When and how public trust eroded for Gillman project

Highlighting issues and gaps that needs to be addressed, if trust is to be restored. 

1. Poor communication by gov agencies.
In this digital age, a newspaper announcement doesn't mean it reaches our newsfeeds. Many residents only learnt about the Gillman project from community-led events or informally from their neighbours.

Yet many more residents are still unaware or unclear about the scope of the project, mistakenly thinking that only the Barracks is being developed. The Barracks makes up just one-fifth of the site footprint. For residents in the immediate vicinity of major developments, notification letters should have been sent with the Site Map and public feedback instructions. This is the modern standard of responsible urban planning.

Which brings me to another observation: naming the housing site 'Gillman Barracks' is misleading. The name gives the impression that the project is confined to built-up areas of the old barracks. In reality, the housing site is much larger and encompasses a 22ha biodiversity-rich secondary forest on and around the Southern Ridges, directly connecting to a nature reserve. Greater care should have been taken in public framing and nomenclature. 

2.
Gillman is a mix of PRIVATE and public housing. 
This was in the 10 July announcement. Therefore the narrative of clearing the forest for affordable housing is not entirely accurate, is it? What I find particularly alarming is that the highest ridgeline of Southern Ridges is marked for development as well. See ① in the housing map in petition.

3.
Assertion that more HDB housing is needed despite 9 ongoing projects near Gillman.
But is it really? If this is desperately urgent cannot-wait-for-GSW demand, then why even allocate private housing at Gillman. Flattening the biodiversity-rich hill forest too. The endangered straw-headed bulbul and rare violet cuckoo will be left with "corridors" instead of habitats; while we build private homes on the ridges (?) 

Is it truly impossible to plan the 47ha development in a way that keeps the existing 22ha forest and existing community nodes intact? 

For near-term housing, there are at least 9 ongoing new housing projects near Gillman. 7 HDB projects and 2 Condo projects. Full list and proximity in petition.

4.
Climate change impact is overlooked. MSE shrugs responsibility.
The EIA environment assessment study excludes climate change resilience impacts like urban heating, stormwater absorption, carbon emission, air quality etc.

Also it appears that there isn’t any gov agency with a mandate for forests as a climate change asset. Certainly not MND's URA and HDB who are bound by development targets. Not NParks whose mandate is biodiversity. Apparently not MSE either. Simple assertion of inter-agency consensus is not enough. A scientific methodology is needed that evaluates forests in terms of climate change. If Singapore doesn't have it yet, now is the time to address that gap.  

The importance of existing forests isn't my personal opinion. It is advocated by world leaders including our own: Singapore signed an international pledge to halt and reverse forest loss by 2030 specifically for reasons of climate change resilience.

5. 
Unresolved parliamentary inquiries and public engagement gaps.
"When more than 20 parliamentary questions were filed by MPs from both sides of the House, it has clearly become more than a constituency matter. It has become a national policy question". I agree with the former Nominated Member of Parliament who said this on socials.

Many parliamentary questions from both sides of the House remain unanswered. What we've been promised are a summary report and continued engagements with stakeholders -- although it isn't clear whether this includes the general public. Frankly this has disappointed many.

👉  Will the parliamentary discussion continue? It should. Please follow up with your MP to reiterate your views and request that parliamentary representation continues.

👉 Please share this URL with others in Singapore who are unaware that Gillman has 22ha forest that is contiguous with the Southern Ridges. www.change.org/gillmanbarracks

Diverse solutions -- that include existing passive systems -- would be a wise approach and  increase our chances of success in unprecedented times. Risk management must be applied. Especially so in the current economic and climate change uncertainty.

Thank You for supporting the petition.
Take care and rest well, the journey hasn't ended yet.