Lifestyle changes ahead
By Linette Heng
The New Paper
Sunday, Feb 03, 2013
SINGAPORE - In the future, you will probably not own a car and will live a short distance from an MRT station.
Possibly, you will either live near your workplace with more commercial districts islandwide, or work from home.
This will reduce congestion on the roads as Singapore's population hits a high of 6.5 to 6.9 million in 2030. Eighty-five per cent will live within 400 m of a park by 2030.
These lifestyle changes were highlighted in the Land Use Plan, which was announced on Thursday following the Population White Paper.
The plan also projects that Singapore will need an additional 5,600 ha of land by 2030, which will be obtained through reclamation and developing reserve land.
Speaking at the sidelines at HDB Hub on Thursday, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan acknowledged that the projected population figures have caused many people to wonder if "the planners must be mad".
They are also concerned if their quality of life would remain the same or improve, he said.
The Minister assured Singaporeans that despite a larger population, a better quality of life is still possible with good planning and infrastructure which are built ahead of time.
Currently, Singapore's population density is about 11,000 people per sq km. In 2030, the population density will be about 13,000 per sq km.
This figure puts us ahead of New York, but behind cities like Seoul and Hong Kong.
The New Paper spoke to Singaporeans living in Hong Kong and Seoul, some of the most densely populated cities in Asia.
Mr Vince Chong, 36, a managing editor of a legal publisher and who has been living in Hong Kong since 2005, said: "I'm sure every Singaporean tourist to Hong Kong feels the same way; the one thing that hits you in the urban areas is the density at road level."
But in Seoul with an even higher population density than Hong Kong, unique urban planning means that the crowd is not felt.
Ms Lovey Chin, 36, head of global marketing, who has been living in Seoul for the past year, said: "Surprisingly, I don't feel the high population density in Seoul. They tend to use their buildings differently - mixed usage and underground space is used effectively."
With more people, it means a greater strain on transport and housing. Limited land would mean that public transport usage is targeted at 75 per cent by 2030, an increase from the current 60 per cent.
The rail network will be increased by 100km in 2021, with five new rail lines and extensions by 2030. Eight in 10 homes will be within 10 minutes of an MRT station.
Transport expert Michael Li from Nanyang Technological University said connectivity and commuting time are key issues that will encourage people to make the switch from private to public transport.
Prof Li said: "In terms of comfort level, it can never be comparable to private transport. But in terms of commuting time, it should be comparable.
"Drivers also need to realise the full cost of driving, in terms of the environment as well."
In Hong Kong and Seoul, an efficient transport system is a key component of their infrastructure. Ms Chin said: "Their subway is well planned and most people use them to avoid the traffic jams that plague the city.
"I drive in Seoul and I must say that the traffic is awful. Honestly, this really impacts the quality of life.
"The subway gets you to places 50 per cent faster, despite the human crush."
Civil servant Lilian Chen, 25, who lived in Hong Kong for four years, said: "It's more crowded there, but the trains and crowds move faster. "There are also mini buses running popular routes regularly."
Land Use Plan
In the Land Use Plan, it was announced that a total of 700,000 new homes will be built by 2030, with 200,000 of these homes completed by 2016.
Ms Catherine Lam, 23, who shuttles between Singapore and Hong Kong, has been living in the city for the past four years.
She thinks that housing policies make a difference.
Ms Lam, who moved to Singapore from Hong Kong when she was three and lived in a three-room flat in Tampines, raised the example of the "cage", a 15 sq ft space that some of the poor in Hong Kong call home.
Mr Chong said: "Housing prices in Singapore are now catching up to Hong Kong levels. But urban planning in Singapore is much better - at least you don't get windows so close that you can hear conversations in the other apartment."
Urban sociologist Ho Kong Chong from the National University of Singapore is concerned that living in closer proximity could result in a social and cultural cost.
"One victim would be the celebration of culture. Congestion could lead to less tolerance.
"Sound is an important way of celebration. Traditions, such as the Malay wedding, Thaipusam and the Chinese funeral, could be subjected to more regulation."
