Mandai Eco-Lodge to be ecologically sensitive

I refer to the report “Eco-Lodge at Mandai to be 400-room full-service hotel” (July 29), and thank TODAY for its interest in and support for Mandai’s rejuvenation.

For the public to better understand the Mandai project and our vision of being a responsible steward of nature, we wish to emphasise a few points about the proposed Eco-Lodge.

Our subsidiary, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), runs holiday camps and programmes for families and children, and these have consistently been oversubscribed.

A key finding of our public engagement has been the demand for more accommodation options to allow our visitors to spend more time in Mandai. We will factor in various parties’ feedback to ensure that the proposed Eco-Lodge is environmentally sensitive.

The proposed Eco-Lodge site is today used to house the WRS’ back-of-house facilities, including a wastewater treatment plant, staff quarters, animal holding areas and an animal quarantine centre.

The Eco-Lodge will comply with ecologically sensitive practices in terms of construction, materials, site utilisation and operations.

While its design is not finalised, it will be built sensitively around existing vegetation, including a setback from the reservoir edge, to allow vegetation and habitats close to the reservoir to remain untouched. The overall building form and height will be low-rise to respect existing tree lines and integrate well with the surrounding landscape.

We continue to welcome public feedback about the Mandai project.