Dover Forest a.k.a Ulu Pandan Estate (Source: Environmental baseline study for Dover / Ulu Pandan for HDB by AECOM)

After a revision of development plans for Dover Forest, also known as Ulu Pandan, the eastern half is expected to be turned into public housing set for launch in 2022, while the western half of the area has been set aside for now for preservation.

Earlier this year, news that the forest was earmarked for development caught public attention after the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) made public its feedback to the Dover Forest-Ulu Pandan Baseline Study prepared by infrastructure firm AECOM for the Housing Development Board (HDB) which was released in November 2020.

The NSS report sparked public outcry and calls for the Dover forest to be preserved.

A petition was started on the 13 of January calling for the protection of Dover Forest and has garnered over 50,000 signatures to date.

Following public outcry against further development of Singapore’s last few remaining green spaces, and an extended public consultation by the HDB, plans for the area were revised so that only the eastern half of Dover Forest—which HDB identified as a young secondary forest plot—will be developed for residential use, for now.

The area to be developed spans 33 ha, or about eight times the size of Padang. Roughly 11 ha of the land will be used for public housing projects, with the first half of flats expected to launch in the second half of 2022, said the Housing Board on 11 July.

This development will feature 5 ha of greenery including a park with a natural stream, and will be done “sensitively”, said the Board, adding that the development is intended to “meet the strong housing demand in mature estates”.

Plans for the western half of the forest, however, have been put off for now to be reviewed again in about a decade, said HDD. This segment of the Dover was identified as being richer in biodiversity, with more threatened flora and a higher concentration of large trees including the critically endangered Ficus virens.

HDB noted in its statement that a segment of the western half will be safeguarded as a nature park, serving as an ecological connector and habitat between Clementi Forest and the Southern Ridges. The nature park will also complement the connectivity along the Rail Corridor in that vicinity.

“HDB had originally intended to launch the entire parcel, known (also) as Ulu Pandan vegetated area or Ulu Pandan Forest, for public housing to meet pressing needs for public housing in the near term. But we have decided to review it and refine it,” said Minister for National Development Desmond Lee during a press conference on Wednesday (28 July).

Workers’ Party (WP) MP for Hougang SMC Dennis Tan took to Facebook on Friday to express his disappointment at HDB’s announcement.

He said: “Despite the minister’s assurance of developing only part of the Dover Forest, I am still very disappointed by the latest announcement that part of Dover Forest will be set aside for housing and the area set aside for development will be almost 8 times the size of our Padang.”

Earlier in February, Mr Tan and his fellow WP MP He Ting Ru spoke on the issue of Dover Forest, raising questions about the processes in place to ensure that the principles in the 2015 Nature Conservation Masterplan are respected.

They also questioned the steps being taken to address the loss of biodiversity caused by the proposed deforestation of Dover Forest for development, if any, and highlighted the significance of these green spaces.

Netizens, however, are still outraged that any part of the forest is still being developed.

Some netizens on The Straits Times Facebook page said that old and unused properties should be redeveloped as new housing areas instead of cutting down forests. Some noted that high rises can cater for more people than landed properties as well, suggesting that landed properties be torn down to make way for high rises.

One person suggested converting unused business and commercial land into residential land instead.

One person said that cutting trees and clearing forests is the easiest way to create space for public housing, adding that too many trees have already disappeared in Singapore.

Others focused on the global warming aspect of the development, pointing out further urbanisation will only lead to higher temperatures.

Several commenters questioned where the demand for new housing is coming from, suggesting that if the government isn’t planning on growing the population, then there is no need for more housing.

One person questioned where the demand is coming from if Singapore’s fertility rate remains low.

On netizen asked for an explanation on why the government is making way for more housing if there isn’t a plan to also increase the population.

 

Others called out the irony of the government pushing for a greener city and signing the Paris Climate Agreement but not doing its part to mitigate climate change.

 

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