7 other cases of residents opposing developments near their homes
By Jalelah Abu Baker, The Straits Times, 5 Jan 2015
By Jalelah Abu Baker, The Straits Times, 5 Jan 2015
About 400 would-be residents of Fernvale Lea attended a closed-door dialogue with Dr Lam Pin Min, MP for Sengkang West, on Jan 4. There have even been requests to get refunds from the Housing Board.
There have been other cases of people not wanting certain types of amenities in their neighbourhood - or, as many know it, the not-in-my-backyard (Nimby) syndrome. Here are some past incidents:
1. October 2013 - International school in Pasir Ris
Issue: Building of international school near homes
A group of residents in Pasir Ris were against the idea of a 12-storey international school looming over their homes and causing traffic congestion. They also wanted to preserve the forested area that had to be cleared for the building.
Outcome: New roads off Pasir Ris Drive 3 and opposite Pasir Ris Drive 10 were created to ensure smooth traffic. Academic buildings were tilted at an angle to reduce the sense of "towering" over the homes, which are mostly terrace or semi-detached homes. The school amenities which generate higher level of noise - such as the school bus drop-off points, sports facilities and the school canteen - were built farthest from the neighbouring residences, nearer to Pasir Ris Drive 3.
2. February 2013 - Nursing home in Yew Tee
Issue: Some Yew Tee residents were against plans to build a nursing home in their neighbourhood. They raised concerns like noise pollution during construction, traffic congestion in the single-lane roads that serve the area, and the nursing home blocking their view.
Outcome: The nursing home was built to be seven storeys, instead of eight, and the single lane in Choa Chu Kang North 6, towards Choa Chu Kang North 5, was expanded into a dual lane.
3. May 2012 - Nursing home in Bishan East
Issue: Residents said their view would be blocked by the nursing home, and that air flow would be restricted by the building.
4. May 2012 - Tall condominiums in Upper Bukit Timah
Issue: Dairy Farm, Chestnut and Cashew estate residents were concerned about taller condominiums being built in the area blocking their green view of a secondary forest, and towering over their low-rise homes. They were also worried that the development may harm the plant and animal life, and increase surface runoff into a canal, which already fills when it rains. They were also upset that a planned road in the area would cut into a canal-side jogging trail popular with residents.
Outcome: The housing blocks on the site were limited to 15 storeys, and a proposed commercial property next to the site was relocated elsewhere. The construction of the road was held off.
5. March 2012 - Studio apartments for elderly in Toh Yi
Issue: Residents in Toh Yi were unhappy with the idea of studio apartments for the elderly being built in their estate. Plans were for the apartments to be built where the area's main recreational facilities - a basketball court, jogging track and community garden - were. Residents were concerned that these facilities would be taken away from them. Some also questioned if the site was suitable for building apartments for the elderly because of the slopes.
Outcome: HDB decided to build a children's playground and community garden on the second floor of the studio apartment building that would be open to everyone. A jogging path was also planned. Fifty carpark spaces were added to relieve the parking shortage in nearby blocks, and footpaths were added to link the studio units seamlessly to the surrounding neighbourhood.
6. October 2008 - Workers' dormitory in Serangoon Gardens
Issue: Serangoon Gardens residents were up in arms over plans to build a workers' dormitory in their estate. They cited noise and pollution from buses ferrying workers, a possible increase in crime, traffic congestion, and lower market value for their properties in the upper-middle class neighbourhood as reasons for their unhappiness.
Outcome: No more than 600 foreigners - generally factory workers in the IT and electronics industries in Ang Mo Kio - were housed at the dormitory, although a feasibility study showed that the space could accommodate 1,000 people. An access road to the building was built, so that buses transporting workers to and from the dormitory need not wind through the estate, and would not worsen traffic congestion problems. The facility came with amenities, designed to ensure that workers would spend most of their time in the dormitory. The area for the site also ended up smaller than planned, making it farther from homes.
7. October 2007 - Funeral home in Sin Ming
Issue: A proposed building in Sin Ming for funeral parlours triggered protests among some of the area's residents, who said there were already too many of them in the estate. They said that placing it near their residential blocks was not ideal, taking into account traditional superstitions which associate death and dying with bad luck. Some also feared a drop in the value of their properties. The site for the proposed building was an empty plot next to Bright Hill Temple, which is near Ai Tong School and residential areas, including HDB blocks and private condominiums.
Outcome: The Government brought forward the development of an adjacent industrial site so it can serve as a buffer between the funeral parlour site and the nearest residential areas and school. Work on the funeral parlour started only after the industrial site developed. The Government also increased the number of car parking lots. The operator of the parlour was also given conditions such as having fully enclosed and air-conditioned premises and confining all activities indoors. All services and activities were screened off from public view through the design and landscaping of the development.
