When the Paya Lebar Air Base is relocated in the 2030s, the current site might be turned into a heritage district, with existing infrastructure including the control tower, hangars, and old passenger terminal buildings preserved.
The Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) and the Singapore Institute of Planners (SIP) were hired by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to come up with suggestions for altering the site for future purposes, and this was one of their recommendations.
The site, which is sandwiched between Hougang and Serangoon to the west and Pasir Ris and Tampines to the east, would see 800ha of land freed up for development after the airbase is relocated. This is the equivalent of five Toa Payoh towns.
This will gradually be transformed into a new town with homes, recreational amenities, and work places. For example, the 3.8-kilometer-long runway may be turned into a large communal area that could be used in a variety of ways.
Height limitations in Paya Lebar and its surroundings will be lifted as well, allowing for future higher developments in these areas.
Other ideas include a car-free city where walking, cycling, public transportation, and autonomous cars are the primary forms of transportation, as well as a sustainable and energy-efficient city where solar farms and waste-to-energy plants can provide at least half of the city’s energy demands.
The ideas and concepts will be explored further and considered for the construction of the area’s future master plan, according to URA.