Strengthening stewardship for built heritage

We will continue to work with Singaporeans and stakeholders to incorporate built heritage considerations more holistically, while striking a balance with other competing needs. For instance, we recently implemented a Heritage Impact Assessment framework that provides a more structured process to evaluate development projects that potentially impact built heritage.

We are also developing a structure plan that maps out our heritage and identity assets islandwide, such as identity nodes, conserved buildings, identity corridors and more. The concept of identity corridors aims to identify areas with rich elements of heritage, memories and unique landscapes, which will be seamlessly stitched together through urban design strategies. This can strengthen their distinctive characters and enhance visitors’ experience to these areas.

The structure plan would guide us in developing plans to improve our heritage assets in partnership with agencies and the community, such as making them more accessible to the public, and sensitive design interventions that allow Singaporeans to better appreciate our city’s rich heritage and identity.

Beyond conserving and retaining built heritage, agencies will also actively incorporate design elements in our housing towns to capture the area’s history and identity. For example, we have been working with the Singapore Institute of Planners and the Singapore Institute of Architects to develop concept ideas and proposals for the Paya Lebar Air Base site. We will also continue to partner community stakeholders to rejuvenate our heritage precincts, to ensure that they stay relevant and vibrant.