Pandemic highlighted Singapore’s need for ‘white spaces’

The government will review its broader approach to land-use and city planning.

Singapore will review its land-use and city planning policies as the pandemic highlighted that there is a need for ‘white spaces’ for emergency use, according to the Minister for National Development Desmond Lee.

“While it is important to make efficient use of scarce resources, the pandemic has shown that we also need to buffer some “white space” that can be quickly adapted for emergencies. Even in land-scarce Singapore, we still need land that can be easily converted quickly to other uses,” Lee said in the World Cities Summit 2021.

The minister cited examples such as former schools and convection centres that were converted into quarantine and community care facilities and other facilities used to distribute masks, sanitizers, contact tracing devices last year.

Lee said there is a need to review the country’s broader approach to land-use and city planning. In line with this, the government is planning to engage the public to help with long-term development plans.

“In Singapore, we will kickstart public engagement for our Long-Term Plan Review in July. We review our plans for Singapore’s long-term development every 10 years, and as part of this effort, we will gather Singaporeans’ ideas and aspirations for our future city,” Lee said.