Govt planning to start preparatory works for Long Island: URA

Since November 2023, URA and other agencies have engaged more than 14,000 people on their aspirations and ideas for Long Island.

The agency said there was consensus on the critical need to protect the low-lying East Coast from rising sea levels, and recognition that the reclamation project is an optimal solution that brings national benefits.

URA noted that there were suggestions to incorporate nature-based solutions such as creating conditions for marine life and intertidal habitats to thrive, as well as to implement the works in phases to mitigate the impact on affected stakeholders as much as possible.

Many participants also expressed the importance of retaining the recreational nature of East Coast Park.

There were also suggestions for the creation of beaches and nature-friendly revetments that can be integrated with the new Long Island coastline, and for the future Long Island reservoir to support recreational uses and water activities, similar to Marina Reservoir.

Acknowledging that East Coast Park is an important recreational space with shared social memories, URA said it will plan for Long Island and the new reservoir to facilitate future recreational activities.

The authority said the Government will continue to evaluate the feasibility of these ideas, and factor them into the ongoing technical studies.

Going forward, the agencies are planning more engagements with stakeholders and the public to dive deeper into key topics, such as the types of activities that could take place at the new Long Island coastline and future reservoir.

The concept for Long Island was first revealed in Singapore’s Concept Plan 1991, a strategic land use and transportation plan to guide the Republic’s development over the next 40 to 50 years.

At the 2019 National Rally, then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said reclamation was being studied as a means to defend East Coast Park against rising seas, while creating space for a freshwater reservoir.

A possible concept of the project was showcased at URA’s Long-Term Plan Review exhibition in 2022.

The next year, then Minister for National Development Desmond Lee announced in an event at East Coast Park that technical studies for the Long Island project will take five years, starting from early 2024.

He said the Government had also studied various coastal protection options as alternatives to the reclamation, including the possibility of building a sea wall up to 3m tall.

While such a wall is technically feasible, it was deemed not ideal because access to the waterfront for recreation and sports would be permanently limited.

Instead, a large tidal gate and pumping station will be built in between each tract of reclaimed land. These will control the water level in a new reservoir bordered by East Coast Park and the new land masses, and, in the process, reduce the risk of the East Coast area flooding.

The new reservoir can also be used for water activities like canoeing and dragon-boating.

Waterfront homes are expected to be built on the reclaimed land, along with amenities and industrial facilities.

About 20km of new coastal and reservoir parks could be added as part of a 120km stretch of accessible waterfront space along Singapore’s southern coast.

The authorities previously said Long Island will take several decades to plan, design and build.

As the area is close to beaches where turtles nest, as well as corals and seagrass, environmentalists have called for measures to protect these sensitive marine habitats from day one.

They also highlighted that biodiversity hot spots in the Southern Islands, which are less than 10km away from the mainland, could be affected if care is not taken.

The chain of islands is home to the largest diversity of marine life in Singapore and its remaining healthy reefs.