Columbarium issue sparks calls for flat refunds
Would-be residents convey request to HDB through MP at dialogue
By Samantha Boh, The Straits Times, 5 Jan 2015
SOME upset would-be residents of Fernvale Lea have asked the Housing Board for a refund for their flats over the columbarium issue.
They conveyed their request to Dr Lam Pin Min, MP for Sengkang West, during a three-hour closed-door dialogue which was attended by 400 people.
In spite of assurances from him that there would not be a crematorium or funeral parlour services at the Chinese temple, a group gathered around a table where they could leave contact details for HDB to call them about a refund. It is unclear how many eventually did so.
Dr Lam, giving a quick rundown of the dialogue, said: "They felt uncomfortable that such a (columbarium) service would be provided there and have requested that HDB look at their request for a refund."
The URA and HDB said in a joint statement later in the evening that they are looking into the request.
The Straits Times understands that several of those who attended the dialogue felt that HDB should have been more upfront about the columbarium.
News of the columbarium, which is expected to be completed by next year, had surprised many residents when it was reported last week.
Dr Lam said that it was indicated in the Fernvale Lea brochure for the new flats.
"There is really nothing to hide," he added.
He also noted that it is not uncommon to have columbarium services at places of worship.
Three temples within Anchorvale - Puat Jit Buddhist Temple, Nanyang Thong Hong Siang Tng Temple and Chee Hwan Kog Temple - already have similar set-ups.
There will be 3,258 residential units in the vicinity of the temple, spread across Build-To-Order projects Fernvale Lea and Fernvale Rivergrove, and executive condominium Lush Acres.
To a number of them, the concern was how the resale value of their flats would be affected by all this. One of them was project manager Vicky Naidu, 33, who said that rejecting the flat "is a very tough decision".
"We have already waited for so many years to get a house, so if I reject this, I have got to wait another few years.
"It is not an easy decision to make overnight."
Additional reporting by Samantha Goh and Isaac Neo
Is living near the dead really so dreadful?
HERE we go again.
First, it was a foreign workers' dormitory in Serangoon Gardens, then studio apartments in Toh Yi Drive and eldercare facilities in Woodlands and Bishan, and now it is a columbarium in Sengkang West ("Columbarium issue sparks calls for flat refunds"; yesterday).
The not-in-my-backyard syndrome has resurfaced again, this time in the form of objections to "living near the dead".
Will this issue never end in land-scarce Singapore? Already, it is posing a headache for urban planners.
Unless we banish all matters related to ageing, dying and the dead to offshore islands, Singaporeans will continue to debate this issue in years to come. Sengkang West will not be the last as our population continues to age.
Notwithstanding the controversy between the seller and buyers over disclosure of information, we need to ask ourselves: Is living near the dead really so dreadful? What about funeral wakes at HDB void decks, some lasting up to a week? Wouldn't these be more of a nuisance to residents?
We have learnt to live with and accept void-deck funeral wakes, so why can't we accept a columbarium that is part of the neighbourhood?
Douglas Chua
ST Forum, 6 Jan 2015
Douglas Chua
ST Forum, 6 Jan 2015
Columbarium builder committed to run temple
But faith groups say land bid from commercial entity was 'surprising'
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 7 Jan 2015
But faith groups say land bid from commercial entity was 'surprising'
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 7 Jan 2015
THE company that is planning to build a columbarium in Fernvale Link has affirmed its commitment to running a Chinese temple at the site to serve the community, the authorities said yesterday.
In a statement yesterday, the Housing Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority said that the company must adhere strictly to the tender conditions and preserve the intent of the site as a Chinese temple.
The site has been zoned a "Place of Worship" since 2003. Guidelines allow space of up to 20 per cent of gross floor area at such places to be set aside for ancillary columbarium use. This must be located inside the main building, out of sight from the surrounding developments, the statement said.
Last July, Eternal Pure Land, which is owned by Life Corp, won a tender for the 2,000 sq m site for $5.2 million.
News that a columbarium will be built as part of the temple sparked an outcry from some nearby flat owners.
Faith associations and property experts said it is surprising that a commercial organisation was allowed to bid for land earmarked for religious use.
But they added that could become more common in the future as land gets more expensive.
Describing the practice as rare the Singapore Buddhist Fede-ration's Venerable Shi Chuan Guan, the chairman of its dharma propagation committee, said religious groups usually bid for land to serve the needs of their devotees and are "never commercial endeavours".
