Forum: Maju project a rare chance to show housing growth and climate resilience can go together

A useful reference is the internationally recognised 3-30-300 rule, developed by the Nature Based Solutions Institute, recently included in a study of housing designs in England led by researcher Matthew Carmona. It suggests that every resident should see at least three large trees from his home or workplace, live in a neighbourhood with at least 30 per cent tree canopy cover, and be within 300m of a publicly accessible green space.

Singapore need not adopt the rule wholesale. It can adapt the rule for its tropical conditions: three mature canopy trees visible from every home or workplace, at least 30 per cent neighbourhood tree canopy, and a public green space reachable by a comfortable, shaded 300m walk. In the local climate, the quality of the journey matters as much as the destination itself.

Shade should therefore be treated as essential public infrastructure, not just landscaping. Continuous tree-lined streets, generous canopy trees, and shaded walking and cycling routes make it easier and safer for people to move about, cut heat exposure, and create neighbourhoods that feel healthier and more pleasant.

As Carmona put it: “The question is no longer whether we can afford to plant and nurture street trees. It is whether we can afford not to.”

Maju Forest is a rare opportunity to show that housing growth and climate resilience can advance together. A locally adapted 3-30-300 approach can help deliver a cooler, healthier and more resilient neighbourhood for generations ahead.

Loong Chik Tong