SINGAPORE - An upcoming private residential neighbourhood near the Kallang River could be the first of its kind in Singapore to have one parking space for every two residential units.

Kampong Bugis, a 17ha area which will be ready in one to two years' time, is one of three new precincts which aim to be car-lite, more green and open, and have community spaces such as public parks and courtyards.

At the moment, most private residential estates have one parking space per residential unit.

The range-based carparking standards introduced in 2005 give builders of residential projects in certain zones, including the Central Business District, the option of providing up to 20 per cent fewer carpark spaces than under the Car Parking Standards.

A new exhibition by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) launched on Monday (Oct 16) shows how these concepts could be actualised in three upcoming precincts: Kampong Bugis, Holland Plain and Bayshore.

Speaking at the launch of the Our Neighbourhoods: A Look Into The Future exhibition on Monday, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said: "With better connectivity, we hope more residents will choose public transport, and support our overall move to a car-lite society.

"Doing so means the planners can set aside less space for roads and carparks in the precinct... (and) free up space at the ground level."

The three precincts will be more "walkable". For instance, rather than having entire condominiums enclosed by perimeter walls or fencing, these properties could be broken up by public walkways and public amenities into smaller clusters of gated or card-access blocks.

This, along with more commercial and community spaces on the ground floor of buildings - such as those at One North Residences in Buona Vista - would give the neighbourhood a more "open" feel, said the URA.

Kampong Bugis, which will have about 4,000 private residential units, aims to be a “car-lite pedestrian haven”. It will be within walking distance of the Kallang, Lavender and upcoming Bendemeer MRT stations.



An artist's impression of Kallang Riverside Park with water sensitive design features. PHOTO: URA



A new underpass and footbridge in Crawford Street will connect to Sims Avenue, and the planned extension of the Bishan-to-city cycling route - which crosses Kampong Bugis - will make it possible for residents to cycle to the city in 15 minutes.

In place of traditional fences, Kampong Bugis could have "softer" barriers such as vegetation.

The precinct will also contain various environmentally friendly features - two of which are a first for a private residential district.

The neighbourhood's stormwater run-off will be cleansed before it is discharged into the Marina Reservoir, with the help of water cleansing features incorporated extensively.

A district-level pneumatic waste conveyance system will also be adopted. Each building will have separate chutes for waste and recyclables, which will be collected at one central station using an enclosed "vacuum" system - so that fewer refuse collection trucks have to ply the area.

Bayshore, near East Coast Park, will be launched after 2024 and have about 12,500 units of private and public housing. Its roads and carparks could, in the future, be converted into spaces for other purposes, and this will be taken into consideration during the design process.



Artist's impression showing the provision of more parks, open spaces and courtyards in Bayshore will provide more common living rooms. PHOTO: URA



The 60ha neighbourhood will also feature a 1km "community spine" - a main street lined with trees, shops, cafes and parks.

Meanwhile, Holland Plain, at about 34ha, will have up to 2,500 private residential units and be near the Rail Corridor and existing park connector. It is scheduled to be ready from 2021 onwards.



Artist's impression of proposed wetland park along Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal at Holland Plain, with water management and recreational features. PHOTO: URA



The URA is seeking public feedback on these proposals, which will be exhibited at The URA Centre Atrium till Nov 20, from 9am to 6pm on weekdays. Admission is free.

The public can give feedback at the exhibition, or do so online at ura.sg/futurehoods