The Government Land Sales Programme: Turning Plans into Reality

The Government Land Sales Programme: Turning Plans into Reality

Singapore’s land sales programme has played a key role in the country’s urban redevelopment. Since its establishment in 1967, the Sale of Sites programme, later renamed the Government Land Sales (GLS) programme, has been instrumental in transforming Singapore’s city centre into a flourishing, world-class business and financial district.

Land sales in the outer-lying parts of the country have also spurred the development of many vibrant and attractive mixed-use regional centres. Today, the GLS programme remains a pillar of Singapore’s planning process and is a successful demonstration of how the public sector can effectively tap on the private sector to forge a partnership in effecting sustainable and impactful urban development.

This Urban Systems Study documents the challenges, efforts and successes encountered by Singapore in conceptualising and implementing the land sales programme over the decades. It also comprehensively describes and explains the programme’s key aspects, including the selection of sale sites and various modes of sale available.

“The Sale of Sites programme that we created has been a unique feature in Singapore’s urban renewal. I am very proud to say that it was the driving force in Singapore’s urban renewal.”
- Alan Choe, General Manager
Urban Redevelopment Authority (1974–78)