# More greenery retained, fewer homes planned for Maju Forest, Gillman Barracks sites after public feedback

- **Source:** Channel NewsAsia
- **Published:** 2026-08-14T05:30:00.000Z
- **Author:** Erin Liam
- **Original:** https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/maju-forest-sunset-way-gillman-barracks-alvin-tan-mnd-hdb-6318816
- **Topics:** HDB & Public Housing, Government & Policy, Sustainability & PropTech

## Featured rationale

The reduced housing provision could constrain future supply at both locations, while potentially improving the environmental appeal of the eventual developments and surrounding neighbourhoods.

## AI summary

The government will retain more greenery than originally planned at Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks, resulting in fewer homes at both sites.

## Original article

SINGAPORE: The government will retain more greenery than originally planned at Sunset Way and Gillman Barracks following public feedback, and that would mean fewer homes, said Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan on Friday (Aug 14). Speaking to reporters near Block 103 Clementi Street 14, outside Maju Forest, Mr Tan said the government is "looking to make adjustments" to the current plans for both sites , which were already developed in consultation with nature groups. While formal consultations closed on Aug 6, the government has continued to engage and hear from various stakeholders. "Residents and the general public too have asked us to retain more greenery. We will take these suggestions into consideration as we make the adjustments," he said on Friday. "Now, with the changes, we will have even more greenery on both areas than originally planned. We will work out exactly how much more, but we will have to accept that this means we can build fewer homes on both sides for fellow Singaporeans." The Housing and Development Board (HDB) announced on Jul 10 that it would build new homes at Gillman Barracks and Sunset Way following the completion of environmental and heritage studies. About 15ha of Maju Forest at Sunset Way and at least 10ha of forest at Gillman Barracks may be cleared to make room for these housing developments. The proposed redevelopment has drawn public outcry, with residents and nature groups calling for stronger environmental safeguards . At an engagement session for the proposed residential development at Sunset Way on Jul 17, some residents told CNA they were worried about overdevelopment and the effects of deforestation, and said they remained unsettled.

Mr Tan said on Friday that the government had set aside some greenery and forested areas in the current plan. "But the current plan was never final. Now, based on feedback we received so far, we plan to make further adjustments to the plan," he added. For Gillman Barracks, the current plan includes green spaces equivalent to 40 per cent of these spaces. This includes important features such as most of the native-dominated secondary forest, the entire forest stream, and also ecological connections to neighbouring parks and Labrador Nature Reserve. Nature groups have asked authorities to consider maintaining a wider central green corridor that enhances the north-south connectivity towards Telok Blangah Hill Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, and Berlayer Creek Nature Park, as well as the east-west connectivity towards HortPark and Mount Faber Park, he said.

For Maju Forest, the current plan retains around 35 per cent of the forested areas, including the native-dominated secondary forest, a natural freshwater stream, its surrounding riparian buffer and the former Jurong railway line, to maintain ecological connectivity. "Similarly, nature groups have emphasised the importance of enhancing ecological connection by widening the green corridor. Now, this will allow a more contiguous vegetated area for animals to forage," he said. The government is still receiving feedback and aims to finalise the plans "over the coming month or so". Mr Tan added that they value all inputs and voices from Members of Parliament (MPs) such as Ms Sim Ann, Mr Christopher de Souza and Ms Rachel Ong, who have been "advocating hard on behalf of the residents", as well as nature groups and members of the public. "They are all playing their part to help us meet the housing needs of our fellow Singaporeans and to achieve our vision of a city in nature," he said.

Speaking to the media, president of the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) Leong Kwok Peng said their "highest aspiration" is that the forest is not touched by development. "But if you have to develop, could we work harder in terms of planning to see how we can ensure that the forest is sizeable enough as a habitat - not just as a linear corridor - but a forest habitat," he added. "Something that (has) a bit more volume, not a slice of land and a patch of stream up there. Something that is all-encompassing." He suggested two-thirds of the forest could be retained. NSS has given their feedback in closed-door and one-to-one meetings with the Ministry of National Development (MND), he said, adding that he hoped HDB will share a summary of the feedback it has received so far. Mr Leong said the response from the public has “kind of shocked” him. “I think Maju Forest has taken a life of its own,” he said. “Having said that, (it's) quite heartening to see the youth and the local MPs are very active in engaging the constituents, the residents about it. So I think the conversation has not completed, and I think the conversation can just go on for a bit longer.”

