A total of 106 hectares of land - roughly the size of
the Marina Centre area - will be acquired by the Government
to expand
Tengah Air Base, it was announced on Tuesday (July 18).
The move is intended to facilitate the
future relocation of the Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB), which
will free up 800ha of prime land in the north-east region.
Here are five things to know about the expansion
plan.
The potential space - larger than the current Bishan or
Ang Mo Kio town - that will be made available by PLAB's relocation
will allow for new residential homes, offices, factories and
parks.
This also paves the way for height restrictions around
Paya Lebar, and over a bigger area stretching down to Marina South,
to be removed and allow for future taller developments.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong first announced plans
for PLAB's relocation to Changi East during his National Day Rally
speech in 2013, when he spoke about new and exciting plans for the
"big chunk of eastern Singapore".
Workers packing eggs at Chew's
Agriculture, one of the six farms that will make way for the
expansion. PHOTO: ST FILE
Four plots of private land immediately west of TAB -
three fish farms (two ornamental, one food) and a nursery - will be
acquired by the government.
Their owners were notified by the Singapore Land
Authority on Tuesday (July 18) and will be compensated based on
market value for the acquired land as at the date of acquisition.
They can continue operating until January 2019.
The other two farms to make way are an orchid farm
which will not have its tenancy renewed when its lease expires in
2019, and an egg farm, which sold its remaining lease to the
Government in May last year to purchase a new site.
The affected farms will have a chance to bid for new
spaces to continue their businesses - for instance, the Agri-Food
and Veterinary Authority (AVA) will tender new farm plots for food
fish farming in October this year.
Details of tenders for spaces for ornamental fish farms
and nurseries will be released by AVA and the National Parks Board
(NParks) respectively once available.
The affected area is about 100 ha in size comprises
45,500 Chinese graves and 35,000 Muslim graves, which the National
Environment Agency will exhume as part of ongoing phased exhumation
in the cemetery.
A view from Block 7B of the Choa Chu
Kang Chinese Cemetery. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Claims and registration for all of the affected Chinese
graves and 5,000 Muslim graves - which have met the minimum burial
period of 15 years - will start in September.
Notices of exhumation for the remaining affected graves
will be issued at a later date once they have met their 15-year
burial period.
Physical exhumation is due to commence from the fourth
quarter of 2019.
A stretch of Lim Chu Kang Road's
Heritage Road, which was gazetted to retain the lush vegetation and
kampung ambience. PHOTO: ST FILE
The expanded part of TAB will affect the existing Lim
Chu Kang Road, including a 1.8km stretch of its Heritage Road,
known for its tall, mature trees with overarching tree
canopies.
Heritage Roads - there are five, including Lim Chu Kang
Road - come under the Heritage Road Scheme, which was launched by
NParks in 2001 to conserve the scenic and significant tree-lined
roads of Singapore.
These roads have a green buffer of 10 metres on both
sides, and the removal of trees or plants is prohibited.
The various agencies are studying the exact impact on
the road and possible mitigation strategies, which include
transplanting trees where possible.
The Government said in the course of developing its
plan for TAB's expansion, it took into account Singapore's national
defence and security needs, as well as the overall benefits of
moving PLAB in the longer-term.
"Government agencies have, as far as possible, tried to
minimise the impact of these works, and affected stakeholders will
be given advance notice to make alternative arrangements," it
added.
ST