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‘Long Island’ along East Coast being studied as part of URA’s plans for coastal protection, housing needs

SINGAPORE — A reclaimed “Long Island” along the south-eastern coast of mainland Singapore may one day not only offer protection against floods and rising sea levels, but also a new spot for leisure and recreation, much like the Marina Barrage.

This stretch of the East Coast Park could one day become a part of the "Long Island".
This stretch of the East Coast Park could one day become a part of the "Long Island".
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SINGAPORE — A reclaimed “Long Island” along the south-eastern coast of mainland Singapore may one day not only offer protection against floods and rising sea levels, but also a new spot for leisure and recreation, much like the Marina Barrage.

Living on the "island", which is envisioned to stretch around 15km from Marina East to Changi, may also be a possibility. 

It is one of the concepts being studied by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in a review of its long-term plans.

The concept, along with a broad range of others, was unveiled by National Development Minister Desmond Lee on Monday (June 6) in a public exhibition to gather feedback from the public.

Titled Space for Our Dreams, it showcases the authority’s planning concepts, strategies and proposals to guide Singapore’s long-term development.

The Long Island concept was one of the possible options laid out by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his National Day Rally in 2019 as part of Singapore’s S$100 billion plan to protect itself from rising sea levels.

On Monday, URA said that it is studying ways to integrate coastal protection measures such as Long Island with future reclamation that are in the works.

“This could include creating a new reservoir to enhance our flood and water resilience. The ‘Long Island’ can be developed for new homes and integrated with coastal parks and recreational spaces,” it added.

Other strategies being reviewed to further optimise land space include creating more underground caverns to store goods or even house suitable industries. 

“They could also be connected by an underground logistics system to move goods efficiently and reduce surface road traffic,” URA said.

An illustration showing the Long Island site and a possible concept plan for the Marina East area.

Reducing carbon and heat generation is yet another part of the authority’s long-term planning strategy.

“The rise in temperatures will be exacerbated by the ‘urban heat island’ effect as cities absorb and retain more heat than rural areas,” it said.

To mitigate this effect, URA will adopt urban design strategies that can reduce heat accumulation, such as providing more open spaces around buildings.

At the same time, the use of sustainable and low-carbon materials and diversifying renewable energy supply are some of the decarbonising strategies being studied.

“We will continue to explore alternative energy supply options — such as low-carbon hydrogen, geothermal and nuclear to determine their suitability for Singapore and, where appropriate, adapt our infrastructure to support them.”

URA reiterated on Monday that pursuing sustainable development to ensure that present and future needs are met is the key to securing a sustainable future.

The public is invited to visit the Space for Our Dreams exhibition at The URA Centre on Maxwell Road until Aug 4, Mondays to Saturdays. Or view an online version and give feedback at go.gov.sg/ltprexhibit.

Related topics

URA Long Island rising sea levels recreation housing environment sustainability

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