Relax and retreat into rural Singapore . Imagine enjoying farm stays, outdoor recreation in the wild, participating in corporate conferences amidst the greenery or even visiting an outdoor spa without leaving Singapore . All these may soon be a reality when plots of vacant State land at Lim Chu Kang, which can be used for agri-tainment and/or agriculture purposes, are put up for public tender
As a pilot project, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) will be putting three plots of vacant State land, (totaling up to 78,329 sq m in site area) up for tender at the Lim Chu Kang Area. This is the first time that land can also be developed for agri-tainment (i.e. agriculture cum recreation/entertainment) projects other than the traditional agricultural uses.
Aligning with SLA 's mission of optimising land resource for both economic and social development, SLA has been working with the Urban Redevelopment Authority to make available more uses/activities for the vacant State lands at Lim Chu Kang which have been traditionally reserved only for farm uses. Therefore in addition to the conventional agricultural uses such as aquaculture, toad culture, frog culture and dog breeding, training and/or boarding, the sites can also be used for non-agricultural uses like nature education, corporate training retreat and rustic guest accommodation. To preserve the rural charm of the area, the agricultural and agri-tainment use are subject to a fixed quantum of commercial and retail floor area by the Competent Authority.
In addition, SLA has also reviewed the traditional tender scheme and will be implementing new ideas for the sale of the sites. Firstly, in order to cater to different demands for farming development and agri-tainment development, tenderers will be invited to bid for the land either based on the farming uses or the agri-tainment uses. Secondly, the tenderers are also invited to submit a bid for alternative uses/activities which are not found within the allowable approved uses. This is part of our continuing effort to value-add to the land sale process and be more pro-enterprise.
The tentative launch date for the three sites will be around end of third quarter or early fourth quarter of this year.
SLA will subsequently look at the outcome of the pilot sale to gauge the market demand for such agri-tainment and/or agriculture land. If the scheme is popular, SLA is likely to release a steady and gradual supply of such land so that the market has time to assimilate the supply of agri-tainment and/or agriculture sites that is coming on-stream.
Details on the three sites and the location maps can be found at the Annex A and Annex B . Other details of the sale such as the planning parameters and the submission of bids will be announced at the actual launch of the sale. Interested bidders who wish to be in our contact list for us to inform you when the sale is launched can contact Mr David Tan at Tel: 6323 9741 or Mr Bernard Huang at Tel: 6323 9835. Similarly, if interested bidders have other new uses or activities that they are keen to try out, SLA will be pleased to hear your feedback before we finalise the parameters for land sale.

Issued by:
Singapore Land Authority
25th August 2006