Tenancies for Turf City tenants to be extended until 31 December 2023

1.             The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) announced today that the tenancies of tenants at Turf City will be extended until 31 December 2023. This will be the final extension granted to tenants as agencies plan preparation works for future residential development at the site, taking into account the lead time required for future land preparation works.

2.             The Turf City site has been safeguarded for future residential use since the Master Plan 1998, after the relocation of the Turf Club to Kranji (current Singapore Racecourse) was announced in 1993. This is to cater to future housing demand and provide a variety of housing choices in terms of location, density mix and forms to meet the diverse housing needs and aspirations of Singaporeans.

3.       The SLA has been managing Turf City since 1999, and has been leasing out the site for lifestyle and recreational uses on an interim basis, as there had been no immediate development plans for the site. Today, SLA has 15 tenancies in Turf City for various uses which include retail, F&B, sports and recreation, childcare centres and motor vehicle showrooms, among others. The original tenancies for these interim uses were for periods until 31 December 2020.

4.       In 2019, SLA granted an 18-month extension to the tenancies, from 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2022, allowing the interim uses to continue operating while development plans for the site were being studied.

5.       Having considered the lead time required to prepare the site for future development, SLA will grant a final 18-month extension to 31 December 2023 for tenants to make the necessary transition plans. Agencies have informed the tenants that there will be no further extension beyond 31 December 2023.

6.      Notwithstanding this, agencies have also informed a tenant, Bukit Timah Saddle Club (BTSC), that about 0.8ha within its tenanted boundary is needed for a worksite to support tunnelling works for the Cross Island Line, and have requested BTSC to return the affected area from 1^st Half 2023.  Agencies will work closely with BTSC to minimise any disruption to their business operations.

7.       Agencies are studying the development plans for the Turf City site, with land preparation works scheduled to commence after the tenancies end in 31 December 2023. As part of the planning process, detailed technical studies such as environmental and heritage studies are being carried out to ensure that the site is developed sensitively. When ready, agencies will engage relevant stakeholders to share more about the plans for the site and seek their feedback

8.       Agencies will continue to engage stakeholders to facilitate their transition plans. Tenants and sub-tenants may wish to consider participating in open tenders for State land/properties. SLA will also work closely with tenants on the return of State land/properties at the Turf City site.

Issued by

Singapore Land Authority

Urban Redevelopment Authority

30 September 2021

An aerial view of the former Bukit Timah Fire Station community node with a mix of lifestyle, food, educational and entertainment offerings, as well as generous public spaces © Homestead Holland Pte Ltd

Members of the public will be able to take up allotment garden plots and be part of the larger farming community comprising a seed farm, learning garden, demonstration garden and a farm-to-table restaurant © Homestead Holland Pte Ltd

The former staff quarters will be fitted with lightweight timber and steel exoskeletal structures that not only function as vertical green walls to improve thermal comfort but also serve as external walkways that overlook a central food street © Homestead Holland Pte Ltd

Homestead Holland Pte Ltd is helmed by Homestead Group Asia (HGA), TE Capital Partners, locally-based French architectural designers WY-TO, and local firm Provolk Architects who have worked closely with collaborators including conservationist Studio Lapis, urban farmers Edible Garden City and placemaker Shophouse & Co in developing the proposal. It will be awarded a tenancy of 3+3+3 years for the interim adaptive use of the site, with their tenancy to commence in the fourth quarter of 2021. Restoration works for the site are expected to commence around the end of 2021, with the community node tentatively scheduled to open to the public around the second quarter of 2022.

Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development said, “We have been progressively enhancing the Rail Corridor over the past few years to create a continuous green corridor for nature, recreation and community use. The former Bukit Timah Fire Station will be added as a recreational node along the Rail Corridor to serve as a base for visitors to explore the surrounding nature areas and heritage attractions. We will be implementing sustainable solutions with creative adaptive reuse of the site, in line with our Singapore Green Plan 2030 ambitions to push for greener buildings and to build a more climate resilient nation. For instance, at the former staff quarters, there will be structures that function as green walls to improve thermal comfort and reduce heat gain, and serve as external walkways to connect the various blocks as well. Separately, the former Station Master’s residence will be re-purposed by NParks into a Visitor Centre to showcase Singapore’s nature parks. They will also explore plans to connect the former Bukit Timah Fire Station to the Rail Corridor trail and other green spaces such as Bukit Batok Nature Park. Visitors can look forward to the former Bukit Timah Fire Station being transformed into a thriving community node, and this will provide another convenient access point into the Rail Corridor.”

Issued by:

Urban Redevelopment Authority

Singapore Land Authority

National Parks Board

Building and Construction Authority

16 September 2021

^[1] Reinventing Cities is a global competition organised by the C40 to implement carbon neutral and sustainable urban features within underutilised sites in cities across the world. Member cities can identify potential sites for international bidder teams (comprising developers, architects, environmentalists and other professionals) to collaborate on and make a submission to implement innovative carbon neutral and sustainable urban features for the list of sites in the competition. Visit www.c40reinventingcities.org for more information.