25 June 2025, Singapore - The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has launched the Draft Master Plan 2025 exhibition, which showcases the development plans for Singapore for the next 10 to 15 years. The Master Plan was last reviewed in 2019 (and gazetted on 27 November 2019) where various strategies were shared, including plans to rejuvenate the city, offer new housing in neighbourhoods such as Bayshore, and the development of new areas in the Greater Southern Waterfront (starting with the former Keppel club site), among others.

Unveiling the Draft Master Plan 2025 (DMP2025), the URA said a mix of public and private homes - estimated at some 6,000 units (Phase 1) - will be introduced in the Greater one-north area in the Dover-Medway neighbourhood. Meanwhile, the area around Mediapolis can offer 5,000 new homes, and there will be more opportunities to live in or close to the city with 5,000 new homes and 1,000 new dwelling units earmarked for Newton and Paterson areas, respectively. The development of new housing in the Paya Lebar Air Base-Defu area and the Sembawang Shipyard is also being studied.

The DMP2025 also demarcated the various land plots in Bukit Timah Turf City, with around 20 sites carved out for residential use, and three white sites - one of which will be linked to the future Turf City MRT station on the Cross Island Line. There is also one plot set aside for a school, and another for healthcare use. The Bukit Timah Turf City is expected to yield around 15,000 to 20,000 new public and private homes.

PropNex notes the change in land use zoning to residential use for large tracts of land in Kranji (former Singapore Racecourse site), Gillman Barracks, and a site next to the future Keppel MRT station at the Keppel Terminal. In particular, the former Singapore Racecourse plot in Kranji can potentially offer 14,000 new public and private housing.

Ismail Gafoor, CEO of PropNex, said, "The DMP2025 is bold, forward-looking and exciting, with plans that will re-energise neighbourhoods, spark urban rejuvenation, and build vibrant communities over the next 10 to 15 years. In particular, what stood out for us are the plans to inject new housing in various areas - such as the Greater one-north area (one-north, Media Circle, Singapore Science Park) where more sites have been zoned for residential use (see Annex). The Newton and Paterson areas will also be revitalized and shaped as bustling mixed-use hubs. These will provide more housing options to cater to different needs of homebuyers and investors. Meanwhile, with more clarity on the upcoming residential areas and land plots, it will help developers better strategise their land acquisition efforts. For instance, in Bukit Timah Turf City, the provision for three white sites, and new plots that are zoned for residential with commercial at first storey use may help to spur interest as that area is currently quite light on commercial offerings."

PropNex highlights some of the plans that stand out in the DMP2025:

1. Dover-Medway neighbourhood

New residential plots and a white site have been earmarked in Dover Road/Medway area. The first plot in Dover Road that will kickstart the development of the new estate will be launched for tender in November under the Confirmed List of the government land sales (GLS) progamme for the second half of 2025. Future homes are expected to be popular given the number of schools in the vicinity, the proximity to the one-north MRT station, and potential rental demand from those working in the R&D hub.

2. Media Circle and Science Park

Comparing the Master Plan 2019 (MP2019) against the DMP2025, PropNex notes that the land use for three plots in Ayer Rajah Crescent near Media Circle has been changed from business park use to residential with commercial at first storey use. The provision of commercial space will offer more amenities to future residents in Media Circle, which is set to see more high-density housing. Meanwhile, two sites in Singapore Science Park II have been updated from business park use to residential (subject to detailed planning) - which ties in with the ongoing rejuvenation of the Science Park, where the first residential project LyndenWoods will be launched for sale in July 2025.

3. Newton-Scotts Road-Monk's Hill

The URA indicated that a mixed-use urban village with some 5,000 new homes have been planned around Newton Circus, Scotts Road and Monk's Hill. Among the plans, a "new amenity node with a central public square" next to Newton MRT Interchange station. Under the DMP2025, there are several plots around the MRT station where the land use has been updated to white site, from reserve site previously under MP2019. Meanwhile, several plots in Monk's Hill have been zoned for residential use.

4. Paterson

Paterson - near Orchard Road - is planned as a new mixed-use neighbourhood. The URA noted that there will be a new "community space and amenity hub" on top of the Orchard MRT interchange station (on a white site with a proposed GPR of 5.6) for the Paterson neighbourhood. Further, the land use and GPR for two other plots along Paterson Rise have been updated to residential with commercial at first storey and 3.5 GPR in DPM2025 from residential use and GPR of 2.8 under MP2019. PropNex anticipates that these plans for Paterson Road coupled with new homes to be developed in River Valley and Zion Road will further enhance vibrancy in Orchard Road and beyond.

5. Bukit Timah Turf City

The plans to turn Bukit Timah Turf City into a new housing estate continues to take shape as the DMP2025 outlines the various sites and land use in the neighbourhood. Apart from the two GLS sites in Dunearn Road, there are three white sites and more than 20 residential plots (including those with commercial at first storey) that could be made available under DMP2025. The plans outlined will establish Bukit Timah Turf City as a self-sustaining neighbourhood with a mixed of commercial offerings, healthcare amenities, as well as a school.

6. Pulau Brani

The land use for Pulau Brani is stated as Sports and Recreation in DMP2025 - an update from reserve site under MP2019. The URA has previously indicated that Sentosa and Pulau Brani will be transformed into a leisure and tourism destination as part of the Sentosa-Brani Master Plan. There may be more upcoming attractions and experiences for both tourists and locals alike.

Mr Gafoor added, "Overall, the plans unveiled in DMP2025 continue to push ahead on initiatives laid out by the government, including decentralisation, fostering a more vibrant work-live-play environment in areas like Greater one-north, and offering more homes and mixed-use developments in central locations such as in Newton and Paterson. It may also potentially pave the way for the URA to introduce long-stay serviced apartments in Orchard Road or even in Newton. Taken together, the DMP2025 sets out exciting plans that will refresh the urban landscape and continue to position Singapore as one of the most liveable cities globally."