Singapore will reclaim land through the development of a polder at the north-western tip of Pulau Tekong, an island north-east of mainland Singapore.
This cost-saving method, to be used for the first time in Singapore, will be adopted by the Housing & Development Board (HDB) for the upcoming land reclamation project.
This was announced by Mr Lawrence Wong, Singapore’s Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance, during a visit to Pulau Tekong.
When the polder is completed around 2022, it will add an additional 810 hectares of new land to Singapore.
Since 2008, HDB has worked with Deltares on the feasibility of the polder concept for Pulau Tekong. Deltares experts in the Netherlands and in Singapore have since supported HDB with an environmental study and an extensive review of the detailed design and contract documents.
New polder development first-of-its kind in Singapore
Unlike the traditional method of infilling with sand, this “empoldering” method involves creating a tract of reclaimed land from the sea or a surrounding water body, by constructing a dike and a network of drains, water pumping systems and canals. It will substantially reduce the amount of sand needed for land reclamation, and reap savings on upfront construction costs.
The polder will be protected from the sea by a dike measuring 10 kilometers long, up to 15 meters wide at its crest, and will stand at about 6 meters above sea level.