New nature park, better connectivity for wildlife in updated plans for Maju Forest, Gillman Barracks

At Maju Forest, more greenery has been set aside at the southern part of the site to create a wider and more contiguous green area.

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Published Oct 28, 2026, 06:31 PM

Updated Oct 28, 2026, 06:31 PM

SINGAPORE - Wildlife in the areas surrounding Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks will be better connected and more green spaces retained under revised development plans for both sites, said the Housing Board on Oct 28.

Additional greenery at both locations will also be protected as nature parks.

These changes were guided by feedback from the public following HDB’s July release of initial plans for Maju Forest and Gilman Barracks, said the agency in a statement.

They were also shaped by environmental studies undertaken for the two sites as part of efforts to strike a balance between developing them as sensitively as possible and meeting national housing needs, HDB added.

Wider pathway for wildlife

HDB said this will strengthen ecological connectivity within Maju Forest and along the Clementi Nature Corridor.

The aim is to create a wider pathway to facilitate the movement of wildlife between the eastern and western parts of the retained area. Wildlife recorded in these parts include those of conservation significance like the straw-headed bulbul and Sunda pangolin.

This is part of a larger 10ha area of retained greenery at Maju Forest under the new plans, up from 8ha under initial plans. In total, greenery will take up about 45% of the 23ha site.

The enlarged 10ha area of retained greenery – up from 8ha under initial plans – will take up about 45% of the 23ha Maju Forest site.

The retained area will also be designated as a new nature park, where the community will have opportunities to contribute to habitat restoration, said HDB.

There are also plans for a new nature way along Brookvale Drive. HDB said it will feature multi-tiered planting that mimics the natural forest structure. Nature ways are routes planted with specific trees and shrubs that replicate the natural structure of forests.

The agency added that the nature way will complement the nature-oriented landscaping to be incorporated into the future housing estate, which is expected to yield 4,000 flats.

At Gillman Barracks, revised plans also seek to strengthen ecological connectivity.

More of the existing forest around a hillock in the eastern part of the site towards Telok Blangah Street 31 will be retained, said HDB.

Revised plans have designated about 12ha of the site for greenery, up from 8ha under original plans. This amounts to about 60% of the site’s existing green space.

Under revised plans for the site, an ecological corridor along Lock Road and Malan Road will also be widened, said HDB.

It added that these changes will create a wider buffer around the area’s existing forest and better connect wildlife along the Southern Ridges, as well as towards Berlayer Creek and Labrador Nature Reserve.

The green spaces in Gillman Barracks are set to be part of the upcoming Alexandra Nature Park, which was announced in 2022. HDB said this will widen the greenery within the Labrador Nature Park Network.

North-south connectivity between the Labrador Nature Park Network and the Rail Corridor will also be improved under the revised plans, with the enhancement of the Round Island Route park connector along Alexandra Road.

HDB said there will also be a new nature way along Telok Blangah Street 31, as well as improved nature ways along Alexandra Road and Telok Blangah Road.

The new route will incorporate multi-tiered greenery to facilitate the movement of animals like butterflies and birds, it added.

In its statement, HDB also provided an update on plans to retain 25 buildings in the upcoming Gillman Barracks estate.

Besides retaining the buildings, the authorities are also studying the possibility of keeping non-building artefacts in the area, like the military insignias of the Middlesex and Loyal Regiments.

With the greenery and heritage buildings retained, Gillman Barracks’ distinctive character and history can be carried to the future estate, added HDB.

Alternative sites were considered for housing

On Oct 28, HDB also provided further details on sites that were considered for housing as alternatives to Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks.

Some of these locations had been raised earlier, including by MPs speaking on development plans for both sites in August’s Parliamentary sitting.

Vacant and brownfield sites in the areas surrounding both Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks, including those suggested by the public and residents, were reviewed by the authorities, HDB said.

It added that some of these sites are already earmarked for homes, still needed for other purposes or will not be ready within the timeframe that homes are needed.

Several alternative sites near Maju Forest are already slated for residential use. They are the former campus of Raffles Junior College in Mount Sinai, the Dover-Medway area, a site at Albert Winsemius Lane, and the Singapore Police Force’s Protective Security Command site.

Sites near Gillman Barracks, like the Depot Lane Industrial Estate and Outram Hill, are also already slated for housing.

There are also sites that are currently occupied but safeguarded for residential use.

These include locations near Maju Forest like a site at Albert Winsemius Lane and the Singapore Police Force’s Protective Security Command site, and sites near Gillman Barracks like Outram Hill.

There are also other sites that are still required and safeguarded for other uses. Near Maju Forest, these include Maju Camp and the Singapore Institute of Management and Singapore University of Social Sciences.

Around Gillman Barracks, such sites include Alexandra Village Industrial Estate and the former Central Manpower Base.

Isabelle Liew is a journalist at The Straits Times. She covers housing issues in Singapore, with a focus on public housing.

Wong Yang is a journalist who covers politics and policy.

