Singapore: Preparatory works for ‘Long Island’ to begin from end-2026

Preparatory works for ‘Long Island’, Singapore’s large-scale critical coastal protection strategy, will begin from end-2026, the Urban Redevelopment Authority said. The Housing & Development Board (HDB), the appointed reclamation agent for ‘Long Island’, will implement measures to mitigate the impact of preparatory works on the environment and community, based on findings from an Environmental Study. 

According to the Authority, ‘Long Island’ is “a critical coastal protection measure to safeguard lives and livelihoods, as rising sea levels increasingly affect low-lying coastal areas, including Singapore’s East Coast. Given the scale of the project, preparatory works are essential to lay the groundwork for the future land reclamation for ‘Long Island’.”

The preparatory works will take place in the waters off the East Coast, and primarily involve the removal of seabed obstructions, followed by the construction of temporary sand bunds and sand infilling. The works will be at least 130m away from the shoreline and will be clearly demarcated by silt screens and/or floating barriers.

The preparatory works will be conducted in phases. The first phase will start in end-2026 and will be carried out in the waters west of Bedok Jetty. The first phase will cover an area of approximately 570 ha, and it will span around 7km in length from east to west, and up to 1km wide from north to south.

The second phase of preparatory works will be carried out in the waters to the east of Bedok Jetty, and will cover an area of approximately 155 ha.

To facilitate the continued use of part of the sea space fronting East Coast Park for water sports and the hosting of major international sporting events, including the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2029, the second phase will only start after the completion of these events.