Coastal area landowners, occupants must protect their properties against rising seas under new Bill

Those who own or rent land along Singapore’s shorelines will be compelled under a proposed law to implement measures to shield their coastal areas from rising seas, or face a fine and jail term.

The Coastal Protection Bill was tabled in Parliament on Feb 3.

Government agencies, private landowners and long-term lessees will be given 10 years’ notice to take coastal protection measures. These could include building and maintaining sea walls and barrages, or planting mangroves, to prevent coastal flooding.

For shipyards and fuel storage facilities that need access to the sea, deployable barriers or movable flood-defence systems could be potential solutions, as they can be installed just before bad weather hits.

The first tranche of notices is expected to be sent out to affected landowners from the early 2030s.

Under the Bill, coastal landowners will also need to appoint flood protection managers who will oversee the measures and carry out the flood response plan. These managers will be national water agency PUB’s main points of contact for each site, and will need to undergo training.

PUB and the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said in a joint statement: “Coastal protection is a long-term endeavour, which requires years of planning and construction. The (Bill) is tabled now to give landowners and the industry sufficient notice and lead time to be familiar with the requirements.”

By 2100, Singapore’s mean sea level is projected to rise by up to 1.15m. In the event of high tides and extreme events like storm surges, sea levels could rise by 5m, leading to coastal flooding.

A continuous line of defence

PUB and MSE said the Government, which owns 70 per cent of coastal land, will be responsible for protecting the majority of the coastline segments.

The remaining segments are occupied by private landowners and lessees who will need to implement their own coastal protection measures.

These segments are non-residential and comprise mostly shipyards and ports, as well as businesses in the oil and gas and manufacturing sectors, said Ms Angela Koh, PUB’s deputy chief executive of flood resilience.

Most are located on the south-west and northern coastline segments, including Jurong Island and the industrial estates of Tuas, Pioneer and Senoko.

Tabling the Bill now will allow the affected groups to make more informed decisions, as they assess their long-term development or renewal plans, added Ms Koh.

A critical requirement under the proposed law is that landowners must ensure that one plot’s coastal protection measures are tightly connected to another’s, to ensure there is a continuous line of defence to keep out rising seas.

In the event that landowners need to enter to build on another owner’s land, the Bill will provide access and facilitate this.

Failure to ensure this connection, causing seawater to gush through an unprotected area, is an offence. Failure to put in place a coastal protection measure by the deadline or altering the structure without PUB’s approval could result in the highest penalty of two years’ jail and a $200,000 fine.

Code of practice

The authorities will publish a code of practice in mid-2026 to help equip landowners with knowledge about solutions against sea-level rise and standards to be met.

The code will provide common design standards and requirements to guide the industry on planning, designing and constructing various types of protection structures, PUB said previously. To maximise land use, it will also include best practices for the use of multifunctional solutions.

PUB has divided Singapore’s coastline into eight segments. Each has unique environmental or economic conditions that coastal protection measures must be tailored to. For instance, the Greater Southern Waterfront region will be protected by arm-like coastal barriers, instead of the raising of seawalls and construction of tidal gates which would affect the waterfront character of the area.

Since 2021, Singapore has progressively carried out site-specific studies to develop tailored coastal protection plans for different segments of the coastline.

The study for the south-eastern section – which runs from Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal to Changi – was completed in 2025. Solutions recommended for this stretch include coastal barriers, raising shoreline slopes and constructing bunds on Changi Beach.

Studies for the north-west stretches are expected to be done by 2026, while studies for Jurong Island and the south-west coast, which includes Tuas, will be completed by 2030.

After each site-specific study is done, affected landowners and leaseholders will be informed of their responsibilities from the early 2030s. They will be given at least 10 years’ advance notice to plan and implement coastal protection measures, said PUB and MSE.

The water agency and the ministry noted that measures such as seawalls and revetments are not new to landowners, since these have been constructed at their sites to prevent coastal erosion.

When asked how much a coastal landowner has to set aside for coastal protection, PUB and MSE said they are unable to give a cost estimate. This is because costs would differ based on landowners’ specific operational needs, length of coastline and site conditions, they explained.

But they added that the Government will provide support in the form of financial assistance and technical advice for affected private landowners and leaseholders.

These could include, for instance, consultations on solutions and assistance to coordinate with neighbouring seaside plots to ensure a continuous line of defence.

More information on the financial assistance will be revealed when it is ready, PUB and MSE added. The authorities previously consulted potentially affected landowners and took their feedback into account.

Accommodating nature

The proposed law also gives PUB the powers to designate nature spots such as parks and beaches as areas that can be flooded temporarily, especially during extreme high tides and storm surge events.

This ensures that nature spots will not be permanently walled up, and marine habitats like seagrass meadows, mangroves and intertidal zones can be preserved.

For instance, the recommendation for Changi Beach Park was for a raised platform – such as a bund – to be built farther inland to ensure access to the beach. This means the beach will be left to flood temporarily during extreme weather events.

However, landowners need to prepare a flood response plan in the event of a park closure and conduct periodic drills. The plan may also include evacuation protocols and setting up warning signs.

The landowners must also prove that sheltered facilities like toilets, seaside eateries and sites for religious rituals will not be damaged by the coastal floods.

Infrastructure near the shore, including jetties, terminals, piers and nature boardwalks, must be protected from both permanent and temporary flooding.

However, owners can seek exemptions from PUB if they assess that the structures can withstand flooding.

Overall, the Bill will amend the Sewerage and Drainage Act and rename it as the Sewerage, Drainage and Coastal Protection Act. Parliament is expected to debate the proposed law in March.

Professor Adrian Law, executive director of the Coastal Protection and Flood Resilience Institute Singapore, noted that the cost of coastal defences depends on how each landowner assesses the long-term redevelopment, renewal or investment plans for a site.

“The proposed law is well thought through towards achieving the key objective of a continuous line of defence. The landowners will be given at least 10 years’ advance (notice and) they can take advantage of this ample... notice to actively plan ahead and make things smoother,” he added.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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