Singapore Taoist Federation's administrator, Master Wei Yi, said that temples usually run their own columbaria.
"We take it as a service to the community... It's not about making money," he said.
There are more than 60 columbaria in Singapore.
The Government runs four of them. They are in Mandai, Yishun, Choa Chu Kang and Upper Aljunied Road. The rest are mostly run by churches and temples.
Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery houses a columbarium with more than 200,000 niches at Bright Hill Road. Prices range from $1,600 to $9,880 for a niche.
A niche at a Christian columbarium, the Garden of Remembrance in Choa Chu Kang, starts at $3,500 for a 60-year lease, while those at the privately owned Nirvana Memorial Garden next door average $6,000.
But real estate firms said corporate and religious partnerships could be the way forward as land and construction costs are steep.
R'ST Research director Ong Kah Seng said it could work for small and cash-strapped religious organisations.
"The commercial entity has the means to execute the end product. It can otherwise be a costly affair for a religious group with little expertise in the area," he said.
Amitabha Buddhist Society's secretary Ben Lee, 50, however, believes business should not be mixed with religion.
He said: "The needs of worshippers should be at the heart of any expansion effort. I don't think it is right for a company to profit from religious groups."
Sengkang temple to cost $20m
By Lester Hio, The Straits Times, 7 Jan 2015
By Lester Hio, The Straits Times, 7 Jan 2015
BUILDING a temple with a columbarium in Sengkang will cost developer Life Corporation almost $20 million, according to documents filed by the company.
The land tender bid cost $5 million and the construction itself will cost $15 million.
The Housing Board (HDB) launched the tender for the site in Fernvale Link, which was awarded to a Singapore company, Eternal Pure Land, last July.
The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Life Corporation, which is listed on the Australian stock exchange.
Life Corporation is an Australian company which was originally set up as a cord blood banking company named Cordlife in 2001.
In 2013, Life Corporation sold off Cordlife and re-established itself under its current name, with a new focus on funeral services.
To that end, it acquired Singapore Funeral Services, which provides funeral and casket services, in December 2013 for $8 million, according to its annual report last year.
Life Corporation's chairman, Mr Kam Yuen, said in the report that "the private columbarium business will complement (its) existing funeral services".
Life Corporation chief executive Simon Hoo has said there will be no funeral services at the Sengkang site.
For the financial year ended June 30, 2014, the company reported a net loss of A$2.6 million (S$2.8 million), up 61 per cent from its A$1.6 million loss in 2013.
Data from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority shows Eternal Pure Land was registered on June 12 - 16 days after the tender was put up - for the "sales of bereavement products and services".
Its winning bid was $5.2 million, according to tender documents on the HDB website, almost three times as much as the lowest one.
The two other bidders, Peng Hong Association and Xing Guang Maitreya Society, bid $4 million and $1.8 million respectively.
Residents elsewhere don't mind
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 7 Jan 2015
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 7 Jan 2015
THE opposition among residents to a proposed columbarium in the upcoming Fernvale Lea estate does not seem to be mirrored in other areas of Singapore that already accommodate such centres.
The Straits Times spoke to 30 residents living near three columbariums nestled within residential areas and found a general level of acceptance.
Many shared the views of Bukit Purmei resident Alvin Sum, who has been living beside the Church of St Teresa, which houses a columbarium, for more than 20 years.
"Singapore is so small, if you don't want to build it here, where would you put it?" said the 35-year-old civil servant.
"At the end of the day, we will all end up there as ashes."
The columbarium at the Church of St Teresa is above ground and visible from some housing blocks around the church.
Yishun resident Tay Siew Fang, 50, said it was convenient living beside such facilities.
"People should regard this kind of building in the heartland as a benefit, not a problem," said Madam Tay, who works in a bakery and lives near the Yishun Columbarium in Yishun Ring Road.
"Who wants to travel so far when you can offer prayers right in the neighbourhood?"
Some residents were not even aware at first that there was a columbarium in their backyard.
"I didn't know about it when I moved in," said Mrs Qian Au Mei, who moved to the area two years ago.
Mrs Qian, 70, lives near the Faith Methodist Church in Commonwealth, which has a columbarium.
"I have no complaints, it's not a big deal," she said.
But a few felt that living so close to columbariums could bring bad luck or fengshui.
"I've been living here for more than 30 years, I'm used to it," said another Bukit Purmei resident, Madam Siew Hui Qing, 65.
She added: "I think it's not good for fengshui, but even if I give feedback, they are not going to do anything about it."
She added: "I think it's not good for fengshui, but even if I give feedback, they are not going to do anything about it."
Additional reporting by Samantha Goh and Isaac Neo