SINGAPORE - Land use and infrastructure planning for the Singapore Turf Club (STC) site in Kranji will be done over the next three to four years, so that land preparation works and redevelopment can begin after the Government takes back the 120ha plot in 2027.

Second Minister for Finance and National Development Indranee Rajah on Monday said the Government is studying potential uses for the site, including the number of homes that can be built.

Details of the redevelopment plan will be shared once the relevant studies and assessments are completed, she told the House, noting that closing STC was “not an easy decision, nor was it made lightly”.

The Government had announced on June 5 that STC would close its facility by March 2027 and return the land it has occupied since 1999 to the state. The closure will mark the end of more than 180 years of horse racing in Singapore, which has seen dwindling spectatorship over the years.

On Monday, Ms Indranee said the racecourse will be “holistically developed to meet the increasing demand for housing, including public housing, as well as leisure and recreation.”

The Urban Redevelopment Authority will consider how the site can be developed to create a distinct identity for the precinct, taking into account its unique characteristics, and to build on the “green character” of the North Region as well as the site’s proximity to major parks and nature areas such as the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and the Mandai Wildlife Reserve attractions, she added.

Ms Indranee said support will be given to 420 workers employed by horse trainers, beyond the 350 STC employees who are affected by the closure.

STC will help the 420 workers to find jobs as well as provide skills training and career counselling, she added.

Workers’ Party MP Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC) asked about a possible extension for STC if there was a delay in processes after the closure. He noted that STC’s former site in Bukit Timah – now known as Turf City – has yet to be redeveloped though STC had moved out in 1999 and the land is zoned for residential use.

In response, Ms Indranee said the Kranji site is earmarked for immediate development to cater to the shortage in housing, and extending operations would push back plans for the area.

In contrast, she said the traffic congestion in Dunearn Road on race days was one push factor for STC to move out of the Bukit Timah site. Another consideration was how to make better use of the land in a prime area, she noted.

Turf City in Bukit Timah has been designated for future residential use since the 1998 Master Plan, and the Singapore Land Authority has been renting out the 140ha facility for lifestyle and recreational use.

“Now, as our housing programme picks up pace, we will be looking at developing (Turf City), but before we do that, we have to do infrastructure and road networks,” Ms Indranee said.

Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar GRC) asked if relevant stakeholders had been consulted before the announcement of STC’s closure.

The horse racing fraternity had raised concerns after learning of the closure, including whether its views were heard.

Central to the complaints is the 16-month period until the scheduled last race in October 2024 being insufficient for transitioning out of the sport.

In response, Ms Indranee said it was for the Government to decide on what land should be used for.

She added: “We would not usually go for public consultation on whether or not to take back a particular site. That has to be part of the planning the Government looks at.

“But before the decision was made, we had engaged very widely with Singaporeans at large on land use... and one thing which came back very strongly – not just from Singaporeans who may engage but in this House in recent debates – was the need for more housing. In particular, public housing.”

On rehoming about 700 racehorses affected by the closure, Ms Indranee said STC has already rolled out support for owners and trainers for horse maintenance, as well as horse exportation and placement.

STC is discussing with owners and trainers what additional support they may need to rehome their horses and will do its best to meet reasonable requests, she added.