Earlier this month, Mr Tan said in parliament that plans for the sites were not finalised, after MPs filed 18 parliamentary questions on the issues. He said then that the environmental and heritage studies being done for both sites were “not meant to justify a detailed plan that is already fixed”. He also stressed that the government values heritage and green spaces, but also wants Singaporeans and future generations to have access to affordable public housing. "I wish we had an abundance of land, so we can provide all of these without having to make trade-offs. But that is not our reality," he said. Following the closure of the public consultation period, HDB and MND said in a Facebook post on Aug 7 that they would continue to engage stakeholders as they review the plans. "We are carefully reviewing all the feedback received. Once ready, we will publish a report summarising the feedback and agencies’ responses before finalising the detailed development plans," they added.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### 听取公众意见后，马裕森林与吉尔曼军营地段将保留更多绿地、规划更少住房

两处地段的拟议开发引发公众强烈反对，居民和自然团体呼吁加强环境保障。

新加坡：国家发展部政务部长陈圣辉星期五（8月14日）表示，政府将根据公众反馈，在日落路和吉尔曼军营保留比原计划更多的绿地，这意味着住房数量会减少。陈圣辉在金文泰街14巷103座附近、马裕森林外向记者表示，政府正“考虑调整”这两处地段的现有规划，而这些规划此前已与自然团体协商制定。正式咨询虽已于8月6日结束，政府仍继续接触并听取各方持份者意见。他星期五说：“居民和普罗大众也要求我们保留更多绿地。我们在作出调整时会把这些建议纳入考量。”“现在，随着调整，这两个区域将比原计划拥有更多绿地。我们会敲定具体增加多少，但必须接受这意味着两边能为新加坡同胞建造的住房会更少。”建屋发展局（HDB）于7月10日宣布，在环境和遗产研究完成后，将在吉尔曼军营和日落路兴建新住房。日落路马裕森林约15公顷、以及吉尔曼军营至少10公顷森林，可能被清除以为这些住宅发展腾出空间。拟议重建引发公众强烈反对，居民和自然团体呼吁加强环境保障。在7月17日针对日落路拟议住宅发展的交流会上，一些居民告诉CNA，他们担心过度开发和砍伐森林的影响，并表示仍感到不安。

陈圣辉星期五表示，政府在现有规划中已预留部分绿地和林区。他补充说：“但现有规划从来不是最终方案。现在，根据目前收到的反馈，我们计划对规划作进一步调整。”就吉尔曼军营而言，现有规划包含相当于这些空间40%的绿地。这包括大部分以本土物种为主的次生林、整条森林溪流，以及通往邻近公园和拉柏多自然保护区的生态连接。他说，自然团体已要求当局考虑维持更宽的中央绿色廊道，以加强通往直落布兰雅山公园、拉柏多自然保护区和柏莱雅河自然公园的南北连通，以及通往园艺公园和花柏山公园的东西连通。

就马裕森林而言，现有规划保留约35%的林区，包括以本土物种为主的次生林、一条天然淡水溪流及其周边河岸缓冲带，以及前裕廊铁路线，以维持生态连通。他说：“同样，自然团体强调应通过拓宽绿色廊道来加强生态连接。这样将形成更连贯的植被区，供动物觅食。”政府仍在接收反馈，并计划“在未来大约一个月内”敲定规划。陈圣辉补充说，他们重视所有意见，包括国会议员沈颖、克里斯托弗·德索萨和王心妍等“代表居民积极争取”的声音，以及自然团体和公众的意见。他说：“他们都在各尽其职，协助我们满足新加坡同胞的住房需求，并实现我们建设花园中的城市愿景。”

新加坡自然学会（NSS）会长梁国平向媒体表示，他们的“最高愿望”是森林完全不受开发触动。他补充说：“但如果必须开发，我们能否在规划上更下功夫，确保森林作为栖息地足够大——不只是一条线性廊道——而是一片森林栖息地。”“要有一定体量，而不是一块狭长土地和上面一小段溪流。要更全面。”他建议可保留三分之二的森林。他说，NSS已在闭门会议和一对一会面上向国家发展部（MND）提交反馈，并希望建屋局公布迄今收到的反馈摘要。梁国平说，公众的反应“有点让他震惊”。“我觉得马裕森林已经自成一股力量，”他说。“话虽如此，（这）也相当令人欣慰，看到年轻人和地方议员非常积极地与选民、居民沟通。所以我认为这场对话尚未结束，还可以再持续一段时间。”

本月较早时，陈圣辉在国会表示，这些地段的规划尚未敲定，此前议员就相关议题提出了18项国会质询。他当时表示，针对两处地段进行的环境和遗产研究“并非为了合理化一份已经定案的详细规划”。他也强调，政府重视遗产和绿地，但也希望新加坡人及后代能够获得负担得起的公共住房。他说：“我希望我们有充裕土地，可以在不必权衡取舍的情况下提供这一切。但那不是我们的现实。”公众咨询期结束后，建屋局和国家发展部于8月7日在Facebook发文表示，将在检讨规划时继续与持份者沟通。他们补充说：“我们正仔细审阅所有收到的反馈。准备就绪后，我们将在敲定详细发展计划前，公布一份汇总反馈及机构回应的报告。”