Singapore Government Press Release
SPEECH BY MINISTER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MR MAH BOW TAN, AT THE GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE FIRST 40-STOREY HDB APARTMENT BLOCKS AT TOA PAYOH ON FRIDAY, 15 JUNE 2001 AT 10.30 AM
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Today marks another milestone in Singapore's public housing history – the move to panoramic higher-rise living represented by this ground-breaking ceremony for HDB's first 40-storey blocks.
High-Rise Living
When HDB was formed in 1960 to solve the massive problem of sub-standard and insufficient housing, it signalled the beginning of a lifestyle change for Singaporeans, from "kampong" living to high-rise and high-density living. Going upwards was a necessary move as our population was growing rapidly in the post-war years. But it was quite an adjustment for the people to shift from their kampongs and other low-rise buildings to the much taller HDB apartment blocks, even though the older ones were not very tall by today's standards. I recall that when the 20-storey Selegie House was completed in 1963, it became a landmark instantly.
Singaporeans have adapted fast and well to the new environment. In one generation, our living environment has been totally transformed. Younger Singaporeans today do not know what kampong living is. Today, more than nine out of ten Singaporeans stay in high-rise buildings. In fact, home buyers now seem to prefer higher floors because of the sense of privacy and the scenic views. Some even say the air is fresher and the environment quieter at higher levels. Whatever the reasons, they are willing to pay a premium for staying on higher floors. Building taller blocks therefore seems to meet the preference of a growing number of Singaporeans who wish to live on higher floors.
Overcoming Land Constraints
A more strategic reason for HDB to increase the height of its apartment blocks is to optimise land use. In land scarce Singapore, there is intense competition for housing, industrial, commercial and recreational space. We need to constantly balance these competing demands. Moreover, our population is still growing. Under the 2001 Concept Plan, we are projecting a population of 5.5 million people in 40 to 50 year's time. We therefore need to fully optimise our available land resources, and the best way to do this is by building taller buildings. This will allow us to continue to have sufficient open space and greenery to keep our neighbourhoods as pleasant as what we have been used to.
Building taller HDB apartment blocks affords other advantages. It allows us to build more housing units within the more mature HDB towns and estates, like Toa Payoh. This way, there will be more opportunities for those who prefer to live in these centrally-located mature estates. More married children will be able to stay near their parents who are living in these mature estates.
Intensifying housing developments in existing estates would also lessen the need to open up more new towns, thus preserving more space for greenery and other uses. I believe this is good news to many, as a recent survey by the Singapore Environment Council found that most Singaporeans want to preserve land for nature, rather than consume more land for homes or factories.
HDB’s 40-Storey Blocks
HDB will be building four 40-storey HDB apartment blocks in this part of Toa Payoh, and another two such blocks in Queenstown. We will consider constructing more 40-storey blocks, especially in areas without height constraints. These will include vacant land plots and areas around the MRT stations, as well as areas with low-rise buildings in mature estates where there is potential for high-density redevelopment.
HDB will harness the very latest in precast technology for this project. It will also be introducing a new Automated Building System (ABS) to construct one of the 40-storey blocks. The use of such state-of-the-art construction automation technology will further improve the quality of housing for our people. It will also require less skilled labour, which is in short supply in the industry.
Naturally, we aim to make living in such tall buildings just as convenient and comfortable, if not more so, than other forms of housing. These four 40-storey blocks in Toa Payoh will each be served by four lifts. Two of them will serve the first 21 storeys while two express lifts will serve the higher 19 storeys. Residents will thus be able to reach their homes easily, safely and quickly.
Conducive Living Environment
Even as we build taller apartment blocks, we must be careful that Singapore does not turn into a concrete jungle. We will do our utmost to maintain and enhance the ecological and aesthetic aspects of our overall living environment. The roof decks of the two multi-storey car parks in the Toa Payoh precinct will be landscaped. There will be a neighbourhood park just beside the blocks. There will be other greenery and recreational spaces in the precinct. Moreover, we will continue to have a wide range of building heights to create a varied and interesting skyline in our country. With careful planning, I am confident that we will continue to break new ground in public housing development and provide a comfortable living environment for ourselves, and for future generations to come.
It is now my great pleasure to declare the commencement of construction for the first 40-storey HDB apartment blocks.
------------