It’s hard to imagine that just 70 years ago, in the 1950s, Jurong used to be one of Singapore’s most productive prawn farming grounds. The swampy ground around the former Sungei Jurong and Sungei Pandan proved so successful that it sustained entire kampongs. The villagers in these kampongs then turned to growing fruits and vegetables, and rearing livestock till the 1970s.
Amidst this swampy agricultural development, Jurong had been earmarked by Singapore’s first finance minister Dr Goh Keng Swee to become the first industrial town of newly self-governing Singapore. Many initial attempts to attract investors to Jurong failed, and it became known as “Goh’s Folly”. But by the late 1960s, following Singapore’s independence, Jurong had begun to grow rapidly into an industrial estate.
Source: Draft Master Plan 2025
Following the announcement of the Draft Master Plan 2025, Jurong will be taking another leap forward – becoming Singapore’s “Western Gateway”, anchored by the Jurong Lake District, the country’s largest commercial node outside the Central Business District (CBD).
Read Also: Two Key Principles Of Dr Goh Keng Swee Regarding Entrepreneurship In Early Singapore
The new Jurong Lake District
The Jurong Lake District aims to become a vibrant mixed-use district that supports office decentralisation. Workers in Jurong and the surrounding areas will not need to travel to the CBD for work, as there will be sufficient development and infrastructure projects in the West.
The Jurong Lake District will be anchored by the Jurong Gateway Hub, an integrated transport hub. This will not only connect a bus interchange to the Jurong East MRT station, as many other integrated transport hubs already do, but will also connect the upcoming Jurong Region Line to the existing North-South Line and East-West Line.
Source: Draft Master Plan 2025
The Jurong Region Line will not only connect the new town of Tengah, but by 2029, will also connect Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the industrial areas near Jurong Island.
Eventually, the Jurong Region Line will be extended to connect to the Cross Island Line and the Circle Line in the late 2030s and early 2040s.
Read Also: Neighbourhood Estate Guide: Rediscovering Jurong East, The Regional Centre Of The West
Tengah Town
As the newest town in Singapore, Tengah has already welcomed 12,000 new homeowners since 2023. When completed, the town is expected to have more than 42,000 new homes. More than 70% of these homes will be in HDB flats.
Source: Draft Master Plan 2025
Designed to be a lush, evergreen town, it is planned with smart technology features that ensure sustainable living, including a centralised cooling system that’s meant to be a sustainable alternative to conventional air-conditioners.
While there have been early hiccups with the centralised cooling systems, newer developments by Keppel appear to have learnt the lessons from previous designs by SP Group and done things a little differently.
Tengah Town will also be home to a new hospital, the Tengah General and Community Hospital, which is expected to be ready by the early 2030s. It will be part of the National University Health System (NUHS) public healthcare cluster. The new Tengah hospital will complement other NUHS hospitals in the West, including National University Hospital in Kent Ridge, and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in Jurong East.
Jurong Innovation District
The West will also be looking forward to the future with the development of the Jurong Innovation District (JID). The JID is expected to connect to the residents of Jurong West and Tengah towns via an 11-kilometre-long sky corridor that allows pedestrians, cyclists, and autonomous shuttles to move seamlessly within the district.
Source: Draft Master Plan 2025
The next-generation industrial estate will be a hub for advanced manufacturing, including precision engineering, autonomous mobility, and clean technology companies. This forms an ecosystem of manufacturers, technology providers, and researchers and educators from Nanyang Technological University.
Already, names like A*STAR, Hyundai Motor Group, Shimano and Surbana Jurong call the Jurong Innovation District home. Over the past two years, two A*STAR research institutes and Surbana Jurong’s new global headquarters have opened in Cleantech Park.
Source: Draft Master Plan 2025
Read Also: Guide To Jurong Innovation District – Singapore’s Advanced Manufacturing Hub
More New And Redeveloped Facilities In The West
With all the excitement about the Jurong Lake District and the Jurong Innovation District, it’s easy to overlook the other parts of the West. Choa Chu Kang, Yew Tee, and Clementi, for example, will be enhanced with new and redeveloped facilities.
The newly opened Central Manpower Base (CMPB) at Hillview has several amenities and facilities that are open to the public, including a football field, fitness station, outdoor running trail, and food court.
Source: CMPB
The Heart of Yew Tee is an integrated development expected to be ready by 2027. As Singapore’s second “vertical kampung”, it will house a hawker centre, community club, polyclinic, and retail outlets, along with 68 residential units for seniors.
Source: HDB
Finally, Clementi Stadium, along with the site of the former West Coast Recreation Center next door, will be redeveloped and completed by 2030. The new stadium will feature softball and baseball fields, a running track, and various community sport facilities.
