8 highlights from URA's latest draft masterplan

More housing areas, parks and integrated community hubs are in the works, based on the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) Draft Master Plan 2025, which was unveiled on June 25.

- Ng Keng Gene

From now till Nov 29, the new blueprint, which guides Singapore's development for the next 10 to 15 years, is being exhibited at the URA Centre. It will also make stops across the island from Aug 2 to Nov 9.

Here are eight highlights from the Draft Master Plan 2025 exhibition.

NEW NEIGHBOURHOODS

New public and private homes are in the works for areas such as Kranji—at the former Singapore Racecourse—and Dover, while about 5,000 new private homes will be built in Newton.

New neighbourhoods will also be established in Paterson—where 1,000 private homes will be added alongside a new mixed-use development above Orchard MRT station—as well as Defu, which is next to Paya Lebar Air Base.

The housing mix in the Defu area, where there are currently industrial businesses, is still under study.

These new housing areas add to others that will be developed in the longer term, such as at Sembawang Shipyard, the former Bukit Timah Turf City, Marina South, the Greater Southern Waterfront, Pearl's Hill and Mount Pleasant.

NEW INTEGRATED COMMUNITY HUBS

Three new integrated community hubs will be built within the next 10 to 15 years in Sengkang, Woodlands North and Yio Chu Kang.

To be located near existing MRT stations, each of the hubs will combine sports facilities, healthcare and community spaces.

They are akin to other integrated developments such as Our Tampines Hub, which has a regional library, a community club, a football field and a hawker centre, among other amenities.