A land swap at Holland Road has reportedly been agreed upon by the Singaporean government and HRH Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the Regent of Johor.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Singapore Land Authority (SLA) jointly announced that Tunku Ismail would give the Singapore government 13ha of his land in the vicinity of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
In return, Tunku Ismail will receive 8.5ha of state land from the Singaporean government
According to the joint statement, the land parcels that will be exchanged are worth similar amounts.
Currently owned by Tunku Ismail, the Johor royal family has privately owned 21.1ha of land at Holland Road for many generations.
“Tunku Ismail intends to develop his land,” the SLA and URA said.
The swap was accepted by both parties in order to move the planned development farther away from the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Following the exchange, the Regent of Johor may develop his land, which is appropriate for low-rise and low-density residential uses.
Due process will apply to any development plans, according to the SLA and URA.
“URA and pertinent agencies will evaluate development applications and make sure the proposed development is considerate of the site’s requirements.”
Environmental studies will be conducted on the development before any work is started in order to minimise any possible environmental effects.
As of right now, the Singaporean government has no plans to develop the land that Tunku Ismail will give it. It is, nevertheless, leaving open its plans for the region in the future.
