Despite objections from residents, HDB and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) indicated the proposed Chinese temple with columbarium facilities in Sengkang can go ahead, reported the media.
In a joint statement, the agencies said they will ensure the proposed Chinese temple at Fernvale Link in Sengkang will “integrate well with the surrounding developments, the same way other existing places of worship have been integrated in many residential estates.”
HDB and URA issued the joint statement after residents expressed unhappiness over plans to provide columbarium services at an upcoming temple at a plot of land surrounded by an Executive Condominium and two Build-To-Order (BTO) projects.
In fact, some would-be residents of the estate have requested for a refund of their BTO flats, while others have started an online petition to stop the development of the columbarium.
The agencies explained the land had been zoned as a “place of worship” in URA’s Master Plan since 2003.
It noted that “most places of worship have some columbarium facilities and they are found islandwide.”
URA’s guidelines provide that only 20 percent of the total gross floor area of such places can be set aside for columbarium use. The columbarium should also be located inside the main building and shielded from public view.
Examples of places of worship with columbarium facilities include Fo Guang Shan Chinese Temple in Punggol, the Church of the St. Mary of the Angels in Bukit Batok, and Seu Teck Sean Tong Temple in Toa Payoh.
“URA works closely with HDB and other agencies to ensure that towns are planned comprehensively to be self-sufficient, with a wide range of facilities and amenities to serve the needs of residents. Places of worship can be successfully integrated into the design of residential estates to serve the needs of our people,” said HDB and URA.
Image (by HDB): 3D model of Fernvale Lea
Muneerah Bee, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email muneerah@propertyguru.com.sg
