Jurong Lake District plans to push through despite derailed HSR project

Three plans for the area include a commercial precinct, a science centre, and a transport hub.

Singapore’s plans for the development of Jurong Lake District (JLD) are set to proceed despite Malaysia’s decision to drop the High Speed Rail (HSR) project, minister for national development Lawrence Wong said.

In a parliamentary reply, Wong said the transformation plans for JLD include the development of a commercial precinct with over 20,000 homes, the inclusion of science centre as an update to the Jurong Lake Gardens; and the development of a major transport hub connecting the existing North-South and East-West MRT Lines as well as the upcoming Jurong Region and Cross Island Lines.

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“We started with the building of our first regional centre at Tampines in 1992 and then started the work to transform Jurong in 2008. So the plans for Jurong Lake District were developed well before Malaysia proposed the HSR project,” he said.

The minister added that it was only in 2015, after further study of the HSR proposal, that Singapore decided to locate the Singapore terminus of the HSR in Jurong.

“These plans are still relevant today. The land parcels that the government has acquired are needed to realise these plans,” Wong said.

The Jurong Country Club site is expected to provide for new mixed-use developments and community facilities. The Raffles Country Club (RCC) site is needed for the Cross Island Line (CRL)’s western depot and other transport related uses.

“Regardless of the outcome of the HSR project, the overall impetus and vision for Jurong Lake District have not changed,” Wong said. “Some details may need to be adjusted along the way, as circumstances change. But the bottom line is that we have an exciting transformation plan for the whole area, and we will proceed with the implementation of these plans when ready.”

Yesterday, transport minister Khaw Boon Wan has indicated that Singapore has already incurred costs worth $250m for the project whilst waiting for Malaysia’s decision.