The design of housing estates in Singapore will have to evolve in tandem with the growing proportion of seniors and this will influence the planning and development of the local built environment over the coming years, says Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung.

He was speaking at the annual Spring Festival Celebration hosted by the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (Redas) on Feb 15. It was the first time the minister was the guest of honour at the Redas event.

“The biggest social change Singapore is facing is our ageing population ... and the number of seniors is going to increase by leaps and bounds in the coming years. It will change the way we design our future homes and neighbourhoods,” says Ong.

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He adds that the long-term healthcare goal in Singapore is to extend the “health span” of citizens in addition to longer lifespans. This ensures that people stay healthy for longer throughout their lives. “To achieve this, we need a good living environment and living habits and in the real estate sector how we build our housing estates becomes increasingly important,” says Ong.

His concern was echoed by Redas president Tan Swee Yiow, who is also chairman and non-executive director at Keppel REIT. “With rising life expectancy and a low fertility rate, (Singapore’s population) will have more than 900,000 seniors aged 65 and above by 2030. With demographic shift comes an increased demand for senior living accommodation with comprehensive support amenities,” he says.

Tan says that the government should review the possibility of a separate zoning to speed up the supply of senior living accommodation or integrate it within more mixed-use developments. “The unit size, layout, and smart features for these types of housing units will also need to be adjusted,” he says.

As a result, future neighbourhoods need to be designed with inclusive social spaces that encourage community, socialisation and an active lifestyle, says Ong.

The upcoming Singapore Budget was also top of mind for many developers and stakeholders in the real estate market. Tan reiterated a longstanding call by Redas to the government to re-examine the land rate ABSD to “promote property market stability and better achieve the nation’s urban rejuvenation needs.”