Long-Term Land Use Planning In Singapore

Abstract

The Singapore government has a well-deserved reputation for its long-term, forward looking approach to land use planning, earned largely because of its success in transforming the island-state from a chaotic ‘third-world’ country to the well-run city it is today. In recent years however, Singapore experienced rapid population growth, which threw the planning system out of gear because infrastructure growth could not catch up. In response to public concerns over the long-term viability of its population policies and the liveability of the island, in 2013, the Singapore government released a Population White Paper[1] as well as a forward-looking Land Use Plan articulating the government’s proposed land use and infrastructure development strategy to support a population of 6.9 million by 2030. Despite best intentions, the reactions to the Population White Paper and the accompanying Land Use Plan proved negative. The events leading up to the Population White Paper, and the subsequent public uproar over the government’s proposed population policy roadmap and Land Use Plan raised key questions about the efficacy of long-term land use planning in Singapore. This case looks to examine whether Singapore’s long-term planning over the years has been effective, and also explore how and why it may have fallen short.