Singapore to retain more green space in revised Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks housing plans
The Housing Development Board will cut the number of homes planned for Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks, preserving additional greenery while still delivering about 11,000 new units over the next decade.
Singapore's Housing Development Board (HDB) announced on Oct. 28 that revised plans for the Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks sites will preserve more green space while still delivering roughly 11,000 homes across the two locations over the next ten years.
The new scheme reduces the total number of units by about 1,200 – 400 fewer homes at Maju Forest and 800 fewer at Gillman Barracks – to accommodate larger retained parkland areas. At Maju Forest, the green area will increase from 8 hectares to about 10 hectares on the 23-hectare site, which will still host an estimated 4,000 flats. Land-preparation work is slated to begin in the first half of 2028, with public access to the site to be restricted at that time.
Gillman Barracks, a 40-hectare former military camp, will see its green space rise from 8 hectares to roughly 12 hectares. The estate will be redeveloped for about 7,000 homes, including around 5,500 public flats and the remainder private housing, with demolition starting in the second half of 2027 and land-preparation work commencing in 2029.
"We will build taller blocks where possible to intensify use of the remaining development area," Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan told reporters.
The revisions follow extensive public consultation that yielded about 7,200 feedback submissions for Maju Forest and 2,300 for Gillman Barracks, plus direct engagement with roughly 1,000 individuals. Residents and nature groups raised concerns about preserving forested areas and suggested alternative sites or higher-density development elsewhere.
"Many have also told us that they understood the need for more housing and also shared with us constructive feedback and suggestions on what they would like to see in the future estates," Tan said.
HDB officials said proposals to shift housing to other brownfield sites, such as Alexandra Park, could not be adopted because those areas are already occupied and unavailable within the required timeframe. The board also noted that fully retaining Maju Forest as a climate-resilience centre would not meet the country's housing needs.
The agency affirmed that an Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan will be implemented before works begin in vegetated areas, aiming to minimise ecological impact and maintain connectivity. The revised conceptual plans will guide detailed design and development, which will proceed over several years after the extensive consultations.