Paya Lebar Air Base

Paya Lebar Air Base will be relocated from the 2030s onwards to make way for more homes within a new mixed-use district.

Last updated 2 June 2026

Peering down memory lane

A site rich in aviation history, Paya Lebar Airport officially opened on 20 August 1955 as Singapore's second civilian airport. It was converted into Paya Lebar Air Base after the opening of Changi Airport in 1981.

The former Paya Lebar Airport (ca. 1970s) was one of Asia's finest airports when it opened in 1955.

The next flight

From the 2030s onwards, the Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB) will make way for a new town in the east of Singapore. It will be redeveloped in phases, starting with Defu, a new-generation neighbourhood next to PLAB. The new town is envisioned to be community-centric and future-ready to cater to evolving needs and lifestyles. More workspaces will also be built for more people to live and work nearby.

Planning a new-generation town

The redevelopment of PLAB will be guided by the following strategies:

Creating

Creating self-sustaining, community-centric neighbourhoods with flexible community spaces.

Sketch of adult and kid playing in a park

Stitching

Stitching the town together with neighbouring communities, through transport, green and blue networks.

Sketch of a person with a bicycle in front of an airplane

Leveraging

Leveraging heritage, such as the old airport structures and a section of the runway, to curate spaces for new social memories.

Map of Sengkang, Hougang, Tampines and Bedok with overlaid colored areas denoting business hubs and commercial districts.

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Reimagining our neighbourhoods

To gather ideas and strategies for PLAB’s neighbourhoods, URA invited teams from the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) and the Singapore Institute of Planners (SIP) to develop concepts and visions for the future town.

5-minute interlaced township

By National University of Singapore (NUS)

A scalable pedestrian-centric neighbourhood where roads are planned at the borders with a good distribution of homes, jobs and amenities within.

Aerial plan view of a mixed-use urban development with buildings, green spaces, roads, and pedestrian areas. Includes community facilities and residential units.

Source: NUS

Conceptual Structure Plan (NUS)

The “module” neighbourhood is applied across the masterplan and anchored by two key elements - the repurposed runway and a central linear park. These “modules” are connected to one another via smaller linear parks and waterways that also promotes easy access to amenities within a 5-minute walk.

Map showing a planned urban area with labels for "Industry Zone," "Town Centre," and "Runway" locations.

A pedestrian-centric residential district with amenities.

Self-sustaining and community-centric neighbourhood

By Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) and Singapore Institute of Planners (SIP)

A set of self-sufficient urban modules called “Holons” with jobs and amenities that can function independently or come together to create interconnected neighbourhood in different sizes.

Diagram showing four nested square city blocks of varying size, labeled HOLON with different population densities.

Source: SIA, SIP

Conceptual Master Plan (SIA, SIP)

“Holon” units can come together to form large neighbourhoods, each with a sizeable centralised park. This concept looks to retain the runway while distributing greenery more widely across the area through neighbourhood parks.

Map of Sengkang, Hougang, and Bedok showing the current runway and a typical "Holon 1000" area.

Homes and amenities around a neighbourhood park.

Quality living in a town of tomorrow

Seamless multi-modal movement for all

Comprehensive walking and cycling networks, the upcoming Cross Island Line and transit priority corridors will enable people of different ages and types of mobility to get around without a car.

City street scene with high-rise buildings, trees, a bus, and people on sidewalks under a blue sky.

Live-work-play-learn-make-rest

Spaces can be creatively integrated for different activities in novel combinations. This enables new living patterns that combine homes with various amenities, work and community spaces to create vibrant neighbourhoods.

Illustration of a park with people, a building, and a plane on a stand, viewed through foliage.

Flexible and resilient community

Multi-functional and adaptable spaces can evolve with changing needs while supporting community interactions and nurturing a sense of belonging. They include flexible spaces that can be adapted to different uses and needs throughout the day.

Illustration of a busy, green town square with people walking, shopping, and socializing in modern buildings.

Harmonious blend of nature and heritage

By integrating some elements of the aviation heritage and natural assets into the daily lives of the new community, we recall the past and create spaces for new memories.

Illustration of a community space with apartments, split between day and night, depicting people enjoying the area.

Shaping a future-ready neighbourhood in Defu

Being immediately next to PLAB, Defu will be redeveloped first as a community-oriented 10-minute neighbourhood. The planned civic heart will encompass some of the former airport buildings that will be adaptively reused to foster social memories of the area’s rich aviation history. Transport, green and blue networks will effectively stitch up the whole neighbourhood.

Share with us your ideas for the next generation neighbourhood where you can live, work and play at your doorstep!

Map of Hougang and Paya Lebar, Singapore, showing planned business, civic, and residential areas, and transit connections.

Better below

Logistics activities such as e-commerce sorting hub can potentially be built underground or integrated within multi-storey carparks (i.e. courier hubs).

Conceptual section view of a mixed-use urban development plan with residential towers and business hubs.