Relocation of Tanjong Pagar Railway Station to Woodlands / Railway Corridor Discussion

[don diego 2000]

A thread to discuss what will be developed in those prime land areas.

[don diego 2000]

KTMB station in Tanjong Pagar to relocate to Woodlands by Jul 2011
By S Ramesh | 24 May 2010 | ChannelNewsAsia.com

The Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore have agreed that the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB station) currently in operation at Tanjong Pagar will be relocated to the Woodlands train checkpoint by 1 July 2011.

Announcing this in a joint statement on Monday in Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak also agreed that Malaysia would co-locate its railway and Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) to the Woodlands train checkpoint. Singapore would facilitate the relocation to the Woodlands train checkpoint and ensure bus service connectivity from the KTMB station at Woodlands to a nearby MRT station for the convenience of train passengers.

Both countries also announced that a company known as MS Pte Ltd will be established as soon as practicable but not later than 31 December this year. Malaysia would hold a 60 per cent stake in this company under Khazanah Nasional Berhard while Singapore will have a 40 per cent share to be held by Temasek Holdings.

The three parcels of land in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands, and another three pieces of land in Bukit Timah will be vested by MS Pte Ltd for joint development which in turn could be swapped on the basis of equivalent value for pieces of land in Marina South and/or Ophir-Rochor.

The joint statement says both sides will conduct their respective valuations.

Prime Minister Lee will visit Kuala Lumpur within a month with a proposal for the land swap for Malaysia. The transfer of the land parcel to MS Pte Ltd will take effect at the time when KTMB vacates the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.

[spikeshamz]

Marina south .. have we not heard that before.. The land beside the Sands....
Ophir-Rochor... Thats a good piece of prime land... Both are very different market as well

[Simon91]

Bittersweet moment. The atrocious depot will be gone. And also, rail link to the city will be gone. And at-grade rail will be gone too.

[cnud]

The link at Sg Kadut will be gone. CCK will be nicer place with no more trains running at mid night. Bt Timah - Rifle Range, Kg Chantek, Jardin, etc will see property price shoot up!

[Vrooms]

I think its good that they are moving. Tanjong Pagar really needs a new look to go with Marina Bay.

[TWK90]

I can imagine us (Malaysians) to take electric train from KL to JB Sentral, then hop on MRT to Singapore in 2018.

[don diego 2000]

Current KTMB station site provides opportunities for devt: property watchers
By May Wong | Posted: 24 May 2010 | ChannelNewsAsia.com

Property watchers said the current Malayan Railway station site at Tanjong Pagar offers tremendous opportunities for residential and commercial development. But these will likely take shape only in 2015 or 2016.

Singapore and Malaysia announced on Monday that the Tanjong Pagar railway station will be relocated to Woodlands by July next year.

Property observers say the Tanjong Pagar site, located in the Southern part of Singapore, is located on prime land. It's near the city centre and a big shopping mall Vivocity. The attraction is the size of the land spanning about five football fields. A high-rise commercial development with a gross floor area of over a million square feet could be built there.

Though the site is zone for commercial use now, market watchers said residential units may be allowed too. Donald Han, managing director, Cushman & Wakefield, said: “Currently it's zoned under commercial, that means potentially you might be allowed some retail component, you'd be allowed commercial office as well. “I think a developer, whoever comes in, to take over the land potentially can build a combination of retail as well as office. But that being said, a lot of the commercial prime properties of the outskirts of the main financial district may be allowed potential conversion of use to residential. “So in some cases, you may get a combination of commercial and potentially residential, on top of this site. The site is huge so it can have a multitude variety of different uses in that sense, subject to of course, getting the necessary planning approval. “If it's going to be pure commercial, based on the land area, over the plot ratio, we estimate price per square foot, per plot ratio about S$600-650 per square foot, plot ratio. That translates to a price, total quantum of about S$650-700 million in that sense. “If you get conversion of residential use, the value for residential, which is currently highest and best used in the financial district can potentially be about 25 to 30 per cent higher than the figures I quoted you just now."

Analysts said relocating the railway station is also timely as Singapore plans to re-develop the Tanjong Pagar area into a new waterfront city. And when the station moves to Woodlands in the north, that area is set to become more vibrant. Mr Han said: "Right now, if you go into Woodlands, there is only the Causeway Bay shopping mall, that's currently located. There are not many activities that are coming up. “If you look at the potential relocation of the KTM, if it allows an integrated development to be located there, I think it will certainly help to increase land values and existing property values in the area."

But all this will not be immediate and will take between three and six years.

[don diego 2000]

Woodlands residents & businesses see revival with railway station in neighbourhood
By Lynda Hong 24 May 2010 | ChannelNewsAsia.com


It's not just the leaders who're pleased with the move. Residents and businesses in Woodlands are counting on the railway station in the neighbourhood to revive the estate. The sleepy neighbourhood at Woodlands Centre Road expects to enjoy some buzz with the railway station.

