Land from Sand: Breaking Down Singapore’s Land Reclamation Policy

Tan Ding Rui and Luei En Le
1 day ago
8 min read

In this Explainer, find out...

Why is land reclamation essential?
How is land reclamation carried out in Singapore?
What are the implications of land reclamation efforts in Singapore?

Introduction

Singapore’s land reclamation policy is an established facet of our national development programme. Interestingly, it first began with the founder of modern Singapore himself, Sir Stamford Raffles, in 1822. While many people think of land reclamation as a modern post-independence phenomenon, it was actually Raffles that led Singapore’s first land reclamation project, along the banks of the Singapore River. Fast forward to today, Singapore’s land reclamation projects have expanded dramatically, in both size and scale. For example, as part of Singapore’s reclamation efforts, a sizable chunk of land (half the size of Marina Bay!) is expected to be reclaimed as part of Singapore’s future projects in the Greater Southern Waterfront. This reclamation project will begin after the Keppel and Tanjong Pagar terminals relocate to Tuas around 2027 and will take at least 10 years to complete.

So, what has changed from then to now? In this Policy Explainer, we aim to explore the context behind Singapore’s land reclamation projects, the mechanisms behind land reclamation, and what the future holds for land reclamation in land-scarce Singapore.

Why is Land Reclamation Necessary in Singapore?

Since independence, strategic land reclamation has expanded Singapore’s land mass by approximately 20 per cent, with the target of achieving a land mass of 766 km² by 2030. Such reclamation has been essential to meet the needs of economic and population growth, and to enhance Singapore’s climate resilience.

Economic Growth

To support the growth of a vibrant economy, Singapore requires physical space which can be gained through land reclamation. Historically, key economic infrastructure like Changi Airport, Tuas Port, and Jurong Island were built on reclaimed land.

In particular, Jurong Island was built through the consolidation of several offshore islands. By undergoing massive land reclamation, space constraints on the mainland were overcome, gaining sufficient land to form a major petrochemicals hub. By investing in land reclamation, the island became a major contributor to Singapore’s economy. As of 2020, Jurong Island was the eighth largest exporter of chemicals in the world.

Population Growth

While population growth rates in Singapore have begun to moderate, the demand for housing is still rising. This is mainly due to smaller households and lifestyle shifts. As such, land reclamation provides the Housing Development Board (HDB) with the land needed to build new residential estates. This helps to accommodate the local demand and ensure housing affordability. For example, the reclaimed Greater Southern Waterfront precinct will feature new residential developments.

Climate Resilience

According to the Third National Climate Change Study, Singapore’s average sea levels are expected to rise by 1.15 metres by 2100. Taking into consideration extreme weather events, sea levels could rise up to four to five metres in these scenarios. Since roughly one-third of mainland Singapore sits less than five metres above mean sea levels, these projections suggest that large parts of land will be left vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels.

New reclamation projects will be built at higher minimum platforms of at least five metres above sea level. This creates a natural, elevated buffer that shields low-lying areas from storm surges. By reinforcing existing coastlines and elevating newly reclaimed land, Singapore’s infrastructure and population can be protected from worst-case climate projections.

How is Land Reclamation Carried Out?

Historically, most mainland expansions have relied on the traditional infilling method for land reclamation. However, the success of recent projects using the poldering method suggests a potential pivot away from hydraulic sand infilling.

Land Reclamation Methods: Infilling and Poldering

Hydraulic sand filling (Figure 1) is Singapore’s primary method of land reclamation. It involves the creation of containment dykes and then the pumping of sand slurry into the contained area. This creates a solid, elevated foundation from the seabed.

Poldering (Figure 2), a modern environmental engineering effort that can improve the efficiency of land reclamation projects, is also used in land reclamation. Modeled after centuries-old Dutch water management systems, it moves away from the traditional, volume-heavy approach of filling in the ocean. Instead of pouring millions of tons of sand directly into the water until the surface rises above the waves, the polder method essentially walls off a section of the ocean and empties it. The polder method only requires sand to construct the perimeter dike and a thin stabilisation layer on the floor, cutting total sand volume requirements in half.

Who is Responsible for Land Reclamation in Singapore?

Land reclamation in Singapore is led by the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) Long-Term Plans. These plans entail an overarching view of Singapore’s strategic plans on land use 40 to 50 years in the future. As Singapore’s land use authority, URA acts as the central coordinator of the executing agencies and ensures that reclamation projects align with national priorities.

Three government agencies have additionally also been responsible for carrying out land reclamation projects: HDB, JTC Corporation, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). HDB functions as an agent for the Ministry of National Development (MND), managing projects earmarked for residential use. Meanwhile, JTC Corporation, as the lead agency for industrial development, undertakes land reclamation projects designed to meet future economic and industrial infrastructure needs. Finally, MPA has primarily been responsible for land reclamation projects involving Changi Airport and Singapore’s ports.

Collaboration and Consultation: The Case Study of Long Island

The proposed Long Island mega-project designed to protect the low-lying East Coast area from sea level rise serves as a prime case study for examining the process of planning for land reclamation projects. First introduced under URA’s 1991 Concept Plan, Long Island has evolved into a project that aims to address several needs including mitigating sea level rise, improving rainwater collection capacity and providing more land for residential needs.

Before any reclamation works begin, the planning process relies heavily on site-specific studies on different parts of the coastline. In this aspect, URA works in tandem with the national water agency, the Public Utilities Board (PUB). This helps to ensure that coastal protection and flood management measures are embedded into the project. Thereafter, HDB and JTC Corporation will contribute technical expertise in complex marine infrastructure and coastal development.

