World News
Singapore housing development plans spark public opposition over forest clearing
Protests and petitions follow government proposals to rezone portions of Maju and Gillman forests for public housing.
The short version
- Singapore's Housing and Development Board proposed clearing roughly 15 hectares of Maju Forest and at least 10 hectares of Gillman Forest to construct new homes.
- The announcement triggered public opposition, including petitions signed by over 60,000 people and a rally of more than 2,000 attendees at Speakers' Corner.
- Government officials cited high demand for public housing and limited land, but later committed to retaining more green space than originally planned, which will reduce the final number of homes built.
Key facts
- The Housing and Development Board announced plans to clear about 15 of Maju Forest's 23 hectares and at least 10 hectares of Gillman Forest for residential development.[Al Jazeera]
- Petitions opposing the housing projects have gathered more than 60,000 signatures, and over 2,000 people attended a rally at Speakers' Corner organised by SG Climate Rally.[Al Jazeera]
- Official environmental impact assessments revealed that Gillman Forest hosts 178 animal species and Maju Forest hosts 113, including the critically endangered straw-headed bulbul and the Sunda pangolin.[Al Jazeera]
- Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan stated in parliament that public housing launches were oversubscribed more than four times, citing high demand and limited land availability.[Al Jazeera]
- The government subsequently pledged to preserve more green space than the initial targets of 40 percent in Gillman Forest and 35 percent in Maju Forest.[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- The exact amount of additional green space to be preserved and the corresponding reduction in housing units have not yet been finalized by authorities.[Al Jazeera]