THE EMERGENCE AND FUTURE OF PRIVATE INDUSTRIAL ESTATES

Abstract

In 1961, Singapore began industrialisation because the government was concerned with the problem of mass unemploy¬ ment. A secondary concern was to remove the thinking that all industries are dirty and should be confined to the remo¬ test part of the island- In particular, it wanted the population to take up the challenge of blue-collar jobs. The United Nations Industrial Survey Mission, which was responsible for formulating the industrialisation programme, saw the need for proper planning of industrial estates so that a pleasant working enviroment might be created for the industrial workers. At that time, except for some planned industrial areas, there were no industrial estates, only industrial workshops which were scattered in the midst of residential areas. These premises were far from being pleasant workplaces and lacked many basic amenities and facilities. It was under these circumstances that the Jurong Industrial Estate was planned. This was the government's first major development scheme under the industrialisation programme- The private sector was not active in the develop¬ ment of industrial premises in those days dua to a general lack of interest as well as the availabilty of alternative investment opportunities. Rapid growth of the manufacturing sector brought about a shortage of industrial space which was soon felt. JTC, formed in 1967, took the lead in meeting this need. However, it was not very long before the the private developers realised that flatted factory development was a profitable venture in a land scarce city-state. HDD's success in developing Singapore's first flatted factory in 1965 provided the catalyst. This was to be the beginning of private industrial estates in Singapore. Today, after more than two decades, one may ask how have the private developers fared? What is the future for them? This dissertation seeks to answer these questions.