked whether the Government will consider conducting cumulative environmental impact assessments where multiple reclamation, dredging or coastal development projects may affect the same marine ecosystems.
Chee said in response that government agencies will “coordinate closely to comprehensively manage the cumulative environmental impact of projects in close proximity”.
WP Non-Constituency MP Andre Low had also asked whether the studies will be made public.
Chee said the environmental study report will be made available for public feedback. Inputs from stakeholders will be carefully considered before plans are finalised, he added.
He said: “As with any development decision, the Government will need to consider many factors, such as ecological and heritage impact, as well as the needs of current and future generations, before making a final decision.”
Separately, Valerie Lee (Pasir Ris-Changi GRC) and Edward Chia (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) had asked the Ministry of Trade and Industry why Jurong Island could not accommodate the activities that the upcoming western island is envisioned to host.
Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Tan See Leng said in a written response on Sept 8 that Jurong Island spans about 3,000ha, of which less than one-third remains available for development.
“The remaining vacant land has been earmarked to support our growth focus on specialty chemicals and sustainable materials, and to cater for new energy development, decarbonisation solutions, and low-carbon data centres,” he added.
Tan said the new western island will give future generations the space to meet new requirements and pursue opportunities “beyond what can be seen and imagined today”.
He said as part of the planning process, the Government’s studies will enable better understanding of the various development possibilities and their implications on biodiversity, hydrodynamics, marine navigation as well as existing business operations.
He noted that the Government has begun engaging stakeholders to gather their views and reiterated that their feedback will be carefully considered before any development plans are finalised.
MPs ask about better protection for children and youth, impact of western island reclamation plans
Wong Yang Straits Times Sep 07, 2026, 09:04 PM
SINGAPORE - Protections for children and youth and plans to merge several southern islands through reclamation will be on the agenda when Parliament sits this week.
. . .
Plans to create a new “western island” by reclaiming land to merge several southern islands will also come under scrutiny, with at least seven questions filed on the topic.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had announced at the 2026 National Day Rally that an island for industry, energy and defence needs would be reclaimed in the coming decades.
The area for potential reclamation, which covers about 592.8ha, contains marine habitats like coral reefs and seagrass meadows.
Charlene Chen (Tampines GRC) asked if the Government will consider conducting cumulative environmental impact assessments where multiple reclamation, dredging or coastal development projects may affect the same marine ecosystems.
WP’s He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC) asked how government agencies are engaging with former residents of the islands affected by the planned reclamation.
She also asked how heritage and community considerations arising from the islands’ history will be factored into land use and design plans for the reclaimed area.
Building a city for both people and nature
Our responsibility is not to choose one objective at the expense of the other, but to plan carefully for both.
Chee Hong Tat Straits Times Sep 07, 2026, 05:00 AM
Recent discussions about places such as Maju Forest, Gillman Barracks and our western islands reflect something important: many Singaporeans care deeply about the natural environment around us.
I do too. Our forests, mangroves and coastlines are not simply undeveloped land waiting for another use. They are habitats built up over decades, sometimes much longer. They support biodiversity, cool our city, connect ecological systems, and provide places of respite and wonder.
So when Singaporeans ask whether a City in Nature should conserve more of these existing habitats, it is a fair and important question.
There is no simple answer. In land-scarce Singapore, we also have to provide for the many needs of current and future generations – homes, jobs, transport, energy, climate resilience and national security. And as a city-state, these pressures are especially intense, because we have no hinterland where we can site a nation’s needs.
Our responsibility is therefore not to choose one objective at the expense of the other. It is to plan carefully for both.
Making room for future generations
Mature forests, mangroves and coastal habitats have ecological value that cannot simply be replaced by planting new trees or creating new parks.
We want our children to be able to immerse themselves in nature, marvel at the rich biodiversity around them, and experience the calm that nature provides.
But we also have a responsibility to plan for their other needs.
Our children will need good jobs made possible because we create space for new industries. They will require transport, energy and climate infrastructure built ahead of time. They should inherit a nation that remains safe and secure. All of these require land.
Housing is another pressing need. Households are getting smaller, with many more people wanting homes of their own, including singles and seniors, while staying near family for mutual care and support.
Access to good and affordable public housing for every Singaporean has been part of our social compact since independence, and remains a commitment of this Government. To fulfil these aspirations, we have to plan ahead and ensure sufficient housing supply.
The difficult question is: How do we meet these needs while ensuring that nature remains an integral part of Singapore?
Planning for both
We cannot answer this by looking at each parcel of land in isolation.
