​​

The Central Area comprises several distinctive districts, each with a unique character and mix of uses. These include:


•     the prime office district of the Central Business District (CBD) and Marina Centre and Marina Bay
•     the premier shopping corridor along Orchard Road
•     the waterfront activity belt along Singapore River
•     the arts, culture, entertainment and learning enclave at Bras Basah.Bugis
•     heritage areas within the Civic District, Little India, Chinatown and Kampong Glam

The overall planning of the Central Area aims to meet business needs and further reinforce the unique character of each district.

The Central Area is already well served by a comprehensive transport network of expressways, roads, and rail lines. Residents enjoy a wide choice of housing in high-quality living environment. These are supported by educational institutions such as Raffles Girl’s School (Secondary), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, LASALLE and Singapore Management University. Major hospitals such as Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Raffles Hospital are among the healthcare facilities here. There are also many civic, cultural and community facilities, like museums and theatres and the National Library at Victoria Sreet.

The Central Area is a high-rise, high-density urban centre that offers many landscaped open spaces for public enjoyment, ranging from the historical Fort Canning Park and Pearl’s Hill City Park, to the romantic Esplanade Park, the Padang, and smaller pocket parks at Duxton Plain and Ann Siang Hill.

 

New Lifestyle and Recreational Opportunities

Looking ahead, the Central Area will see many exciting new developments – for example, office buildings at Marina Bay, mixed-use developments along the Beach Road / Ophir-Rochor Corridor, and hotels in Little India and along the Singapore River.

The much-anticipated Gardens by the Bay will significantly expand the amount of green open spaces within the city and be a new attraction for tourists and locals alike.  It will also be the exciting venue for major events such as the Singapore Garden Festival.

Transport links will be strengthened with three new rail lines and the new Marina Coastal Expressway.

To further enhance the identity and heritage of the Central Area, familiar buildings like the former Rex Theatre and the adjacent Ellison Building, as well as the former Police Buildings at Pearl’s Hill, will be conserved.



Over the next 10 to 15 years, residents and workers in Central Area can look forward to:
       
•     New business and lifestyle developments within the extension of the CBD at Marina Bay and along the Beach Road / Ophir-Rochor Corridor;
       
•     New hotels in established hotel clusters at Little India and Singapore River;
       
•     New parks and open spaces at Marina Bay, such as the Gardens by the Bay and the Art Park
 
•     Better transport connectivity with the new Downtown Lines 1 and 2 (DTL1 & 2), the Thomson Line (TSL) and the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE).
 
 
Land area: 1,650 ha

Planning Areas:

    Orchard
    Newton
    River Valley
    Singapore River
    Outram
    Rochor
    Museum
    Downtown Core
    Marina South
    Straits View
    Marina East

 

A Home Of Choice

Today :  33,800 homes
In 10-15years :  Another 23,300 homes planned

 

A Live-In City Centre

The Central Area will continue to offer a variety of housing choices.
 
High-Rise Living

Recent and upcoming developments, such as Icon at Tanjong Pagar, Pinnacle at Duxton, The Sail @ Marina Bay and the Marina Bay Residences, will offer opportunities for high-rise living with spectacular panoramas across the city.

Home in the Heart of the City Centre

Other developments, such as One Shenton Way and Scotts Square, will allow more people to live close to their workplaces and save on travelling time.  They also have easy access to all the amenities and facilities in the city centre has to offer.
 
New Waterfront Housing

There will be more options for waterfront living along Singapore River and around Marina Bay with developments such as Robertson Blue, RiverGate and Watermark @ Robertson Quay. 

The Marina South area will be developed as a mixed-use area with new residential developments. Residents will enjoy an attractive living environment amid lush greenery and right by the water. The area is planned to be centred around public spaces and community facilities.  It will also be a well-connected hub with convenient access to business and entertainment activities.
 
 
Easier travel

Extending the rail network
Residents and workers within the Central Area already enjoy the convenience of a comprehensive Rapid Transit System network with 14 stations providing connections across the city centre and to the rest of the island.

The new Circle Line, which will be ready in 2010, will allow commuters to bypass busy interchanges like City Hall and Raffles Place. The 4.3 km Downtown Line, ready in 2013, will further improve the connectivity between future developments at Marina Bay – such as the Marina Bay Financial Centre and the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort – and the east and west of the city. The Downtown Line 2 and Thomson Line will also improve connections from the west and northwest of the island to the city centre.

A smoother journey

Part of the East Coast Parkway (ECP) will be realigned and converted into an arterial road. This will allow for seamless extension of the CBD and serve the developments in the Marina Bay area. The Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) will serve as the new east-west connection linking the ECP and Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) to Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE).
 
* Seamless underground connections from MRT stations to adjacent developments
 
 
Facilities for all
 
New library and civic & community facilities
The numerous Civic and Community facilities within the Central Area cater not only to those living and working in the city centre but also an islandwide catchment.

The new National Library at Victoria Street which opened in 2005, offers much more than books.  In incorporates many active and vibrant public spaces. The refurbished Arts House along Singapore River and National Museum of Singapore offer popular venues for performances and events.

Located in the heart of the Kampong Glam Historic District, the two-storey Istana Kampong Glam has been restored and converted into the Malay Heritage Centre.

Next in line for transformation are the former Supreme Court and City Hall buildings, which will become the future National Art Gallery. Focusing on the visual arts, the bulidings will house creative spaces for the enrichment, enjoyment and engagement of Singapore residents and tourists alike.
 
 
Diverse learning opportunities
 
New and upgraded schools
The Central Area is home to many premier schools, including Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary) and Anglo Chinese School (Junior) (ACSJ).  The River Valley Primary School recently moved into its new campus at River Valley Green, while ACSJ will be moving from Peck Hay Road to its new premises at Winstedt Road.

 
Places for Higher Learning and the Arts

The Bras Basah.Bugis area is positioned as a hub for arts, culture, entertainment and learning and is home to the upcoming School of the Arts as well as many tertiary institutions, such as Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore Management University and LASALLE, and more than 100 commercial schools.       

                
 
Student Housing

There will be more student housing facilities in the Bras Basah.Bugis neighbourhood to cater to the growing student population there.

A Magnet for Business

In another 10-15 years: Another 6.4million sqm of commercial space planned.
 

More Business Opportunities

The CBD will continue to expand seamlessly into the new growth area at Marina Bay. This will cater to the needs of financial institutions and business services and strengthen Singapore as a global financial and business hub. Complementing Marina Bay will be the Beach Road / Ophir-Rochor Corridor, featuring mixed-use developments with offices, hotels and residences, together with supporting facilities and amenities. The upcoming South Beach development at Beach Road will combine sensitive adaptive re-use of conservation buildings with new buildings that are architecturally and environmentally well-designed.
 
In the pipeline:
- New White sites at Marina Bay;
- New White and Commercial sites at Beach Road / Ophir-Rochor Corridor and Tanjong Pagar; and
- New transitional office developments at Newton, providing office space on short-term leases to meet the current high demand in the city centre.
 
 
A Boost for Tourism
 
More hotels in established tourist districts and new hotel clusters

With anticipated further growth in tourism, more hotels are being developed in the Central Area. These will be located in established hotel clusters such as Tanjong Pagar, Chinatown, along Singapore River, and new clusters in Kampong Glam, Little India and the Farrer Park area. These will provide a range of accommodation options for business and leisure travellers.
 
Hospitals and hospitality

To boost Singapore’s status as a medical tourism hub, the White site at Farrer Park MRT Station will incorporate both hospital and hotel uses.





Source: URA