A delicate balance must be struck between development and environmental protection – The Botany at Dairy Farm Condo at Dairy Farm Walk By Sim Lian Group Limited (Hot Launch 2022)

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It’s been 18 years that Colin Low assumed the CEO position of the statutory board Singapore Land Authority (SLA). The 44-year-old was a different job title before, the the CEO for Frasers Hospitality Asset Management and Frasers Hospitality Trust Management, the manager of the Singapore listed Frasers Hospitality real estate investment trust (REIT) beginning in July 2019 until April 2021.

With an $1.9 billion portfolio (as as of September of this year) the REIT has 14 assets as well as fourteen master lease contracts. They are spread across six countries, ranging from Dresden, Germany, to Edinburgh, Glasgow and London in the UK in the UK; and on into Kobe and Kobe in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Sydney and Melbourne in Australia.

“Running REITs was about maximizing the distribution per unit for participants, which was mainly the shareholders of the REIT” Low explains. Low. “When Covid hit, it was a major epidemic that it was unprecedented. Many people began to reconsider their lives. The same was true for me. And when I got the call to fill this position I was delighted to be amazed.”

SLA is the custodian for State property and properties and has two-700 structures and 11,000 ha (110 million square meters) of land. This amounts to around fifteen% of the land across the island. “SLA offers a broad range of services and is all about Singapore,” says Low. “Once you’re a member of the public sector there’s an underlying sense of commitment because the people who make up the public service are ordinary Singaporeans. Therefore, you must think about what’s best for people in your vicinity.”

‘Balancing act’

Sometimes, it’s also about taking care of public concerns. One recent instance is the outrage that was triggered by the release of the Housing Development Board’s (HDB) environmental impact assessment report that recommended the clearing of 31.2ha of forest areas in order to build the proposed Bayshore precinct. HDB posted this report via its site on November 1 and invited feedback from the public until November 29.

Bound with Upper East Coast Road, East Coast Parkway and Bedok Camp located on Upper East Coast Road, the Bayshore Precinct covers 60 ha of site. The plan is to build approximately 12,000 dwelling units comprising 6,500 private residential units , and 6000 comprise HDB flats. The planned precinct will include a main pedestrianized street and be serviced via two MRT stations along the Thomson-East Coast Line — Bayshore and Bedok South — by 2024.

The report on environmental impact assessment from DHI Water and Environment consultant in September concluded that the negative impact on the clearing of 31.2ha vegetation will become “irreversible”. The impact will be lower than “minor negative” in the absence of proper control as well as mitigation strategies. However, the report states it is likely that loss of habitats for avifauna and flora in the course of construction could be an “moderate negative” impact, even with mitigation measures.

“This is a delicate balance between development and nature conservation,” concedes SLA’s Low. “The truth is Singapore is extremely small. Every square metre counts and there’s an opportunity for cost in every single thing that we undertake.”

The authorities from SLA to Ministry for National Development to SLA and the various other agencies, recognize the necessity of “a well-balanced approach to achieve the most effective outcome” the official says. “If we think that housing is necessary in the area and we want look at how we can take different approaches by carrying out an environmental assessment.”

It’s all about the perspective

It’s everything to do with perception, and to illustrate his argument, Low gave an analogy: “If you look at an in-depth shot of a man who is rough coming towards, and then shoving an elegant gentleman at first, you’ll think that the man was trying to hurt the latter,” he says. “But when you look further away and look at the scene from a different angle, you’ll see that it was actually the rough-looking man was trying to protect the gentleman in good clothes from falling bricks.”

In addition, he says: “If we zoom in on a specific location it’s easy to ask why something hasn’t been implemented. However, if we take a look outward and consider the requirements of the entire island taking into account infrastructure, housing, like train stations, roads and railway lines What are the compromises?”

Another site that has been identified to be developed into a residential area can be found in Turf City. The site was secured to be used for this purpose from the Master Plan. SLA is managing Turf City since 1999. The facility is currently leased for leisure and lifestyle purposes which include shopping, F&B, sports and recreationcentres, childcare facilities and motor vehicle showrooms.

