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It’s been 18 years from the time Colin Low assumed the CEO position of the statutory board Singapore Land Authority (SLA). The 44-year-old was a different role before, that of the CEO for Frasers Hospitality Asset Management and Frasers Hospitality Trust Management, the manager of SLA’s listed in Singapore Frasers Hospitality real estate investment trust (REIT) for the period from July 2019 through April 2021.
With an $1.9 billion portfolio (as as of September of this year) The REIT has 14 assets as well as fourteen master lease contracts. They are spread across six countries, starting from Dresden, Germany, to Edinburgh, Glasgow and London in the UK and over the border to Kobe and Kobe in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Sydney and Melbourne in Australia.
“Running an REIT was about maximizing an increase in the amount of units distributed to participants, which was mainly the shareholders of the REIT” Low explains. Low. “When Covid hit, it was a major and unprecedented pandemic. A lot of people started to think about their lives. This was also true for me. And when I got the call for this job I was delighted to be amazed.”
SLA is the custodian of State property and properties and has two-700 structures and 11,000 ha (110 million square meters) of land. This is roughly 15% of the land across the island. “SLA offers a broad range of services and is focused on Singapore,” says Low. “Once you are a part of the public sector you feel an obligation to serve as those who are involved are everyday Singaporeans. Therefore, you must consider what’s best for the people in your vicinity.”
‘Balancing act’
Sometimes, it’s also about taking care of public concerns. An example of this is the recent outrage that was triggered by an Housing Development Board’s (HDB) environmental impact assessment report that recommended the clearing of 31.2ha of forested land to create the construction of the new Bayshore precinct. HDB posted their report online on November 1 and invited feedback from the public up to Nov 29.
Bordered with Upper East Coast Road, East Coast Parkway and Bedok Camp located on Upper East Coast Road, the Bayshore Precinct covers 60 ha of site. The plan is to build around 12,000 housing units, comprising 6,500 private residences and 6000 include HDB flats. The area is planned to include a main street that is pedestrianized and be serviced via two MRT stations along the Thomson-East Coast Line — Bayshore and Bedok South — by 2024.
The report on environmental impact assessment prepared by DHI Water and Environment consultant in September concluded that the effect removal of the 31.2ha vegetation will become “irreversible”. The impact is expected to be less than “minor negative” when properly controlled and measures to mitigate. However, the report states there is a risk that losing habitats for avifauna, flora and fauna in the course of construction could be an “moderate negative” impact, even with mitigation measures.
“This is a balance between conservation of nature and development,” concedes SLA’s Low. “The fact is Singapore is extremely small. Every square metre counts and there’s a for cost in all you do.”
The authorities from to the Ministry for National Development to SLA and the various other agencies, recognize the necessity of “a controlled approach to ensure the best result” He says. “If we think that housing is necessary in the area and we want consider how to approach things differently by doing an environmental assessment.”
It’s all about perception
It’s everything to do with perception, and to illustrate his claim, Low gave an analogy: “If you look at an in-depth shot of a man who is rough coming towards, and then shoving an elegant gentleman at first, you’ll think that the man was trying to hurt the latter,” he says. “But when you look further away and look at the scene from a different angle, you’ll see that the rough-looking man was trying to protect the gentleman in good clothes from falling bricks.”
In addition, he says: “If we zoom in to a specific area it’s not difficult to inquire what the reason is for something not being completed. However, if we take a look outward and consider the requirements of the entire island including infrastructure, housing like train stations, roads and railway lines and train lines, what are the alternatives?”
Another site which has been designated to be developed into a residential area could be Turf City. The site was secured to be used for this purpose in 1998’s Master Plan. SLA manages Turf City since 1999. The facility is currently leased for leisure and lifestyle purposes such as shopping, F&B, sports and recreationcentres, childcare facilities and motor vehicle showrooms.
Tenants were granted extended tenancy of 18 months until the end of December 2023. On September 1, LTA declared that one station that comprised phase 2 of Cross Island Line would be situated at Turf City. It is located at Turf Club Road, off Dunearn Road, Turf City is situated in the prestigious Bukit Timah residential enclave in District 11.
