EVOLUTION OF URBAN PLANNING IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Urban planning is to ensure optimal use of land and resources, creating a liveable place for people to live in and building up the basic infrastructure to necessitate economic growth. However, the plans would be futile if the end results do not meet the objectives. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the evolution of urban planning in Singapore with respect to its planning policies and strategies, and examine whether the objectives are met. Singapore has her first comprehensive Master Plan 1958 which proves to be inadequate. Help from the UN's planning consultants in the 1960s were sought for and hence subsequently came up with her first Concept Plan 1971, followed by 55 DGPs which replaced the old Master Plan 1958, Revised Concept Plan 1991 and eventually the Concept Plan 2001. As Singapore's grows, needs for housing, employment, transport, social services and open spaces changed over the years. Hence, plans for these components are carefully planned for. In the nation building years, the 2 main objectives in the early days that are to solve housing shortages and unemployment were evidently met with an oversupply of HDB flats in 2001 and unemployment improved to only 2.6% in 1982. Objectives in the 1970s (the Concept Plan 1971), were also mostly met. Singapore is now reputed for having the best airline and being one of the world's major ports. Urban renewal programme has progressed well and traffic problem were much relieved. Objectives in the much later years were mainly towards quality of living. In the future, quality of living will continue to be one of the main objective in urban planning in Singapore.