REJUVENATION OF TANGLIN HALT INDUSTRIAL ESTATE : INDUSTRIALISTS' REQUIREMENTS

Abstract

The performance of the economy is closely linked to that of the manufacturing sector. The world's leading economies are usually supported by industries that perform well. Likewise, a sluggish manufacturing sector may also slow down the growth of a country's economy. For the manufacturing sector to perform well, the quality of the resources available is very important. In Singapore, where natural resources are lacking, the quality of our land and labour resources plays an important part in the growth of our economy. The quality of our labour has been greatly enhanced through education and training. As for our land resource, its scarcity has prompted the government to plan and make the best use of our limited land available. In Singapore, the earliest industrial estates were built when the nation embarked on the industrialisation program in the 1960s. These estates housed many of Singapore's pioneer industries and has contributed greatly to the growth of the local manufacturing sector and economy. With changes in technology and scale of operation in many industries, the older generation of industrial estates are no longer efficiently catering to the needs of modem industrialists. In a bid to improve the quality of the industrial facilities in Singapore, some of the older industrial estates have been earmarked for rejuvenation. Tanglin Halt Industrial Estate, one of the first industrial estates in Singapore, will be the first of such estates to undergo a rejuvenation program. A rejuvenated industrial estate must be equipped with modern facilities and must be able to meet the requirements of the industrialists. Thus, it is important to know these requirements before the design and construction work commence. In this way, the authorities can build according to the needs of potential industries that may be located there. The suitability of the estate as an industrial location must also be ensured. The survey results indicated that Tanglin Halt Industrial Estate is a popular location with the present tenants in the study area. However, the estate is presently not fully utilised as an industrial location due to its lack of modern facilities. Thus, features such as amenity centres, flexible internal layouts and ample parking and loading space are recommended for the rejuvenated industrial estate.