December_1967 — Page 11

of permanent housing mainly to cater for the upper and middle classes who have the necessary financial capacity to either rent or buy houses.

However, more than 70 per cent of the total population whose individual incomes are below S$500 per month or combined family incomes are be- low $800 have to rely on the Gov. ernment for the provision of hous- ing. Therefore, the public sector had to build at least 110,000 units of housing in the next 10 years. The 10-year housing plan was formulated in two 5-year programmes. In the first 5 years 51,000 units were to be constructed from 1960 to 1965.

The target of the first 5-Year Plan was to increase the construction of public housing by almost six times the average rate of the former Singa- pore Improvement Trust. The Hous- ing Programme was immediately ap- proved by the Government as part of the State's First Development Plan. The construction work for the public housing started in the middle of 1960.

The first 5-Year Plan was complet- ed in the middle of 1965 a few months ahead of the planned period and by the end of 1965 the target figure of 51,000 units was exceeded by more than 3,000 units.

Planning of Public Housing

In a compact situation like Singa- pore, land has become the most pre- cious commodity and every square foot must be used to its best advan- tage. The population of Singapore

has been increasing at a very high rate and it is estimated that by 1990 or 2000 the population of Singapore will reach 4 million. The basis for the planning of Singapore has to be work- ed on a 4 million population in the 224 square miles where sufficient land must be provided for residential, in- dustrial, commercial, educational and other recreational activities.

The Master Plan of Singapore envisages that the bulk of the popula tion will be accommodated in the city proper. Industrial satellite towns will be built around the edge of the State to form a pattern of ring cities. These industrial satellite towns will be connected to the centre of the city by expressways.

The centre of Singapore is still providing most of the opportunities of employment and therefore most of the housing estates are planned around the city and within the 5-mile perimeter of the heart of the city. These housing estates are used purely as residential areas with easy com- munication to the city by a network of roads.

has

The Singapore Government actively promoted the industrialisa- tion of the State to diversify the economy and to create more employ- ment opportunities for the growing young population. Industrial satellite towns are now being developed in Jurong and other satellite towns are expected to be built in the next few decades along the periphery of the island.

Development of both the city and the satellite towns has to be of rela-

tively high population density so that the centre part of the island, the catchment areas and other subsidiary areas can be kept permanently green to achieve a proper balanced de- velopment.

Neighbourhood Planning

The housing estates built by the Housing Board are within the 5-mile perimeter of the city. The reason

for this location is that the average wage earner should not spend more than 50 cents for his daily transport to and from work and the travelling time should not be more than half an hour each trip.

Layouts of the estates are based on the neighbourhood principle where the market, shopping centre and primary schools are in the neigh- bourhood and within walking dis tances of the residence. The house- wives can walk to the shopping cen- tre and all the primary school age students within the neighbourhood may walk to the schools.

This planning principle reduces commuting outside the neighbour- hood to only the bread winners and occasional visits outside. In addition to the shopping centres and schools other communal amenities such as community centres, child health and maternal clinics. children's

play- grounds and open spaces are also provided within the neighbourhood.

Each neighbourhood consists of from 1,000 to 5,000 families and whenever more than three neigh- bourhoods are planned together. a

Toa Payoh - Singapore's second residential town. 30,000 dwellings are proposed for the 600-acre site. More than 5,000 units, three schools and a shopping centre have already been completed for occupation

Far East Architect & Builder December, 1967

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