SINGAPORE
PEOPLE'S PARK SHOPPING AND FLATS COMPLEX
DESIGN PARTNERSHIP
architects
DR. Y. S. LAU
CONTRACT SERVICES GROUP
PEOPLE'S PARK DEVELOPMENT LTD.
structural engineer
quantity surveyors
developer
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IN a first attempt to invite private participation in its urban renewal effort the Government of Singapore offered 14 urban sites to private deve- lopers (Far East Architect & Builder, August 1967).
The conditions of tender were gov- erned specifically in land usage, speci- fying plot ratio and density. A schematic design was also included with each set of tender documents and selection of the scheme was assessed on the basis of the land price bid and the quality of the architectural design wherever alternative designs were sub- mitted.
In November 1967 it was announc- ed that seven of the schemes had been accepted. These involve a total investment of S$31.5 million and will generate employment for some 3,650 persons.
The response was considered to be "most encouraging" by Mr. E. W. Barker, Minister for National Deve- lopment. During the announcement of the results in Parliament, he stated: "Our first exercise to promote private participation in urban renewal pro- jects has met with encouraging res- ponse and success."
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The largest tender accepted was that submitted by Mr. Ho Kok Cheong for the People's Park Shop- ping and Flats Complex, which has a site area of 2.5 acres. The total in-
Far East Architect & Builder February, 1968
vestment by the developer is approx- imately $16.5 million, generating direct employment for 2,600 people.
Mr. Ho and his colleagues have formed a new development company specifically to undertake this project. The directors of this new company have wide experience in the field of building construction in Malaysia and are currently involved in the $$40 million Muda River scheme, the S$15 million Seremban hospital, and a 10,- 000 unit housing project in Kuala Lumpur.
Tax Concession
All the seven urban renewal pro- jects awarded are given a concessional property tax rate for the first 20 years to be assessed at 12 per cent. instead of the present rate of 36 per cent. This is likely to attract purchasers of both commercial and residential pre- mises. For the shopping complex, a portion of the premises will be for sale, while the majority will be for lease. All 300 flats will be for sale.
Prior to the acceptance of the ten- der, the developer was committed to
a
schedule of building operations stipulating completion of the project within a maximum of 48 months from the date of signing the building agree-
ment.
The shopping centre is scheduled to
be finished by mid-1970, and the 300 flats by the end of 1971. However the developer intends to complete the project earlier than the required date. The site will be totally cleared for building works by the end of March this year and piling works will start soon after.
Analysis
For the developer and his consult- ants assessment of whether the project was economically viable was neces- sarily the first exercise. They state that the initial response was not fav- ourable, but after more careful and comprehensive analysis, taking into ac- count the general growth potential in the whole fabric of urban shopping districts, the project was considered feasible on the basis that it would generate a new nucleus within the whole fabric of the city core.
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They consider that with the con- tinuous population growth and higher level of sophistication towards shopping, a concious approach to pro- vide closely inter-related multi-nuclei shopping districts will be necessary.
Design Approach
The People's Park project will be the largest single shopping complex under one management, organised and
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