“The development of brownfield sites like Turf City will allow the Government to make the most efficient usage of its land as well as the transport system,” says URA in its September 23rd publication. URA stated that in-depth technical studies, such as environmental and heritage studies will be conducted “to make sure that the development is in harmony with the surrounding environmental conditions”.
The reuse of the former school buildings is adapted to suit
Land is “a important resource in the an area of dwindling land in Singapore”, Low sees SLA as a facilitator of place-making also. Land plots that are vacant in the state of Singapore located at Wilmonar Avenue, off Dunearn Road and Yarrow Gardens in the Siglap region, off East Coast Road, have been converted into parks and recreation areas for the community like a dog-friendly park as well as a multi-generational playground.
The declining birth rate in Singapore have caused school mergers in the last two decades. A nefarious consequence is the increase in than a few defunct schools properties given back to SLA. The SLA’s statutory board is considering the possibility of adaptive recycling of properties, “which is the most sustainable way to go,” says Low.
A former Henderson Secondary School along Henderson Road in Redhill is a prime example. It is owned by the social enterprise City Sprouts since 2020, it has received an overhaul as a 9,000 square meter (close to 98,000 square feet) restaurant and gathering center, hosting regular workshops and events. The urban farm has an allotment of farm plots to rent. The former school cafeteria was converted into a home for F&B tenants. The area is currently being renovated and restoration, the F&B space is scheduled to reopen by the end of 4Q2022.
The same location as located in the same building as City Sprouts is situated in the same premises as PAP Community Foundation (PFC) Sparkletots preschool as well as Sunnyville Nursing Home dialysis nursing center. “We were attracted by the idea of having an urban farm within the same space as a nursing home — in this instance it is between a childcare center and a nursing facility to demonstrate the possibility of farms being built anyplace with a bit of creativity,” Chee Zhi Kin co-founded City Sprouts commented.
Another illustration of this is the ex- Batu Berlayar School at Pasir Panjang Road. The three-story building situated on an 88,000 sq ft site is now an office space that is campus-like and a library for the community and town hall space to accommodate the 220 staff members of ShopBack. Cashback rewards for online shoppers across Asia Pacific, ShopBack was founded by Henry Chan and Joel Leong in the year 2014. The property is ShopBack’s headquarters. The first floor shares space with studio for content creation Third Space.
However this old Loyang Primary School was divided into two parts because of its size. One parcel was taken in the hands of My First Skool, which runs a preschool as well as a kindergarten on the site. The remaining parcel will be divided for different uses that are complementary to the original.
“With the majority of schools situated in residential zones, they work for a central community hub that can meet the requirements of the people living there,” adds SLA’s Low. They also work well for co-working spaces, he says.
Activating vacant properties
Another reason for under-utilized properties are former community centres. At the time of writing, at 10 Kampong Eunos, the former community centre has been leased to the social-impact organization Vivita that seeks to provide youth with robotics and artificial intelligence through interactive workshops, interactive programming camps, and competitions.
Another state-owned property located in Lorong J Telok was leased out to the charity Willing Hearts, which moved in at the close of June. It operates an onsite soup kitchen, which prepares and distributes 11,000 meals a day.
An historic structure which has recently been restored to the stables of SLA is the old Command House at 17 Kheam Hock Road. It was constructed between 1937 between 1937 and 1938, the building is on an 11.5 acres (500,940 square feet) site and was formerly the official residence of the highest-ranking British commanding officer in Malaya as well as other officials from the military. In 2007 the Command House was renamed the Command House became the UBS Business University until 2021 at which point it was moved to new location located at 9. Penang Road. The old Command House hosted the Louis Vuitton Savoir Faire 2022: The Art of Living this year. The two-week festival showcased modern pieces from designer Nicolas Ghesquiere, Virgil Abloh and Louis Vuitton’s famous trunks, as well as other luxury designs. “It illustrates that vacant state properties can be used for creative use in interim periods such as pop-up events,” says SLA’s Low.
