An upcoming private residential neighbourhood near Kallang River could be the first of its kind in Singapore to have one parking space for every two residential units.
To be ready in one to two years, Kampong Bugis will have about 4,000 units. It is one of three new precincts that aim to be car-lite, more green and open, and have community spaces such as public parks and courtyards.
Most private residential estates here have at least one parking space per residential unit.
The range-based car parking standards introduced in 2005 give developers of residential projects in certain zones, including the Central Business District, the option of providing up to 20 per cent fewer carpark spaces than under the Car Parking Standards.
A new exhibition by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) that was launched yesterday shows how this concept could be actualised in three upcoming precincts: Kampong Bugis, Holland Plain and Bayshore.
Speaking at the launch of the Our Neighbourhoods: A Look Into The Future exhibition at The URA Centre Atrium, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said: "With better connectivity, we hope more residents will choose public transport and support our overall move to a car-lite society.
"Doing so means the planners can set aside less space for roads and carparks in the precinct... (and) free up space at the ground level."
Ms Yap Lay Bee, URA's senior director for urban design, east, said: "Especially for areas near the city fringe... we noticed that the car parking occupancy for some existing developments is not that high, and people (there) own fewer cars compared with other precincts."
Kampong Bugis will be within walking distance of the Kallang, Lavender and upcoming Bendemeer MRT stations.
A new underpass and footbridge in Crawford Street will connect to Sims Avenue, and the planned extension of the Bishan-to-city cycling route - which crosses Kampong Bugis - will allow residents to cycle to the city in 15 minutes.
In place of traditional fences, the development could have "softer" barriers such as vegetation.
The precinct will also contain various environmentally friendly features, including a district-level pneumatic waste conveyance system - a first for a private residential district.
This means each building will have separate chutes for waste and recyclables, which will be collected at one central station using an enclosed "vacuum" system.
A master developer for Kampong Bugis will be appointed through a two-envelope system, where tenders are evaluated based on both concept and price.
Holland Plain, slated to be ready from 2021 onwards, will be in Old Holland Road and have up to 2,500 private residential units.
The approximately 34ha precinct will be near the Rail Corridor and park connector along the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal.
Bayshore, next to East Coast Park, will be launched after 2024 and have 12,500 units of private and public housing.
Its roads and carparks could, in the future, be converted into spaces for other purposes, and this will be taken into consideration during the design process.
The 60ha neighbourhood will also feature a 1km "community spine" - a main street lined with trees, shops, cafes and parks, and connected to a network of courtyard spaces in nearby residential blocks.
Mr Wong said: "In the coming months, we will actively engage the communities around the three precincts to better refine our plans in the lead-up to their launches."
Mr Liam Wee Sin, deputy group chief executive officer of developer UOL Group, said these proposals for a more "open", walkable residential estate could create a more "inclusive" neighbourhood without compromising security and privacy.
The URA is seeking public feedback on these proposals, which will be exhibited at The URA Centre Atrium until Nov 20. The public can give feedback at the exhibition, or do so online at ura.sg/futurehoods
