Development of Kampong Bugis kicks off with land treatment tender, acquisition of private land works

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) acquired a 914sqm parcel of private land in Kampong Bugis and also called a tender for land treatment, as the authorities kicked off a makeover of the precinct on Thursday (April 19).

Earlier, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced that the 17.4ha Kampung Bugis precinct — bounded by Kallang Road, Kallang River and Crawford Street — will be comprehensively redeveloped into a car-lite residential area with 4,000 new homes. 

The SLA said it will work closely with, and assist the affected landowner – Singapore-Johor Express – through the process. Singapore-Johor Express is a Singapore-based bus and train company, which was set up in the 1940s. It has since diversified its business into property development, with the Kallang Riverside condominium as one of its projects.

The acquired land is currently vacant, save for the company’s condominium showroom, which will have to make way by April 30 next year. The company will be compensated for the land based on market value at the point of acquisition.

A tender for remediation works, expected to be awarded by the end of the year, was also called to get the 3.14ha plot of grassland, once home to the Kallang Gasworks ready for redevelopment.

Remediation, which usually involves the process of treating and washing soil using thermal methods, is required for the vacant plot of waterfront land to ensure that the quality of the soil, where a gas production facility was once sited, is suitable for its intended use.

Environmental assessments on the land have been carried out since 1997, when Kallang Gasworks ceased operations and the gas production was relocated to Senoko Gasworks by Singapore Power. 

Previous site assessments have found chemicals in the soil such as aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. 

The remediation works are unlikely to pose any health risk to surrounding communities, the SLA added, and are expected to be completed by 2022.

This is the first time that remediation works will be carried out on a plot of land previously occupied by a gas plant in Singapore, although similar works have been successfully carried out at former gasworks in countries such as the UK on the site of the former King’s Cross Gasworks.

Some possible side effects of remediation works include smell and noise pollution, said Assistant Professor Fang Mingliang, from Nanyang Technological University’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

However, he expects the impact to be “limited”, given that treatment of the soil can be done in enclosed facilities.

“There might be some odour when the chemicals are used to treat the soil … one of the ways to mitigate the smell can be to cover the treated soil with a tent when remediation works are being done,” said Assistant Prof Fang.

“Currently, as the plot of grassland is near to the Kallang River, there might also be some surface run off when heavy rain occurs,” he added.

Remediation works are necessary because the pollutants that are in the soil might contaminate the underground water in the future, he said, adding: “Though it might not affect residents, it is important that underground water, which is considered a resource for the nation, is not contaminated.”

The comprehensive development of the precinct is expected to be completed anywhere between 10 and 13 years, depending on how bullish market conditions are, said the authorities.

An artist impression of Kampong Bugis in future Photo: SLA

A Master Developer — which has yet to be appointed — will oversee the planning and development of the precinct, expected to be completed around 2030.

This is a change from the usual practice, where the Government offers land to developers on a plot-by-plot basis.

“This approach supports better integration among buildings and public spaces," said the authorities. Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong had also earlier said it will give the developer flexibility to plan and develop the precinct.

Kampung Bugis is one of three districts that will be rejuvenated over the next decade, the other two being Holland Plain and Bayshore in East Coast. A total of 19,000 new residential units are expected to be built with the redevelopment of these districts.