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OFFICE decentralisation, the policy to relocate commercial offices to regional areas outside the central business district (CBD), has long been a key long-term strategy of the government to support sustainable economic growth and bring jobs closer to homes. 

Decentralisation efforts go as far back as 1991, when the authorities first proposed the development of regional, sub-regional and fringe commercial nodes beyond the CBD. 

The “Constellation” concept was introduced, under which commercial centres would fan out to the heartlands, bringing jobs closer to homes and alleviating congestion in the city centre. 

The plans also enabled the government to earmark land for business nodes early, said URA chief planner Adele Tan. 

Regional centres were then developed in Tampines and Woodlands, with that at Jurong Lake District underway today. 

These locations were selected for a balanced geographical distribution to supplement Singapore’s CBD, and to capitalise on their connectivity and their sizable existing and planned residential catchment, said Tan.

Since then, she said, total office stock and demand for such decentralised offices have doubled, with generally healthy occupancies in each regional centre. “(This indicates) that the development of these decentralised commercial nodes is keeping pace with market demand.” 

The concept of decentralised commercial nodes has also expanded to developing polycentres of key employment nodes, comprising offices, businesses and industrial parks, across the island. This helped to achieve an even greater distribution of workspaces and jobs, said Tan. 

As major employment areas, industrial and business parks have brought synergistic industries and activities together, said Tan. For instance, the Changi area was planned to support the aviation industry, Jurong for industries with strong links to the port, and one-north for those in research and development. 

These industry ecosystems can also be supported by nearby office nodes, said Tan.

Those living near these business nodes benefit – and travel data estimates from the Land Transport Authority of the morning peak hour commute prove it, said the chief planner. 

• Around 32 per cent of commuters to Changi travel from Tampines, Pasir Ris or Bedok

• Around 57 per cent of commuters to Woodlands travel from Woodlands,  Sembawang and Yishun

• Around 46 per cent of commuters to Jurong East travel from Jurong East, Jurong  West or Choa Chu Kang

• Around 60 per cent of commuters to Punggol travel from Punggol, Sengkang or  Hougang

Meanwhile, the CBD with its 2 million square metres of office space will continue to anchor Singapore as a global business and financial hub, said Tan. 

“To remain competitive and cater to modern lifestyle trends, it must evolve from its mono-use as a traditional CBD into a live-work-play district, as cities around the world increasingly place emphasis on becoming multiexperiential ‘places to be’,” she said. 

For example, more homes, hotels and service apartments, as well as public spaces and greenery, will be injected into the area. The authorities are working to strengthen connectivity within the CBD too, with more walking and cycling routes, said Tan. 

In URA’s upcoming Draft Master Plan 2025 –  the statutory land-use plan guiding Singapore’s development over the next 10 to 15 years – the government is looking to take its decentralisation strategy even further. This means strengthening more established business nodes, expanding existing sectors and catering to new ones in Singapore’s north, west and east. An exhibition detailing upcoming developments in different business nodes was launched at URA Centre on Oct 24.