Some people expect to save time and money. A member of the public said: "I am staying in the Bukit Timah, Choa Chu Kang area. Going to Woodlands is more convenient for me rather than going to Tanjong Pagar which is very far. Taking MRT is far, and if I drive also it will also incur ERP charges for me."

Others believe the station will bring more business. "We expect more people to come here because here we are near the Woodlands Checkpoint,” said one man in the street. "The train stop here is much better because here at Woodlands, there are a lot of shops unlike Tanjong Pagar, where there's nothing in town," said another member of the public.

But some businesses are worried that the shops in the area may not appeal to commuters. One woman said: "I think there’s no air-conditioning here. If the station comes here, commuters will go back immediately. So I don't think they will stay here and shop."

As for the station at Tanjong Pagar, it will be missed. "Tanjong Pagar is easier for us. It’s not troublesome. Besides, we are more used to it," said one man in the street. But the station will have a special place as a conserved building

[kurakura]

lets build a mosque at marina bay!

[Mith252]

Originally Posted by kurakura

lets build a mosque at marina bay!

Err, why would we need that? The area just does not justify a mosque as there not enough muslims in the area. It is also too near the casino, a place of sin. Besides, the area already has a mosque at UOB plaza basment.

[Simon91]

Mith525, just ignore him, he will go away.

[daeng_jal]

Originally Posted by TWK90

I can imagine us (Malaysians) to take electric train from KL to JB Sentral, then hop on MRT to Singapore in 2018.

how long will the ride probably take.

considering an express non stop train from KL to JB sentral and then MRT to marina bay?

[TWK90]

Originally Posted by daeng_jal

how long will the ride probably take.

considering an express non stop train from KL to JB sentral and then MRT to marina bay?

2007 news:

http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=48734

"Construction of the double-track railway will reduce travelling time from Johor Baru to Kuala Lumpur to between three and four hours compared with eight hours currently and will use the existing rail system."

[xeoc]

Originally Posted by daeng_jal

how long will the ride probably take.

considering an express non stop train from KL to JB sentral and then MRT to marina bay?

2 hr 48min from KL to JB

http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/159273

"至於尚未動工的金馬士通往新山雙軌電動火車鐵路計劃，翁詩傑表示，有關計劃一旦竣工，載客量將較目前人數增加10倍；而原本從吉隆坡前往新山的路程，也由目前的6小時20分，縮短至2小時48分鐘"

[TWK90]

Originally Posted by xeoc

2 hr 48min from KL to JB

http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/159273

"至於尚未動工的金馬士通往新山雙軌電動火車鐵路計劃，翁詩傑表示，有關計劃一旦竣工，載客量將較目前人數增加10倍；而原本從吉隆坡前往新山的路程，也由目前的6小時20分，縮短至2小時48分鐘"

Thanks a lot for the information!

At least, that sounds promising.

I just hope getting to Singapore from JB would be of reasonable time.

[Andrew]

I really hope they seriously consider conserving the station building and incorporating it in any redevelopment. Actually what I think would be great would be if it were retained as a railway station somehow - the one thing Singapore really lacks is a bustling 'Central Station' unlike almost all other major cities. Refurbished and expanded with shops and an MRT link, the old station could make a great terminus for any future high speed rail link with Malaysia.

[don diego 2000]

Originally Posted by Andrew

I really hope they seriously consider conserving the station building and incorporating it in any redevelopment. Actually what I think would be great would be if it were retained as a railway station somehow - the one thing Singapore really lacks is a bustling 'Central Station' unlike almost all other major cities. Refurbished and expanded with shops and an MRT link, the old station could make a great terminus for any future high speed rail link with Malaysia.

One idea how they could conserve the old Tanjong Pagar station would be to do what they have done in Paris with the old Gare d'Orléans (Orléans train station), that became the Musée D'Orsay (Orsay Museum) with all the impressionists paintings. The conversion was actually quite a success. That would bring cultural life in this part of town and balance with the Civic District area that currently concentrates most of the museums.


Otherwise, if there were to be a 'Grand Central' in Singapore, it could be the future massive Marina Bay interchange station.

[kurakura]

Originally Posted by don diego 2000

One idea how they could conserve the old Tanjong Pagar station would be to do what they have done in Paris with the old Gare d'Orléans (Orléans train station), that became the Musée D'Orsay (Orsay Museum) with all the impressionists paintings. The conversion was actually quite a success. That would bring cultural life in this part of town and balance with the Civic District area that currently concentrates most of the museums.


Otherwise, if there were to be a 'Grand Central' in Singapore, it could be the future massive Marina Bay interchange station.

they will probably tear it down and build some money generating spanky condos rather than something that has no money making potential

[Mith252]

Originally Posted by kurakura

they will probably tear it down and build some money generating spanky condos rather than something that has no money making potential

Actually, the news did say that they are conserving the old Tanjong Pagar station as agreed between Singapore and Malaysia.

http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/E...oicing--PM-Lee

Both leaders also agreed the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station's passenger terminal will be conserved given its historical significance. The station will be the centrepiece for the proposed new development on this site