AIR RIGHTS FOR LAND USE PLANNING - AN APPROPRIATE CASE FOR SINGAPORE

Abstract

The Ministry of National Development recently released a plan proposal for the Jurong area which outlines several developments using air rights. The usage of air rights is a relatively new concept to Singapore’s planning strategies, but not a new idea in other cities. As the government plans for an active increase in Singapore’s population in upcoming years, it is important to examine how land use could be planned so as to juggle the increased demands for space while ensuring environmental sustainability. As such, air rights developments, which works with existing built up areas, is a possible tool for planning in the future. However, existing air rights usage is multi-faceted, taking on different meanings in different cities. This dissertation aims to examine two dominant but different definitions of air rights through the comparison of Hong Kong and New York City using land use planning frameworks. The former considers air rights as underutilized space above other buildups while the latter considers air rights as volumes that are transferable for development. The comparison starts by examining two underlying assumptions of intensification, growth and sustainability, and specifically how they apply to air rights. Following this, the details, contexts and pitfalls of air rights implementation are considered through the lens of public private partnerships. From there, an air rights model specific to the situation of Singapore is suggested from three different aspects.