Geylang red-light district to reduce in size?

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SINGAPORE: The Urban Redevelopment Authority on Tuesday (Jan 13) announced it is proposing to rezone parts of Geylang, so as to better manage the area in question and "prevent spillover of disamenities to surrounding areas".

URA said the proposed area is bounded by Geylang Road, Lorong 22 Geylang, Guillemard Road and Lorong 4 Geylang, excluding the parcels of land zoned Road, the lots fronting Geylang Road and the sports field bounded by Talma Road and Lorong 12 Geylang. It plans to rezone this area from Residential/Institution to Commercial/Institution, according to its press release.

Explaining the decision, URA Group Director for Physical Planning Hwang Yu-Ning said in the proposal that Geylang is a "rich and colourful neighbourhood" interspersed with associations, clans, places of worship, shops, offices and residential uses. It is also a traditional red-light area, she noted.

"The various entertainment and eating outlets in the area give rise to activities of a certain colour and vibrancy," Ms Hwang said. "With more new residential developments in the area, there has been an increasing spillover of disamenities and friction on the ground.

"In our assessment, the growth of new residential community in the area of Lorongs 4-22 Geylang needs to be re-balanced and moderated."

If the rezoning gets the go-ahead, residential units will no longer be approved in this area. She added the new residential developments in the area, which have been approved will not be affected and can proceed to be built.

A Geylang resident Channel NewsAsia spoke to welcomed the rezoning proposal.

"All these are red light areas. And if they could take this away and put it into more commercial use, like running a legal business that would be fine. It's good to have commercial properties around your estate so that it's convenient for everybody to go shopping or to do things or have an office near your home," he said.

The area's Member of Parliament (MP) said it is useful not to have more residential developments in the area.

Said Mr Edwin Tong, MP, Moulmein-Kallang GRC: "There are not many residential units there anyway. And much of the area that is being rezoned is already largely commercial, with a good mix of clans and associations. I think it is also useful to not have further residential developments there in an area where traditionally there are not just commercial properties there but also more nightclubs and bars which probably don't co-exist suitably with residential units. "

The URA said members of public can submit their feedback, objection or representation to the proposal in writing to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of National Development, 5 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069110, by Feb 11, 2015.

More information on this proposal can be found on the URA website.

- CNA/kk


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