Singapore gears up for new infrastructure projects
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently announced plans for a major project to be built next to Changi Airport Terminal 5 in his National Day Rally Speech on 21 August at the Institute of Technical Education headquarters in Ang Mo Kio.
The “new business and lifestyle destination” will be called Changi East Urban District.
“This will be a new business and lifestyle destination, creating more jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans.”
Aside from the business and lifestyle centre, he also highlighted plans for Changi Airport Terminal 5 and Tuas Port.
The government put plans for Terminal 5 on hold for two years because of COVID-19. During this time, the design was improved to be more resilient and be able to operate with improved safety and flexibility, especially during a pandemic.
The government also assessed that the long-term opportunities for air travel in Singapore remain positive, especially with the fast-growing middle-class.
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T5 is located within the 1,080-hectare Changi East development site and will be built in phases to handle about 50 million passenger movements per year when completed.
According to PM Lee, it is crucial to upgrade the airport and seaport to put the country on the world stage since they connect Singapore to the world and maintain the country’s status as a thriving business and trading hub.
“Our decisions to press on with Changi Terminal 5 and Tuas Port send a strong and clear signal to the world that Singapore is emerging stronger from the pandemic and charging full steam ahead,” said PM Lee.
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T5 will be a resilient and sustainable terminal that leverages technology to enhance passenger experience and increase productivity.
Port operations are set to be consolidated into a single mega-port in Tuas, despite existing terminals at Brani, Tanjong Pagar, Keppel, and Pasir Panjang working fine.
The project would free up prime waterfront land to improve the Greater Southern Waterfront from Shenton Way to Paris Panjang.
Tuas Port operations have already started, and it was able to open 24/7 during the pandemic and handle extra load volume at a time when most countries around the world experienced long delays due to congestion.
He also gave updates on the Paya Lebar Air Base relocation, which is set to involve over 150,000 new homes, both private and public, to be built on-site in the 800-hectare area.
According to PM Lee, the 3.8-km runway can become the town’s central spine and serve as a community space. The town can also be aligned along the runway to make it breezier since the orientation is set in the direction of prevailing winds without crosswinds. This way, residents can save on air conditioning.
“Paya Lebar is just one example of how we are reimagining and transforming Singapore,” he stated.
Image sources: Changiairport.com – Changi East
PM Lee shares about T5 in his 2022 National Day Rally Speech
Video Source: Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore YouTube Channel
Image sources: Changi Airport Group
