Sites that appear vacant or underused, including the former Raffles Junior College site at Mount Sinai and the former ITE HQ site at Dover-Medway, are among sites which are already intended for housing, said Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan on Tuesday (Aug 4).
He was responding to parliamentary questions on the public housing development plans for Gillman Barracks and Sunset Way, including Maju Forest.
At least 18 MPs had filed questions on the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) statement on July 10, which announced that Gillman Barracks will be transformed into a residential estate comprising both public and private housing, while the Sunset Way site in Clementi will offer public housing integrated with greenery and nature.
Some MPs, such as Tampines GRC MP Dr Charlene Chen, had asked if brownfield sites — previously developed land with existing building and infrastructure — are insufficient to meet Singapore's housing needs.
Others, including Workers' Party MPs Dennis Tan (Hougang SMC) and Kenneth Tiong (Aljunied GRC), suggested the police's Protective Security Command headquarters at Ulu Pandan Road, and the terraced factory site near Alexandra Village — occupied mainly by car workshops — can be alternatives.
The minister of state, in his reply, pointed out that both Gillman Barracks and Sunset Way were earmarked for residential use in earlier Master Plans, with plans for the latter reflected since 1980.
"That intention has been reviewed and reaffirmed at each subsequent Master Plan review, including the most recent review in 2025," said Tan, adding that the Government did not come identify sites first.
He said that the Government had prioritised brownfield development in Clementi and Bukit Merah over the years, redeveloping several older estates there under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme.
However, demand from young families in these areas remain strong, Tan stated.
"Many Singaporeans, especially young families, want to continue living near their parents for mutual care and support," he added.
"Many understand this and so asked if we can build on sites that appear vacant or underused instead."
Brownfield sites intended for housing
On the former Raffles Junior College site at Mount Sinai, Tan confirmed that there are plans to introduce public housing in the near-term, while the former Institute of Technical Education (ITE) headquarters site at the Dover-Medway area will be redeveloped for a mix of public and private housing, to be launched over the next few years.
Meanwhile, there are also housing plans at the Depot Lane Industrial Estate.
Similarly, a site at Albert Winsemius Lane, currently used to support ongoing works for the Cross Island Line, will be considered for redevelopment, after works on the MRT line are completed.
On the Ministry of Defence's Maju Camp and former Central Manpower Base (CMPB), Tan explained that the sites are still required to support Singapore's national defence needs.
"In short, many of the sites suggested are already being developed for housing, are needed for other national purposes, or cannot be redeveloped yet. That is why we need to develop Gillman Barracks and Sunset Way to meet our housing needs over the next decade," he said.
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