URA's reply, 12 Mar 2022
We thank Mr Tan Eng Kwang for his letter, “Divert office demand to regional centres” (March 8). Our approach to planning for regional centres islandwide, such as the existing Tampines Regional Centre and Paya Lebar Central, and the future Jurong Lake District and Punggol Digital District, seeks to provide residents with a good distribution of job opportunities and amenities closer to where they live, reduce traffic congestion during peak hours and also present businesses with a variety of locations and spaces to meet their evolving needs. At the same time, we have introduced plans to rejuvenate the Central Business District (CBD) to sustain its role as a global business hub, while strengthening its vibrancy and relevance. For example, the CBD Incentive Scheme encourages developers and building owners to include more mixed uses when redeveloping older office buildings, to create more vibrant neighbourhoods with a good variety of amenities and uses. As part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Long-Term Plan Review, we are studying how greater flexibility for land use can be incorporated as part of these plans, to accommodate changing trends in the longer term. Areas which we are closely monitoring include the possibility of a more permanent shift towards remote working and hybrid work arrangements, longer-term demand for office space in both the CBD and regional centres, as well as other technological and socio-economic developments. As we do so, we will continue to review and adjust our plans in tandem with these shifts. To support remote and hybrid working needs in the shorter term that have been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, we are working with several agencies to implement community work spaces and work booths within residential towns. For example, the People’s Association and the Housing and Development Board have recently collaborated with private operator Switch to pilot work booths at Bukit Timah Community Club and Trivelis Residents’ Network Centre in Clementi, which are equipped with Wi-Fi, power sockets and other amenities. HDB has also piloted work booths within six HDB commercial complexes including Canberra Plaza and Oasis Terraces. Some of our community clubs such as Woodlands Community Club have also opened their spaces for work purposes in recent months. We will continue to work closely with agencies to explore and introduce more conducive work spaces near home.
Adele Tan Group Director (Strategic Planning) Urban Redevelopment Authority