March 2010 |

5) LAND RECLAMATION
- process of creating usable land in places where land would otherwise not be available. Reclaiming land can be done by landfill, restoration of derelict land and empoldering.

LANDFILL involves filling a body of water, e.g., sea, swamp, with solid deposits such as sand, rock or soil. A good example is the land reclamation done in Singapore, where landfill has been used to reclaim land from the sea and swamps.

Land reclamation projects after 1960 were large enough to contribute to the growth of Singapore’s land area.

The following examples show what the Singapore government did to increase land in Singapore using the land reclamation method:

1. In the early 1960’s, the swamps in Jurong were drained and then filled in to provide land for the setting up of Jurong Industrial Estate. This spear headed Singapore’s industrialization plans and other land reclamation projects.

2. In 1963, the land reclamation project in Bedok provided land space to build new homes for Singaporeans.

3. Jurong Island, Singapore for petro-chemical and bio-diesel industries was created by filling up gaps between 7 small islands with rocks, sand and soil. Subsequently, most of the land reclamation work in Singapore involved the landfill method.

4. One remarkable land reclamation project is the creation of new land in the South of Singapore to form Marina Centre and Marina South. This reclaimed land will enlarge the Central Business District (CBD) of Singapore.


5. Swampy area in the south bank of the Singapore River was reclaimed from swamps, to become now the Boat Quay Area.

6. The Telok Ayer area, near Chinatown was reclaimed from swamps.

7. Industrial Estates in Jurong and Tuas were built on land reclaimed from swamps.

8. Housing areas like Marine Parade and Tanjong Rhu in the east coast are land reclaimed from the sea.

9. Changi Airport with the three terminals were built on land reclaimed from the sea.

10. Parts of Sentosa Island and St John Island were also reclaimed. They are now used for recreational purposes.


- Through the above massive land reclamation projects, Singapore’s land size has increased from 581 sq km in the 1960’s to 705 sq km today.

Restoration of DERELICT LAND is also used to increase land in Singapore.
- Derelict Land is an abandoned piece of land which is damaged and useless. Derelict land can be reclaimed and made useful again. It can be covered with vegetation to create places for recreational activities. Little Guilin in Bukit Batok was a mining pool that was made into a venue for recreational purpose. Disused granite quarries in Bukit Timah, Bukit Batok and Pulau Ubin can be made useful if they are reclaimed. Restoring derelict land can be used to solve land scarcity problem to a certain extent as more new land is created. This new land can be used from recreation to agriculture.

5) LAND RECLAMATION
- process of creating usable land in places where land would otherwise not be available. Reclaiming land can be done by landfill, restoration of derelict land and empoldering.

LANDFILL involves filling a body of water, e.g., sea, swamp, with solid deposits such as sand, rock or soil. A good example is the land reclamation done in Singapore, where landfill has been used to reclaim land from the sea and swamps.

Land reclamation projects after 1960 were large enough to contribute to the growth of Singapore’s land area.

The following examples show what the Singapore government did to increase land in Singapore using the land reclamation method:

1. In the early 1960’s, the swamps in Jurong were drained and then filled in to provide land for the setting up of Jurong Industrial Estate. This spear headed Singapore’s industrialization plans and other land reclamation projects.

2. In 1963, the land reclamation project in Bedok provided land space to build new homes for Singaporeans.

3. Jurong Island, Singapore for petro-chemical and bio-diesel industries was created by filling up gaps between 7 small islands with rocks, sand and soil. Subsequently, most of the land reclamation work in Singapore involved the landfill method.

4. One remarkable land reclamation project is the creation of new land in the South of Singapore to form Marina Centre and Marina South. This reclaimed land will enlarge the Central Business District (CBD) of Singapore.


5. Swampy area in the south bank of the Singapore River was reclaimed from swamps, to become now the Boat Quay Area.

6. The Telok Ayer area, near Chinatown was reclaimed from swamps.

7. Industrial Estates in Jurong and Tuas were built on land reclaimed from swamps.

8. Housing areas like Marine Parade and Tanjong Rhu in the east coast are land reclaimed from the sea.

9. Changi Airport with the three terminals were built on land reclaimed from the sea.

10. Parts of Sentosa Island and St John Island were also reclaimed. They are now used for recreational purposes.


- Through the above massive land reclamation projects, Singapore’s land size has increased from 581 sq km in the 1960’s to 705 sq km today.

Restoration of DERELICT LAND is also used to increase land in Singapore.
- Derelict Land is an abandoned piece of land which is damaged and useless. Derelict land can be reclaimed and made useful again. It can be covered with vegetation to create places for recreational activities. Little Guilin in Bukit Batok was a mining pool that was made into a venue for recreational purpose. Disused granite quarries in Bukit Timah, Bukit Batok and Pulau Ubin can be made useful if they are reclaimed. Restoring derelict land can be used to solve land scarcity problem to a certain extent as more new land is created. This new land can be used from recreation to agriculture.