Tenants were granted extended tenancy of 18 months until December 31, 2023. The lease was renewed in September. LTA confirmed that the first station of phase 2 of Cross Island Line would be situated at Turf City. The station is situated in Turf Club Road, off Dunearn Road, Turf City is situated in the prestigious Bukit Timah residential enclave in District 11.

“The rehabilitation of brownfield sites like Turf City will allow the Government to make the best utilization of land as well as the transport system,” says URA in its September 23rd announcement. URA stated that in-depth technical studies like heritage and environmental studies would be conducted “to make sure that the development is in harmony with the surrounding environmental conditions”.

The reuse of the former school buildings is adapted to suit

Land is “a important resource in the an area of dwindling land in Singapore”, Low sees SLA as a facilitator of place-making also. State land parcels that have been left vacant located at Wilmonar Avenue, off Dunearn Road and Yarrow Gardens in the Siglap region, off East Coast Road, have been converted into recreational and community spaces including a dog-friendly park as well as a multi-generational playground.

The declining birth rate in Singapore have resulted in school mergers over the last two decades. The unintended result is that more than a few defunct schools properties given back to SLA. The legal board is currently looking into an adaptive recycling of properties, “which is the most sustainable way to go,” says Low.

A former Henderson Secondary School along Henderson Road in Redhill is a prime example. The school is run by a social enterprise called City Sprouts since 2020, it was given an overhaul as a 9,000 square meter (close to 98,000 square feet) eating and entertainment hub with regular workshops and events. The urban farm is a place to an allotment of farm plots to rent. The former school cafeteria was converted into a home for F&B tenants. It is currently undergoing a renovation and renovation, the F&B space is scheduled to reopen by the end of 4Q2022.

In the same building as located in the same building as City Sprouts is situated in the same premises as PAP Community Foundation (PFC) Sparkletots preschool as well as Sunnyville Nursing Home dialysis nursing center. “We were intrigued by the idea of having an urban farm within an area that is co-located which is, in this case between a childcare centre and a nursing facility to demonstrate the possibility of farms being built wherever you want, with a bit of imagination,” Chee Zhi Kin the co-founder of City Sprouts commented.

Another instance could be the old Batu Berlayar School at Pasir Panjang Road. The three-storey structure located on an 88,000 square feet site is now an office space that is campus-like that includes a community library as well as a town hall to accommodate the 220 staff members of ShopBack. Cashback rewards for online shoppers across Asia Pacific, ShopBack was founded by Henry Chan and Joel Leong in the year 2014. The property is the headquarters of ShopBack. The ground floor has been shared by the studio for content creation Third Space.

In the opposite direction that previously-used Loyang Primary School was divided into two parts because of its size. One parcel was taken with My First Skool, which runs a preschool and a kindergarten on the premises. The remaining parcel will be divided for different uses that are complementary to the original.

“With the majority of schools being located in residential zones, they work as a community hub that is integrated to meet the requirements of the people living there,” adds SLA’s Low. They can also be used for co-working spaces, he says.

Activating vacant properties

Another reason for under-utilized properties is the former community centers. In the 10 Kampong Eunos, the former community centre has been leased to the social-impact organization Vivita that seeks to provide youth with robotics and artificial intelligence through interactive workshops, interactive programming camps, and competitions.

Another state-owned property located at Lorong J Telok, Kurau let to the charity Willing Hearts, which moved in at the close of June. It operates an onsite soup kitchen, which prepares and distributes 11,000 meals a day.

An historic structure that was recently restored to the stables of SLA is the old Command House at 17 Kheam Hock Road. The building was built between 1937 and 1938, it is situated on an 11.5 acres (500,940 square feet) site and was formerly the residence of the highest-ranking British Commander in Malaya as well as other officials from the military. In 2007 the Command House was renamed the Command House became the UBS Business University until 2021 at which point it was moved to new campus located at 9, Penang Road. The old Command House hosted the Louis Vuitton Savoir Faire 2022: The Art of Living this year. The two-week festival showcased modern designs by designers Nicolas Ghesquiere, Virgil Abloh and Louis Vuitton’s famous trunks as well as other exclusive designs. “It is a demonstration of how vacant state properties are able to be utilized to be used for creative purposes which includes pop-up event spaces,” says SLA’s Low.

