Greenfield Biodiversity Site Redevelopment Rationale, Brownfield Assessment and Ecological Profiling Transparency Regarding Maju Forest Redevelopment
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the planning considerations, brownfield assessments, and ecological evaluations surrounding the redevelopment of Maju forest for housing. Mr Shawn Loh asked why land with biodiversity value is redeveloped when empty plots or golf courses remain undeveloped amid lower population projections. Mr Cai Yinzhou inquired whether regional brownfield capacity and Ecological Profiling Exercise findings are assessed before committing sites, and if both are published alongside environmental impact assessments. In response, Minister Chee Hong Tat stated that these queries were addressed in the Ministry of National Development's reply on 4 August 2026. That previous response covered assessments, consultations, and alternative site considerations prior to clearance decisions for Gillman Barracks and Maju Forest.
Transcript
42 Mr Shawn Loh asked the Minister for National Development in the context of the Maju forest redevelopment, what are agencies' planning considerations and horizons to explain why new plots of land with biodiversity value are being redeveloped (i) when other plots remain empty or (ii) when other plots with different land uses, such as golf courses, remain undeveloped, given that the Government's population projections remain below earlier estimates.
43 Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the assessment of remaining brownfield capacity is conducted at the regional level when a greenfield site is proposed for housing; (b) whether the findings from the Ecological Profiling Exercise form part of the consideration before the site is committed; and (c) whether both assessments are published alongside the environmental impact assessment.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: These questions were addressed in the Ministry of National Development's reply to the questions asked by Dr Charlene Chen, Mr Christopher de Souza, Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong, Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan, Ms Elysa Chen, Mr Fadli Fawzi, Ms He Ting Ru, Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat, Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin, Miss Rachel Ong, Ms Valerie Lee and Mr Low Wu Yang Andre on 4 August 2026. [Please refer to "Assessments, Consultations and Consideration of Alternative Sites for Housing before Decisions on Clearance of Gillman Barracks and Maju Forest", Official Report, 4 August 2026, Vol 96, Issue 33, Oral Answers to Questions section.]