Singapore's 'Long Island' coastal project prep work to start in 2026

Preparatory works for Singapore's 'Long Island' coastal protection project will commence in late 2026. This decades-long, 800-hectare land reclamation initiative aims to safeguard the low-lying East Coast from the threat of rising sea levels.

Preparatory works for 'Long Island', Singapore's large-scale critical coastal protection strategy, will commence from the end of 2026, according to the country's Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Housing Board (HDB). The works will lay the groundwork for future land reclamation of the decades-long, 800-hectare project, aimed at protecting Singapore from rising sea levels.

HDB, the appointed reclamation agent for the project dubbed 'Long Island', and the URA, in a joint press release on Tuesday, said that the measures will be implemented to mitigate the impact of preparatory works on the environment and community, based on findings from an environmental study commissioned by the Housing and Development Board. The study found that the preparatory works are predicted to have an "overall minor impact" on the surrounding environment.

Project Details and Environmental Measures

The preparatory works, to be carried out in two phases, will primarily involve removing seabed obstructions and constructing temporary sand bunds and sand infilling, the agencies said. The works will be at least 130m away from the shoreline, in the waters off the East Coast, and will be demarcated by silt screens and/or floating barriers.

A Long-Term Vision for Climate Resilience

Unveiled as part of the long-term plan for Singapore's development in 1991, the 'Long Island' is a critical coastal protection measure to safeguard lives and livelihoods, as rising sea levels increasingly affect low-lying coastal areas, including Singapore's East Coast. Given the scale of the project, preparatory works are essential to lay the groundwork for the future land reclamation for 'Long Island'. This is to support the timely implementation of 'Long Island' to respond to climate risks and meet the country's national needs, the agencies said in the statement.

Phased Implementation Plan

The first phase will start at the end of 2026 and be carried out in the waters west of Bedok Jetty. It will cover an area of about 570 ha and will span around 7 km in length from east to west, and up to 1 km wide from north to south. Works for the second phase, which spans about 155 ha, will only start after the 2029 Southeast Asian Games.

Impact on Local Community and Activities

However, the preparatory works may cause "slight localised changes" to the currents and waves near Bedok Jetty, which will have a minimal impact on existing water-based activities, HDB and URA said. Some sea sport users will be displaced due to a reduction in sea space along the East Coast. "The impact will be mitigated by the phasing of preparatory works, with kiteboarding being the most affected, and minor to moderate impact on other sea sport users," the agencies added.

Beaches along East Coast Park will remain open and accessible for near-shore swimming, while all exercise paths and tracks will stay accessible for jogging and cycling, the statement added. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)