Conservation/Preservation

在马朱森林，场地南部预留了更多绿地，以创造更广阔、更连贯的绿色区域。

圣徒照片：吴索銮

发布于 2026 年 10 月 28 日下午 6:31

更新于2026年10月28日下午6:31

新加坡——建屋发展局于10月28日表示，根据对马朱森林和吉尔曼军营周边地区的修订发展计划，这两个地点的野生动物将得到更好的联系，并且将保留更多的绿地。

两地其他绿地也将作为自然公园加以保护。

建屋发展局在一份声明中表示，这些变化是根据建屋发展局7月份公布马朱森林和吉尔曼军营初步规划后收到的公众反馈而做出的。

建屋发展局补充说，这两个地点的环境研究也影响了它们的规划，这是为尽可能谨慎地开发这些地点和满足国家住房需求而努力的一部分。

更宽阔的野生动物通道

建屋发展局表示，这将加强马朱森林内部以及金文泰自然走廊沿线的生态连通性。

此举旨在开辟一条更宽阔的通道，以促进野生动物在保护区东西两部分之间的迁徙。在这些区域记录到的野生动物包括一些具有重要保护意义的物种，例如黄头鹎和马来穿山甲。

根据新规划，马朱森林保留的绿地面积扩大至10公顷，高于最初规划的8公顷。绿地总面积将占该23公顷场地总面积的约45%。

保留的绿地面积扩大至 10 公顷（比最初计划的 8 公顷有所增加），将占 Maju Forest 23 公顷场地的约 45%。

建屋发展局表示，保留下来的区域还将被指定为一个新的自然公园，社区将有机会为栖息地恢复做出贡献。

此外，布鲁克维尔大道沿线也计划修建一条新的自然步道。建屋发展局表示，该步道将采用多层种植设计，模拟天然森林的结构。自然步道是指种植特定树木和灌木，以复制森林自然结构的路线。

该机构补充说，这条自然步道将与未来住宅区将采用的自然景观相辅相成，预计该住宅区将建成 4000 套公寓。

吉尔曼军营的修订计划也旨在加强生态连通性。

建屋发展局表示，场地东部靠近直落布兰雅街 31 号的小山丘周围现有的更多森林将被保留。

修订后的规划将该地块的绿化面积从原规划的8公顷增加到约12公顷，约占该地块现有绿地面积的60%。

建屋发展局表示，根据该地块的修订计划，沿洛克路和马兰路的生态走廊也将拓宽。

声明还补充说，这些变化将为该地区现有的森林创造更广阔的缓冲区，更好地连接南部山脊沿线的野生动物，以及通往贝莱尔溪和拉布拉多自然保护区的野生动物。

吉尔曼军营的绿地将成为即将建成的亚历山大自然公园的一部分，该公园于 2022 年宣布兴建。建屋发展局表示，这将扩大拉布拉多自然公园网络内的绿化面积。

根据修订后的计划，拉布拉多自然公园网络与铁路走廊之间的南北连通性也将得到改善，沿亚历山德拉路的环岛路线公园连接线也将得到加强。

建屋发展局表示，沿直落布兰雅街31号还将新建一条自然步道，并改善亚历山大路和直落布兰雅路的自然步道。

声明还补充说，新路线将融入多层绿化，以方便蝴蝶和鸟类等动物的迁徙。

建屋发展局在声明中还提供了有关在即将建成的吉尔曼军营住宅区保留 25 栋建筑物的计划的最新信息。

除了保留建筑物外，当局还在研究保留该地区非建筑物文物的可能性，例如米德尔塞克斯军团和忠诚军团的军事徽章。

建屋发展局补充说，保留绿化和历史建筑，可以将吉尔曼军营的独特风格和历史传承到未来的住宅区。

曾考虑过其他住房选址。

10月28日，建屋发展局还提供了更多细节，介绍了作为马朱森林和吉尔曼军营替代方案的考虑建房地点。

其中一些地点此前已被提出，包括议员们在 8 月份的议会会议上就这两个地点的开发计划发表讲话时也提到过。

建屋发展局表示，当局已审查了马朱森林和吉尔曼军营周边地区的空置地块和棕地，包括公众和居民建议的地块。

报告还指出，其中一些地块已被指定用于建造房屋，还有一些地块仍需用于其他用途，或者无法在需要建造房屋的时间范围内完工。

马朱森林附近的几个备选地点已被规划用于住宅用途。这些地点包括西奈山莱佛士初级学院的前校区、多佛-梅德韦地区、阿尔伯特·温塞米乌斯巷的一处地点以及新加坡警察部队的保护安全指挥部所在地。

吉尔曼军营附近的地点，如仓库巷工业区和奥特拉姆山，也已被规划用于建造住宅。

还有一些地块目前有人居住，但受到保护，用于居住用途。

这些地点包括马朱森林附近的地点，例如艾伯特·温塞米乌斯巷的地点和新加坡警察部队的保护安全指挥部地点，以及吉尔曼军营附近的地点，例如欧特南山。

还有一些场地仍需保留并用于其他用途。在马朱森林附近，这些场地包括马朱营地、新加坡管理学院和新加坡社会科学大学。

吉尔曼军营附近，此类地点包括亚历山德拉村工业区和前中央人力基地。

Isabelle Liew是《海峡时报》的记者，主要报道新加坡的住房问题，尤其关注公共住房。

黄阳是一位报道政治和政策的记者。

保护/保存