[email protected]
By Linette Heng
The New Paper
Sunday, Feb 03, 2013
SINGAPORE - In the future, you will probably not own a car and will live a short distance from an MRT station.
Possibly, you will either live near your workplace with more commercial districts islandwide, or work from home.
This will reduce congestion on the roads as Singapore's population hits a high of 6.5 to 6.9 million in 2030. Eighty-five per cent will live within 400 m of a park by 2030.
These lifestyle changes were highlighted in the Land Use Plan, which was announced on Thursday following the Population White Paper.
The plan also projects that Singapore will need an additional 5,600 ha of land by 2030, which will be obtained through reclamation and developing reserve land.
Speaking at the sidelines at HDB Hub on Thursday, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan acknowledged that the projected population figures have caused many people to wonder if "the planners must be mad".
They are also concerned if their quality of life would remain the same or improve, he said.
The Minister assured Singaporeans that despite a larger population, a better quality of life is still possible with good planning and infrastructure which are built ahead of time.
Currently, Singapore's population density is about 11,000 people per sq km. In 2030, the population density will be about 13,000 per sq km.
This figure puts us ahead of New York, but behind cities like Seoul and Hong Kong.
The New Paper spoke to Singaporeans living in Hong Kong and Seoul, some of the most densely populated cities in Asia.
Mr Vince Chong, 36, a managing editor of a legal publisher and who has been living in Hong Kong since 2005, said: "I'm sure every Singaporean tourist to Hong Kong feels the same way; the one thing that hits you in the urban areas is the density at road level."
But in Seoul with an even higher population density than Hong Kong, unique urban planning means that the crowd is not felt.
Ms Lovey Chin, 36, head of global marketing, who has been living in Seoul for the past year, said: "Surprisingly, I don't feel the high population density in Seoul. They tend to use their buildings differently - mixed usage and underground space is used effectively."
With more people, it means a greater strain on transport and housing. Limited land would mean that public transport usage is targeted at 75 per cent by 2030, an increase from the current 60 per cent.
The rail network will be increased by 100km in 2021, with five new rail lines and extensions by 2030. Eight in 10 homes will be within 10 minutes of an MRT station.
Transport expert Michael Li from Nanyang Technological University said connectivity and commuting time are key issues that will encourage people to make the switch from private to public transport.
Prof Li said: "In terms of comfort level, it can never be comparable to private transport. But in terms of commuting time, it should be comparable.
"Drivers also need to realise the full cost of driving, in terms of the environment as well."
In Hong Kong and Seoul, an efficient transport system is a key component of their infrastructure. Ms Chin said: "Their subway is well planned and most people use them to avoid the traffic jams that plague the city.
"I drive in Seoul and I must say that the traffic is awful. Honestly, this really impacts the quality of life.
"The subway gets you to places 50 per cent faster, despite the human crush."
Civil servant Lilian Chen, 25, who lived in Hong Kong for four years, said: "It's more crowded there, but the trains and crowds move faster. "There are also mini buses running popular routes regularly."
Land Use Plan
In the Land Use Plan, it was announced that a total of 700,000 new homes will be built by 2030, with 200,000 of these homes completed by 2016.
Ms Catherine Lam, 23, who shuttles between Singapore and Hong Kong, has been living in the city for the past four years.
She thinks that housing policies make a difference.
Ms Lam, who moved to Singapore from Hong Kong when she was three and lived in a three-room flat in Tampines, raised the example of the "cage", a 15 sq ft space that some of the poor in Hong Kong call home.
Mr Chong said: "Housing prices in Singapore are now catching up to Hong Kong levels. But urban planning in Singapore is much better - at least you don't get windows so close that you can hear conversations in the other apartment."
Urban sociologist Ho Kong Chong from the National University of Singapore is concerned that living in closer proximity could result in a social and cultural cost.
"One victim would be the celebration of culture. Congestion could lead to less tolerance.
"Sound is an important way of celebration. Traditions, such as the Malay wedding, Thaipusam and the Chinese funeral, could be subjected to more regulation."
[email protected]
It's not as if there's nowhere else to go. 