Technical studies have recently concluded for the Long Island project. After site studies are completed, preparatory works for the project are slated to take place in two phases. Phase one will take place from end-2026 from the west of Bedok Jetty while phase two will begin in 2029 at the east of Bedok Jetty.

Unlike older projects, modern developments like Long Island incorporate public consultation and feedback into planning processes. Managed by URA, this consultation mechanism takes into consideration feedback from thousands of citizens, including environmental groups.

As plans for the Long Island project continue to evolve and solidify, the process demonstrates that land reclamation is a highly collaborative process. Significant inter-agency planning and consultation with multiple stakeholders are essential before the actual reclamation begins.

What are the Implications of Land Reclamation Efforts in Singapore?

Land reclamation presents two major implications for Singapore. Crucially, the loss of marine biodiversity, especially amongst endangered aquamarine species, can be potentially irreversible. Additionally, the push for land reclamation can inadvertently create a black market for sand mining.

Loss of Marine Biodiversity

While land reclamation has supported Singapore’s efforts to overcome Singapore’s geographical constraints, altering the area between land and sea has serious complications on the environment. The most immediate concern of land reclamation is the permanent burial of seafloors, which razes the marine ecosystem on the seabed. The process of dumping sand and earth into the ocean creates massive plumes of suspended sediment that clouds the water. This blocks the sunlight that corals need for photosynthesis, and effectively chokes and suffocates the coral polyps. Even a small reduction in light can greatly impact the survival and growth of corals.

Resultingly, the loss of entire marine ecosystems, which are the nurseries for marine species like fish, crabs and sea turtles, can lead to the total extinction of marine species. In fact, many of Singapore’s early reclamation projects threatened to wipe out entire marine ecosystems, such as the delicate seagrass meadows near Cyrene Reef and Changi. Over the last five decades, more than 45 per cent of Singapore’s original seagrass cover has been lost to coastal development and reclamation.

Sand Mining

Sand is a necessary material for land reclamation projects, forming the main structural framework for land reclamation. Due to the large scale of land reclamation projects, Singapore has nearly exhausted its own inland hills and seabed sand. Instead, the island nation relies heavily on imported sand to supply the growing demand for reclamation projects.

Sand mining is highly destructive because removing sand faster than it can naturally replenish degrades natural habitats and accelerates severe coastal erosion. This shifts the environmental damage to neighboring developing nations such as Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam. This problem is also compounded by the rise of “sand mafias”, who illegally extract, transport, and sell sand. These groups often violently disregard environmental regulations and destroy riverbeds and coastlines. At the same time, these groups may also silence opposition from parties such as environmental journalists and activists by intimidating them or threatening them with murder.

The lucrativeness of sand is ultimately driven by massive, global construction and land-reclamation booms, especially from land-scarce countries like Singapore. Eventually, this struggle has compelled neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam to sequentially ban the export of sea sand to Singapore.

Mitigation Measures

In response to the above challenges, some measures have been taken in recent years to mitigate issues associated with land reclamation.

Public Consultation Channels

To minimise the impact of construction projects on the environment, Singapore has formalised an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. Today, no land reclamation project can begin without undergoing a rigorous review of the EIA. After an EIA is published online, the relevant documents are scrutinised by technical agencies, academic experts, and local environmental groups like the Nature Society Singapore. This in turn ensures that companies are accountable for the environmental repercussions of their projects, and also imbues a whole-of-society approach in tackling environmental issues in Singapore.

A notable case study was JTC Corporation’s proposed land reclamation of 66 hectares, as part of their expansion plans for ICA Woodlands Checkpoint. During the EIA, it was flagged out that the original proposal would have significantly impacted the local ecosystem of macrobenthic organisms.

To minimise the impact on the environment, JTC downsized its original reclamation plans from 66 ha to 44 ha. It also made plans to install silt screens and minimise the smothering effect of fauna in the surrounding areas. Local nature groups also identified environmental concerns which may have been overlooked. These discussions resulted in JTC promising to avoid seawall construction during the migratory seasons of birds, and training the contractor’s staff on what to do if they encounter wildlife. Such efforts better integrate construction works with the natural environment.

Marvels in Environmental Engineering

With neighbouring countries banning sea sand exports to Singapore, newer methods of reclamation like poldering help insulate Singapore against disruptions to the supply chain of sand. Such disruptions can be closely tied to growing geopolitical risks. While it is true that sand is still needed for poldering, it is a far more affordable and efficient alternative than dumping sand for large-scale land reclamation projects.

More recently, Singapore has also completed its pilot poldering project on Pulau Tekong. The project involved adding roughly 800 hectares of new ground onto Tekong, while drastically reducing the nation's reliance on imported sand. This novel approach is a significant breakthrough in land reclamation projects. It will not only insulate against potential disruptions to the supply of sand but can also reduce demand for sand, which can in turn avoid sand mining.

Conclusion

The pioneers of Singapore have tirelessly laid the groundwork for a nation defined by its ability to punch above its weight, and defy its geographical constraints. Land reclamation has always been a key driver of Singapore’s economic growth, turning swamp marshes into global lifelines like Changi Airport, Jurong Island, and Tuas Port.

Nonetheless, as the nation continues to progress, land reclamation is no longer just a push for economic development. Singapore’s future land reclamation policy is not just a race for economic expansion, but also a delicate balancing act of conserving and protecting the natural environment. By embracing avant-garde environmental engineering methods such as poldering, and adopting climate-resilient initiatives, it is hoped that the future for national development programmes in Singapore can continue to shine bright.

This Policy Explainer was written by members of MAJU. MAJU is a ground-up, fully youth-led organisation dedicated to empowering Singaporean youths in policy discourse and co-creation.

By promoting constructive dialogue and serving as a bridge between youths and the Government, we hope to drive the keMAJUan (progress!) of Singapore.