NHB to study if LKY’s 38 Oxley Road home is worthy of preservation, says move keeps options open
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A 2018 ministerial committee report had assessed that the building has architectural, heritage and historical significance, NHB added.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE – The National Heritage Board (NHB) will carry out a study of 38 Oxley Road, the site of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s house, to assess if it is worthy of preservation as a national monument.
In a statement on Oct 24, NHB said the study will determine if the site “has national historical, heritage and architectural significance as to be worthy of preservation”.
A 2018 ministerial committee report had assessed that the building has architectural, heritage and historical significance, it said.
The report had also concluded that while Mr Lee’s preference was for the building to be demolished, he was prepared to accept options other than demolition. This was provided that suitable arrangements were made to ensure that the building was refurbished and kept in a habitable state and the family’s privacy was protected, NHB added.
NHB noted that Mr Lee Hsien Yang, the current owner of 38 Oxley Road, had made an application on Oct 21 to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to demolish the house.
Demolishing the house now will rule out a proper and full consideration of the options, NHB added.
In response to media queries, the URA said it has deferred the evaluation of Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s application, given that NHB plans to study the site.
The 2018 ministerial report had set out options for the building and for the site where the building is located. These include retaining the entire building, retaining only the basement dining room, or demolishing the building fully but designating the site for alternative use (for example, as a park or a heritage centre).
The NHB said the study will determine if the site “has national historical, heritage and architectural significance as to be worthy of preservation”.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
“These options are not exhaustive. The intention is for a future government to consider these, and other options that could emerge later, and make an informed and considered decision in the fullness of time, taking into consideration the wishes of Mr Lee Kuan Yew,” NHB said.
The basement dining room at 38 Oxley Road, photographed in October 2011. This was where the founding members of the People’s Action Party discussed setting up a new party.
PHOTO: ST FILE
NHB said the study will be conducted by its Preservation of Sites and Monuments (PSM) advisory board, which comprises experts from various sectors.
The assessment is expected to take several weeks, said NHB in response to queries.
NHB’s recommendation will be submitted to the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, who will decide whether to issue a preservation order for the 38 Oxley Road site under the Preservation of Monuments Act.
If the decision is to preserve the site, NHB will issue a notice of intention to the owner, who may submit any objections to the board “within a reasonable period”.
Once the notice is served, the site – as a proposed national monument – will be extended the same protections as that of a gazetted national monument until a final decision is made by the minister to preserve it, NHB said.
Mr Edwin Tong is the current Minister for Culture, Community and Youth.
In a Facebook post on Oct 24, Mr Tong, who is also Second Minister for Law, said: “There is, quite understandably, a range of different views amongst Singaporeans on the matter.
“It is important that we approach the matter with an open mind, as well as keep our options open. The passage of time will help us better appreciate the matter in its proper context, with the benefit of some hindsight.”
NHB added in its statement that if the site is preserved as a national monument, all options for 38 Oxley Road will remain open to the current and future governments, because the preservation order can be amended or revoked as the government of the day deems appropriate. It would also mean that no rezoning or alternative use of the site is allowed until a decision is made in the future.
NHB noted that thorough research was conducted for the site and included in the 2018 ministerial committee report.
“This research will also be used by the PSM advisory board in their careful deliberation and assessment of the site,” it said.
NHB cited the former Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Villa (now Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall) and the house of Tan Yeok Nee as examples of former private dwellings that are national monuments today.
Questions over the fate of the house resurfaced after the death of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s daughter, Dr Lee Wei Ling, on Oct 9.
Mr Lee’s two remaining children – Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Mr Lee Hsien Yang – have publicly disagreed over the fate of the house and the interpretation of their late father’s wishes.
Nearly a week after Dr Lee’s death, Mr Lee Hsien Yang said he would be applying to demolish the house at 38 Oxley Road to build a small private dwelling.
In a Facebook post on Oct 15, he said he intends for the dwelling to then “be held within the family in perpetuity”.