Rejuvenating Gillman Barracks
With Dempsey Hill being established as an upscale lifestyle and F&B neighborhood, SLA has turned its focus to reviving Gillman Barracks. The former military barracks that date from 1936 are comprised of seventeen colonial-era state properties that are spread over the 6.6ha site.
The park is situated next to the connective network that runs along the Alexandra Garden Trail that links to Hort Park Labrador Park and the Southern Ridges, Gillman Barracks is an ideal place for cyclists, outdoor enthusiasts, and casual hikers, claims SLA. The barracks is also just only a 10-minute walk away to Labrador Park MRT Station. Labrador Park MRT Station.
The initial phase of competitions for the five blocks of Gillman Barracks, launched in May, resulted in 19 proposals. SLA assessed the bids on the basis of price (with 40% weightage) and the quality of the concept proposals, which were given 60% weightage. The lease term offered is also changed to a 5-year lease in advance that is renewable for a further two years. It was previously the straight 3+3+3 years.
“It’s not just the most expensive bidder that wins and the winner will be the one who has the most innovative business idea that is a novel idea which is inclusive of the community and incorporates elements of the environment,” says Low.
Two blocks were granted for two brand new F&B tenants -the Wheeler’s Estate at 9A Lock Road and The BlackBird at 8 Lock Road. Three tenders were granted to three existing tenants: Creamier at 5A Lock Road, Handlebar at 10 Lock Road and Hopscotch at 45 Malan Road, which feature updated menus and programming that are aligned in line with Gillman Barracks’ creative lifestyle position.
The second phase of the tender was announced on October 18. Two tenders were launched for sites located in Blocks 9 43, and 47. Block 43 on Malan Road has the largest gross floor area of Gillman Barracks, at more than 10,000 square feet. The blocks 43 and 47 are adorned with an exterior that is rustic and red brick. “The large floor space and the outdoor space can be used as artisanal crafts as well as health and fitness, vertical agriculture as well as family bonding and co-working areas,” says Low. The tender is due to close eight weeks after Oct 18 with a final date of 13 December. The tenders will also be evaluated based on the pricing and the quality of proposals similar to the first stage. Leases will also be made on a 5-year upfront lease with the possibility of renewing for another two years.
Geospatial technology
In addition to being a pioneer in adaptive reuse properties, SLA has been advocating for geospatial technology and its applications. Memoranda of understanding (MOUs) have been signed by the five largest real estate firms from September through December 2021. The first was PropNex and then and then ERA, Huttons Asia, OrangeTee and SRI. “The leading five residential real estate firms are able to claim 80% market share among the realtors within Singapore,” says Low. “We are trying to make it easier for people to get usage of OneMap and bring it into the mainstream.”
With 3DOneMap real estate agents are able to show prospective buyers the distance from their new residence to the closest Primary school and MRT station, with more precision. It also displays 3D images of the area surrounding it from various levels of blocks. The feature of shadow casting will aid buyers in understanding the shadows cast by different periods of the day especially when the units aren’t in the direction of north-south.
SLA has also signed MOUs with The Real Estate Developers Association of Singapore the courier services Ninja Van, Kabam robotics engineering firm , as well as The Singapore Business Federation. Low believes that geospatial technology could be used in a variety of applications in the mainstream, including education.
Geospatial technology is also utilized to aid the community. As the population ages and a map that shows accessible routes can help the elderly, people with mobility issues , and even parents of young children, he says.
SLA’s geospatial department is mapping Singapore’s solar power potential. Singapore. They are developing 3D simulation and modeling applications in conjunction with SLA’s Public Utilities Board to map the areas that are more susceptible to flooding in the inland. SLA also signed an agreement in collaboration with National University of Singapore (NUS) faculty of science in October. The aim is to utilize geospatial information and technology to conduct research on carbon estimation. Low believes that geospatial technology is “a crucial enabler for sustainability”.
It’s difficult to imagine that Low was at first apprehensive about every acronym when he started at SLA. “There are a lot of acronyms that are used in the world of public service,” he says. However, over time, he’s developed a proficiency in them.