Singapore wants more people living inside its business districts

Paddlers row past the central business district, at Marina Bay in Singapore, on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021. Singapore is looking to launch new vaccinated travel lanes by the end of the year and is in negotiations with several countries including those in Europe and also the U.S., Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong said, signaling continued caution even as other advanced economies open up. Photographer: Ore Huiying/Bloomberg

Singapore plans to refresh its business districts in the coming years with additional residential, recreational and lifestyle developments to create people-friendly neighborhoods.

The city-state will continue to build so-called polycenters, or local business districts, in addition to the main central area, so more workers can stay closer to home, the Urban Redevelopment Authority said in a release of its long-term plan on Monday.

The long-term plan also includes redevelopment of the Paya Lebar Air Base that will free about 800 hectares of land, home layouts designed for hybrid modes of working, and more towns with increasing mix of public and private housing.