Nature functions as a connected system. Ecological networks link our forests, waterways, mangroves and coastal habitats.
Our development needs are interconnected too. Homes require transport and amenities. Businesses require infrastructure. Energy and climate resilience require land and coastal space. National security requires areas for critical capabilities.
There will be occasions when development must proceed to meet an important national need.
There will also be occasions when conservation should prevail. And in many cases, thoughtful planning allows us to do both – changing the footprint of a development, retaining important habitats and ecological connections, and weaving nature into the places we build.
This is where science guides how we balance development and conservation.
The National Parks Board’s Ecological Profiling Exercise identifies our important biodiversity areas and the ecological corridors connecting them. This gives us an islandwide picture of how different habitats relate to one another.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Long-Term Plan and Master Plan in turn map out Singapore’s future needs, including an islandwide network of parks, nature areas, waterways and ecological links. This provides a long-term vision for where nature will be conserved, restored and expanded as Singapore develops.
At the site level, developments that may have significant environmental impacts are also subject to environmental impact assessments, which help agencies understand ecological value, assess potential impacts and develop mitigation measures.
Development and conservation decisions are integrated holistically within this broader framework.
We do not start from the assumption that every piece of land identified for possible development must be fully developed. Environmental studies and public feedback can and do change our plans.
For example, the upcoming Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat Nature Park was initially planned for industrial use. After careful study, we decided to conserve it due to its close ecological connection with Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. It will become one of Singapore’s larger nature parks.
Where development does proceed, we work with stakeholders to minimise ecological impact and incorporate nature wherever possible. Bidadari is one example where HDB worked with the Nature Society Singapore to retain an important hillock used by migratory birds. HDB also planned housing and community spaces to be seamlessly connected to Bidadari Park and Bidadari Greenway, so residents can enjoy daily contact with nature.
Moving past binaries
This illustrates another important point. Our choices are not always binary: develop and lose nature, or conserve and gain nature. Nature can regenerate. Ecological connections can be strengthened. And development itself can sometimes create the conditions for new ecological value to emerge.
Sungei Api-Api in Pasir Ris is a good example. We created this canal to improve drainage capacity and manage stormwater flows more effectively. But we also carefully designed it to harness natural tidal processes and sediment flows. Together with the planting of native mangroves, these conditions enabled the habitat to regenerate and expand over time.
Today, it is a thriving mangrove ecosystem.
That is why we should look at Singapore’s ecological balance sheet as a whole.
We have to consider the ecological value of each site, but we also have to consider the larger picture – how Singapore’s natural systems fit together, and how they change over time.
Today, more than 7,800ha of land is set aside for green spaces. This will increase to 8,800ha by 2035. We are also extending our park connector network, restoring habitats and waterways, and bringing greenery directly into our estates and buildings. All households will be within a 10-minute walk of a park by 2030.
Our aim is to strengthen this overall ecological system over time – improving the quality of our habitats, the biodiversity they sustain, how well they are connected, and the resilience of our natural environment.
Making difficult choices together
Science helps us understand the ecological consequences of our choices.
We must then weigh these alongside the needs of people, communities and Singapore as a whole.
These choices often involve competing considerations, and there will be different views on where the balance should be struck.
That is why we engage nature groups, researchers, residents and members of the public as we develop our plans.
We will continue to listen carefully, engage deeply and take these views seriously. There will not always be consensus.
Where the case for conservation is strong, we are prepared to adjust our plans.
Where development remains necessary, we will explain the reasons clearly, minimise the impact as far as possible, and work with stakeholders to find better ways to proceed.
Ultimately, these are judgments that the Government must make on behalf of Singapore and Singaporeans. We have to carefully weigh the needs and ecological value of each site, while also considering the needs of our country as a whole and over the longer term.
Difficult choices
These are difficult choices, but they are not new ones for Singapore.
From the earliest years of nation-building, we have had to make space for development while protecting and restoring the natural environment around us. By the 1930s, Singapore had lost most of its original forest cover to agriculture and development.
After independence, we transformed polluted rivers into clean waterways. We planted trees across the island, created nature reserves and nature parks, restored mangroves and strengthened ecological connections.
At the same time, we set aside land for homes, new industries, critical infrastructure and national security, so that each generation inherited the capacity to build on the success of the last.
Today, Singapore is both a thriving global city and one of the greenest cities in the world. We got here by planning for development and nature together.
That is what we will continue to do – so that our people and our natural environment can thrive together in our City in Nature.
Chee Hong Tat is Minister for National Development.