PUBLISHED ONJune 30, 2026 4:00 AMBYKoh Xing YingPreparatory works for the Long Island coastal protection project will begin from end-2026, with measures in place to minimise the impact on the environment and surrounding community, the authorities said on Tuesday (June 30).
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said that ideas gathered so far from more than 14,000 people will be used to shape discussions on recreation, coastline design, and future reservoir use.
The preparatory works will take place in waters off the East Coast, at least 130m from the shoreline, and will be demarcated by silt screens and floating barriers to ensure public safety.
First announced in November 2023, the Long Island project aims to protect the East Coast area from rising sea levels and inland flooding due to climate change.
Waterfront homes are expected to be built on the reclaimed land, along with amenities and industrial facilities, while about 20km of new coastal and reservoir parks could be added.
The project, which aims to create about about 800ha of land for these new homes and other amenities, will be carried out in phases.
The first phase — covering about 570ha in waters west of Bedok Jetty — will begin from end-2026 and span about 7km from east to west.
A second phase, covering about 155ha east of Bedok Jetty, will begin only after major sporting events, including the 2029 Southeast Asian Games, have concluded.
In a social media video updating the Long Island project on June 30, Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat said the public can continue to safely use East Coast Park's beaches, exercise paths and tracks throughout the preparatory works.
"(The Long Island project) will protect the coast against rising sea levels, strengthen our water resilience with an additional reservoir, and create new land for future needs," said Chee.
He added that measures would be implemented to minimise the impact on both the environment and the community.
An Environmental Study commissioned by HDB — which commenced in February 2025 — found no significant changes to water quality, although minor localised changes to currents and waves near Bedok Jetty are expected.
The housing board noted that while some sea sports users may be affected due to reduced sea space, with kiteboarding expected to be the most impacted, there will also be minor to moderate impacts on other sea sports users.
"Agencies will continue to work closely with affected sea sports users to explore alternative sites to continue their activities within the sea space to the east of Bedok Jetty in the interim," it said.
The study also found potential minor impacts on marine biodiversity, including coral and seagrass near the worksite, although areas such as Sisters’ Island Marine Park are expected to remain largely unaffected.
To manage environmental risks, mitigation measures such as silt screens, dust control, and environmental monitoring will be implemented.
In addition, an environmental monitoring and management plan will track water quality, sediment levels, noise levels and dust during the works.
Responding to queries from AsiaOne, Dr Chew Soon How, assistant professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore, said that early preparatory works are necessary to ensure that subsequent reclamation and development can be carried out safely.
"The main objectives of the preparatory works are to identify and remove seabed obstructions that could affect future construction activities, and to establish the initial sand fill platform and temporary containment bunds needed for the future reclamation works," said Dr Chew.
"Given the long-term nature of the project, works will be implemented in phases over several decades, allowing gradual integration with future development plans while maintaining flexibility as designs are refined."
Public engagement on the project will continue, with the next phase expected to start from end-2026, said the two agencies.
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