MND gives go ahead for workers' dormitory at Serangoon Gardens
By Camie De-Souza, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 03 October 2008 1222 hrs

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SINGAPORE: The government has decided to go ahead and convert the old school site at Serangoon Gardens into a dormitory for 600 manufacturing and services foreign workers.

Mindful of residents' concerns, various measures will be implemented, including the building of a new road that will serve as the only access point for the dormitory.

The road is connected to the Central Expressway and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 so that buses ferrying foreign workers to and from the dormitory will bypass the Serangoon Gardens estate.

The existing entrance at Burghley Drive will be closed and only open for emergency fire engine access.

The government hopes this will ease residents' concerns of a huge number of foreign workers descending upon the estate, putting a strain on public amenities like the transport network.

More than 1,000 residents at Serangoon Gardens had petitioned against having a workers' dormitory in their estate.

In his response to an appeal from the area's Member of Parliament, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan gave the assurance that the dormitory's capacity will be capped at 600 for a start.

The Ministry of National Development (MND) will consider increasing the number to a maximum of 1,000 in future if there is a need and after further consultations.

Mr Mah said: "If in future, there's a need, there's a demand for more space and if the monitoring shows the disamenities are minimal, as we expect, and in consultation with the adviser and with grassroots leaders, we will then decide if we want to up the number. Even then, it will be capped at 1,000."

There will also be a buffer zone between the estate and the dormitory, with additional boundary fencing.

The appointed dormitory operator will have to implement security measures recommended by the Police, such as a pass identification system, and put in place house rules, like no organised activities beyond a certain hour.

The dormitory will be self-contained with amenities like provision shops and recreational corners.

Lim Hwee Hua, MP for Aljunied GRC, said: "Some of my residents will no doubt still be disappointed that the decision has been taken to proceed with the dormitory. However, there is the assurance that this is strictly a transitional move and it will be for no more than five years."

Mrs Lim said she will be meeting her grassroots leaders. She will also give residents a full account of the latest development in a newsletter that is being printed.

The MP will also communicate with the residents via emails, and make her rounds personally at the estate this weekend.

Meanwhile, the government will soon announce its decision on 10 other state sites which are also being considered as temporary dormitories.

- CNA/vm/ir