Planning a liveable, resilient and inclusive city for the next normal
The past year has been one of many firsts and a harbinger of what the future holds. Like most cities globally, the COVID-19 crisis has deeply impacted our lives in unprecedented ways and is a stark reminder that the future could be anything but normal. Singaporeans have had to adapt to new ways of living, working, learning and bonding – working and schooling remotely, harnessing technology for business and daily needs, and interacting with one another differently in our urban spaces.
The pandemic also brought to the fore other pressing issues that we and future generations have to be prepared for, such as economic and technological disruptions, rapidly-evolving social and demographic trends, and the existential threat of climate change.
Leaders worldwide are therefore rethinking priorities and operating models of cities, so as to respond quickly to the increasingly volatile and ambiguous operating environment. While Singapore is no exception, our unique circumstance as a highly compact and land-scarce city-state necessitates a long-term, integrated and consultative approach to planning.
To sustain a good quality living environment today and for the future, our plans must be agile, resilient and inclusive. URA's work in the past year highlighted our commitment to safeguard Singapore and our way of life, by equipping our city not only for the new normal, but also for the next normal.
Our city's development blueprint has come a long way since independence. Against all odds, Singapore has transformed into one of the best cities in the world1 through far-sighted planning, which allows us to judiciously steward our limited land, balance diverse needs and guide sustainable development.
Resiliency and flexibility have always underpinned URA’s planning approach. The planning of mixed-use economic gateways islandwide, such as Jurong Lake District and Woodlands Regional Centre, has allowed us to optimise land and create thriving hubs for businesses, recreation and new homes. In the same vein, being flexible in planning enabled us to quickly leverage and convert various State properties and mixed-use spaces into quarantine and vaccination facilities. This was invaluable in helping to combat the spread of COVID-19.
For Singapore to thrive beyond current and future uncertainties, URA is continuing to plan far ahead. Notably, URA has embarked on the Long-Term Plan Review (LTPR) to chart Singapore’s future for the next 50 years and beyond. The LTPR involves working with the public, academia and industry to understand future development possibilities and their implications on land use. Through this process, URA aims to develop flexible and inclusive long-term strategies to better anticipate and capitalise on emerging trends, and to ensure that sufficient land continues to be protected for later generations.
Harnessing digital technology for a better quality of life
The acceleration of digital transformation has catalysed widespread adoption of digital tools by governments, businesses and citizens.
URA understood early on that data and digital technologies can enhance the way urban planners plan and design cities, and stayed ahead of the curve by developing and fine-tuning our data capabilities. This made us more agile in responding to citizens’ needs, as shown by the swift development and roll-out of the Space Out platform before the Circuit Breaker, which enabled citizens to check crowd levels at over 500 locations across Singapore.
To push the boundaries of data-driven planning, URA took on a new role as the Whole-of-Government Centre of Excellence (CentEx) for Urban Planning and Design Platforms. As the new CentEx, we will drive deeper technology-enabled transformation of Singapore’s planning system. This will provide Singapore with the adaptability and insights needed to weather multi-faceted urban complexities and to plan for better tomorrows.
Driving research and innovation
URA has continued to innovate and invest in research to ensure that we stay attuned to the current and future needs of Singapore.
To support a more sustainable future city, we took strides towards facilitating the deployment of autonomous and electric vehicles on our roads. URA partnered stakeholders to trial the viability of using autonomous robots for last-mile deliveries and launched Singapore’s first tender to install electric vehicle charging points in public car parks.
Sustaining a delightful living environment
COVID-19 highlighted the importance of designing distinctive and healthy cities, where city dwellers have access to safe and endearing spaces for active living and respite.
To support Singapore’s vision of becoming a “City in Nature”, URA has continued to prioritise plans for green spaces, by taking a science-based approach to expand our nature networks and integrate even more greenery into our urban environment. For instance, the reopening of Rail Corridor (Central) with enhanced features has made this green spine more inclusive and accessible for people of all ages and abilities.
The urban fabric is also enriched when we plan and design sensitively to shape delightful and distinctive spaces. For example, we continued to work with the community on proposals for the Paya Lebar Air Base site. Our hope is to develop plans that stitch the area with adjoining towns and integrate new and old elements so that future generations get to experience and enjoy a new district anchored to its rich aviation heritage.
Developing safe and vibrant public spaces
As we continue to create spaces that bolster a vibrant cityscape, prioritising wellness and safety has become equally important. To this end, URA supported our pilot Business Improvement Districts and businesses in activating spaces in a safe manner, through creative design interventions and exercising flexibility for businesses to continue using their premises for lower-risk activities. Singaporeans also ushered in the new year with our signature Marina Bay Singapore Countdown taking on a safer but no less visually vibrant format.
As part of national efforts in keeping the community safe, URA also deployed Safe Distancing Ambassadors and Enforcement Officers, and retrofitted properties to safely house our migrant workers during the pandemic.
In the new normal and beyond, cities will face the dilemma of ensuring safety whilst maintaining well-utilised public spaces. Nevertheless, I am confident that URA is in good stead to ensure a high-quality urban environment for all Singaporeans to live, work and play safely in.
To foster empathic, inclusive and well-loved cities that reflect citizens’ needs and preferences, planning must be people-centric. This is why URA has continued to step up engagement efforts in the past year to co-create plans with Singaporeans. URA involved a robust community of stakeholders and volunteers to grow understanding and collaboration in city planning. The enhanced Rail Corridor (Central) for instance, was a product of extensive public engagement. In fact, it has been 10 years since we embarked on partnering the community to shape plans for the Rail Corridor.
Several private-public partnerships were also forged to help Singapore emerge stronger. To strengthen public health resilience, URA partnered agencies and industry to develop prototypes for better dormitory design, and collaborated with venue operators to provide the public with crowd level information for malls, supermarkets, stadiums and other public venues.
Co-creation empowers citizens with an invaluable sense of belonging to a Singapore that they have helped to shape. In the coming year, URA will engage Singaporeans extensively to understand their hopes and aspirations for the future, and partner them as stewards of this land to shape a collective vision for a liveable, resilient and inclusive home.
I would like to thank URA’s partners and Singaporeans for their contributions in the past year. I look forward to seeing our organisation learn and grow through more partnerships, idea exchanges, and joint ventures in the year ahead.
My sincere gratitude also goes to URA staff for their professionalism, dependability and sacrifices during a challenging time, and for going the extra mile to create a better and safer city and home for all.
Peter Ho Hak Ean Chairman
1 Singapore ranked 11th in the 2020 edition of the Schroders Global Cities Index, which measures impact scores for around 900 cities across economic, environmental, innovation and transportation factors.