A land reclamation method historically used by the Dutch is to reduce Singapore’s reliance on sand, and will be first implemented at Pulau Tekong. (Photo: Tunafish1990, Wikimedia Commons)
A new land reclamation method aimed at helping Singapore reduce its reliance on sand will be used on the northwestern tip of Pulau Tekong, reported Channel NewsAsia.
Called the polder development method, it will be used by the HDB for the project, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong during a site visit to Pulau Tekong.
While sand is traditionally used to reclaim land to above sea levels, the new method involves the development of a polder, which is a low-lying tract of land that has been reclaimed from the sea. A wall or dike is constructed to prevent seawater from entering the polder, while water levels within the polder are controlled by a network of drains and pumps.
The Ministry of National Development (MND) and HDB noted that the method not only reduces the amount of sand required for reclamation, it also lowers upfront construction costs.
Singapore has been reliant on sand imports since 2007, when Indonesia banned the export of land sand to the city-state. Singapore reportedly imported six to eight million tonnes of sand, of which over 90 percent was supplied by Indonesia. This resulted in costlier construction works, and the need to source for more sand from other suppliers.
The new reclamation method will also help build up capabilities, said Wong.
“We know that we are facing the threat of climate change, sea levels rising…and we are low-lying in Singapore. With this project, I think the experience that we gain in learning how to build dikes, in learning how to manage coastal areas, will be very important for us as we deal with the threat of climate change in the longer term,” he said.
Once the reclamation is completed in 2022, an additional 810ha of land (pproximately double the size of Toa Payoh town) will be added to Pulau Tekong. The land will be used for military training.
To ensure the polder land’s long-term safety, the HDB drew on the Netherlands’ experience. Notably, the Netherlands has used the polder method for land reclamation for a long time and has the highest standards for dike safety in the world. An environmental study was also conducted to ensure that the surrounding marine life and environment will not be significantly affected by the project.
The tender for the polder project will be called by end-2016, with construction works set to start by end-2017, revealed the HDB and MND.
Cheryl Marie Tay, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories, email cheryl@propertyguru.com.sg