Rejuvenating Gillman Barracks

With Dempsey Hill now established as an upscale lifestyle and F&B Enclave, SLA has turned its attention to revitalizing Gillman Barracks. The former military barracks that date to 1936 contain seventeen colonial-era state properties that are spread over the 6.6ha site.

The park is situated next to the connecting network that runs located along the Alexandra Garden Trail that links to Hort Park with Labrador Park and the Southern Ridges, Gillman Barracks is a great to stop for people who love nature and leisure hikers, according to SLA. The barracks is also just only a 10-minute walk away near The Labrador Park MRT Station.

The initial phase of competitions for the five blocks of Gillman Barracks, launched in May, attracted 19 bids. SLA examined the bids on the basis of price (with 40% weightage)% weightage) as well as the quality of concept proposals, which were given 60% weightage. The lease duration is also changed to a five-year initial lease and renewable for another two years. It was previously an unbroken 3+3+3 year lease.

“It’s not only the top bidder that wins and the winner will be the one who has an innovative business concept which is an intriguing concept that is based on community involvement and incorporates elements of sustainable development,” says Low.

Two blocks were given for two brand new F&B tenants -two of them – Wheeler’s Estate at 9A Lock Road and The BlackBird at 8 Lock Road. The remaining three tenders were granted to three existing tenants: Creamier at 5A Lock Road, Handlebar at 10 Lock Road and Hopscotch at 45 Malan Road, which feature updated menus and programming that are aligned to Gillman Barracks’ creative lifestyle position.

The second phase of the tender was announced on October 18. Two tenders were launched for sites located in Blocks 9 43, and 47. Block 43 on Malan Road has the largest gross floor space in Gillman Barracks, at more than 10,000 square feet. Blocks 47 and 43 are adorned with an exterior that is rustic and red brick. “The more spacious floorspace and outdoor space offer possibilities such as artisanal crafts as well as health and fitness, vertical agriculture as well as family bonding and co-working areas,” says Low. The tender deadline is 8 weeks after the 18th of October and will have a closing date of December 13. The tenders will similarly assessed based on pricing and the quality of proposals as in the initial stage. Leases will also be built on a five-year initial lease with the option to renew it for another two years.

Geospatial technology

Apart from being a pioneer in adaptive reuse properties, SLA has been in favor of geospatial technology and applications. Memoranda of understanding (MOUs) have been signed by the five largest real estate companies from September through December 2021. They began with PropNex and then and then ERA, Huttons Asia, OrangeTee and SRI. “The leading five residential real estate companies are able to claim 80% market share among the realtors within Singapore,” says Low. “We are trying to make it easier for people to get usage of OneMap and increase its acceptance in the market.”

With 3DOneMap real estate agents are able to show prospective buyers the distance from the new house to the closest elementary school, as well as the nearest MRT station, with more precision. It also displays 3D renderings of the area surrounding it from various levels of various blocks. The feature of shadow casting will aid buyers in understanding the shadows that are cast at various periods of the day especially when the units are not located in the direction of north-south.

SLA also signed MOUs Singapore’s Real Estate Developers Association in Singapore. the courier company Ninja Van, Kabam robotics engineering company, and Singapore Business Federation. Singapore Business Federation. Low believes that geospatial technology could be used in a variety of applications in the mainstream, including education.

Geospatial technology can be employed to assist the community. As the population ages and a map that shows barriers-free routes can benefit people who are elderly, have mobility problems, as well as parents with children, he states.

The SLA geospatial team is mapping its solar energy potential in Singapore. They are developing 3D simulation and modeling applications in conjunction with Singapore’s Public Utilities Board to map out areas that are most vulnerable to flooding in the inland. SLA has also signed an MOU together with National University of Singapore (NUS) faculty of science in October, to make use of geospatial data and technologies to conduct research on carbon estimation. Low believes that geospatial technology is “a key enabler of sustainability”.

It’s difficult to imagine that Low was initially struggling with many acronyms at the time he started at SLA. “There are a lot of acronyms that are used in the world of public service,” he says. Over time, he’s developed a proficiency in them.