ABSTRACT
This chapter charts Singapore's meteoric physical transformation from the perspective of inter alia, legislation on compulsory land acquisition and urban land policy. It commences with Singapore's historical background as a fledgling nation with particularly scarce land resources. The chapter sets out the circumstances which led to legislation which bestowed the State with wide-ranging acquisition powers, and its ramifications. It considers how the nature and scale of acquisition evolved to achieve socio-economic growth and national development, resulting in a high density built environment manifested by affordable public housing, industries and infrastructure. The basic tenets of acquisition underpinned the compensation provisions. There is a clear path for the landowner to object and appeal against the compensation awarded. The chapter discusses the extensive ambit of the Government's acquisition powers, and relatively bleak prospects for objections or challenges to acquisition. It then presents the evidence of public benefit arising from the acquisition powers.
