Nature groups welcome revised Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks housing plans, but maintain need for safeguards - CNA

The enlarged green areas are set to become nature parks, with opportunities for habitat enhancement and community use.

Maju Forest in Clementi borders the backyards of landed homes in the private estate at Sunset Way. (Photo: CNA/Erin Liam)

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Erin Liam & Natalie Ong 28 Oct 2026 06:59PM (Updated: 28 Oct 2026 08:24PM) Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST SINGAPORE: Nature groups said that the extra green spaces retained under revised plans for Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks would benefit wildlife and ecological connectivity, but cautioned that safeguards would still be needed as development proceeds.

They said that the developments should be carried out according to environmental management and monitoring plans.

Mr Lester Tan, chairperson of the Marine Conservation Group at the Nature Society Singapore (NSS), said that the group would prefer to "conserve as much" as possible, but it also understands the need to balance development and conservation.

The society's president Leong Kwok Peng had previously proposed conserving two-thirds of Maju Forest and leaving the remaining third for housing.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less On Wednesday (Oct 28), the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said that it revised housing plans for Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks to retain more greenery following public feedback.

Under the revised plans, the area retained as greenery at Maju Forest in Clementi will increase from around 8ha to about 10ha. That represents about 45 per cent of the 23ha site, up from about 35 per cent under the original plans.

At Gillman Barracks off Alexandra Road, the area set aside for greenery will increase from around 8ha to about 12ha. That represents about 60 per cent of the 20ha of existing greenery, up from about 40 per cent under the original plans. 

This means that there will be 1,200 fewer homes than initially planned. Under the revised plans, about 11,000 units could be built across both sites.