SINGAPORE: The Government of Singapore and the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, have formally agreed to a land exchange involving prime parcels along Holland Road. The agreement, outlined in a joint statement by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), marks a mutually beneficial realignment of land ownership in a sensitive and strategically located part of the city.
Under the agreement, Tunku Mahkota Ismail will transfer 13 hectares of land—situated in closer proximity to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site—to the Singapore Government. In return, the Government will transfer 8.5 hectares of state land to the Johor Regent. According to the joint statement, the exchanged parcels are of comparable value, underscoring the equity and mutual benefit of the transaction.
The land currently under Tunku Mahkota Ismail’s ownership totals 21.1 hectares and has been in the private possession of the Johor royal family for generations. Following the land swap, the Regent plans to proceed with development of the retained and newly acquired areas, which are deemed suitable for low-rise, low-density residential use. The intention behind the land exchange is to ensure that future development is positioned further from the environmentally sensitive Botanic Gardens area.
The SLA and URA emphasised that all future development plans will be subject to prevailing regulatory procedures. These include comprehensive assessments by the URA and relevant agencies to ensure that any proposed development aligns with the surrounding site context and maintains environmental integrity.
Prior to the commencement of any development activity, environmental studies will be required to assess and mitigate potential ecological impacts. Meanwhile, the land acquired by the Government from Tunku Mahkota Ismail will remain undeveloped in the near term, with the remainder of the site reserved for future urban planning considerations.
-Bernama
