A DECISION-MAKING FRAMEWORK IN LAND-USE PLANNING: A CASE STUDY ON CONSERVATION OF NATURE AREAS

Abstract

As Singapore enters into the 21st century, it is timely to evaluate the decision-making framework in land-use planning with respect to nature conservation. With higher standards of living, Singaporeans have grown to be more aware of their natural environment. Although Singapore already has a comprehensive land-use planning system, there is a need to supplement it with a more rigorous decision-making framework1 to incorporate nature conservation issues in land-use planning and to resolve conflicts that may arise amongst the various stakeholders. From a literature review, the study proposed a decision-making framework and used Khatib Bongsu (KB), a nature area as a case study to validate it. The framework is coupled with evaluative techniques to demonstrate how conflicts amongst stakeholders can be addressed and how nature areas can be valued in the process of arriving at an equitable decision. Overall, an adaptive approach together with collaborative learning and analysis-centred decision-making mode were proposed to enhance the process. Contingent Choice Method, a technique that measures non-use value was tested via a paired rating survey. The survey showed that nature area is generally preferred to man-made parks. The responses were mainly dependent on perceptions of KB's ecological state rather than on the strategic issues. Inferred from the Willingness to Pay by respondents, the intrinsic value of KB is estimated to be $4.25million. With the adoption of an appropriate framework and techniques, this study seeks to provide insights in formulating more sound decisions in conservation of nature areas to facilitate land-use planning.