Almost 31ha of forested land in Bedok is expected to receive clearance by the end of 2029 to have a Bayshore Housing development that is expected to be ready by the middle of 2030. As per the recent environmental assessment report from Housing Board, the target areas have conservation value ranging from minor to moderate – mainly due to the lesser number of species with conservation, species with richness, and enhanced dominance of flora with non-native significance.
The reports reveal that the areas targeted for clearance are listed among the last substantial forests from eastern Singapore. Moreover, the construction activities in this area are expected to leave some irreversible effects, mainly due to the considerable loss of bird species and plants.
DHI Water & Environment consultancy conducted a study that included baseline surveys from April 25 to July 21 in the year 2022. It covered approximately 31.4 ha of a total development site of 60 ha which is equivalent to 84 football fields. This complete construction site is linked to Upper East Coast Road in the north direction; however, the south side is connected to East Coast Parkway. The areas that are not studied in this survey include some highly vegetated sites that are now cleared for leading MRT station-related construction activities.
The forested land of almost 31ha is expected to be cleared for the Bayshore area housing project and the residents here will be served by two main MRT stations in the coming years. The recent environmental survey was conducted to understand the impact of upcoming developments along with mitigation measures.
As per the urban redevelopment authority, plans for Bayshore developments have already been presented – including a long-term constriction plan review presented in an exhibition in the month of June that is expected to be surrounded by two main MRT stations in the future targeting Thomson-East Coast Line – Bedok South and Bayshore. This complete project is expected to serve people with 10,000 new homes with a mixture of private and public housing properties.
The proposed housing project is expected to be completed by the middle or end of the 2030s. The reports reveal that these site clearance activities will be conducted in three different phases. The first phase is expected to start in the year 2023 and the complete site clearance may complete by 2029. The housing construction may start after preparation works for the site get completed and then each project may require to take around 4 to 6 years for completion.
The majority of the study area was reclaimed as the land between the years 1966 to 1985. However, the one-third portion was classified to be a scrubland with the remaining quarter as land vegetation that is almost similar to various secondary forests that are loaded with the majority of non-native species. The report also reveals that the majority of the development area at this site is low-laying; therefore, it has to be raised almost up to 4m to ensure enhanced flood protection in the future.
Find out more from the page here, https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/31ha-of-forested-areas-in-bedok-to-make-way-for-10000-new-homes-in-bayshore
