en.Wedoany.com Reported - Singapore's east coast is set to welcome a major coastal protection project. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) stated that preparations for the key coastal protection strategy, named "Long Island," are scheduled to begin by the end of 2026, with the Housing & Development Board (HDB) acting as the reclamation agent.

The project stems from the growing threat of rising sea levels to Singapore's low-lying coastal areas. The URA noted that the core objective of the "Long Island" project is precisely to protect lives and livelihoods in these low-lying zones. Given the overall scale of the project, preparatory work is crucial for the subsequent reclamation efforts.

Preparations will take place in the waters off the east coast, primarily involving the removal of obstacles from the seabed, followed by the construction of temporary sand bunds and sand filling. These works will be located at least 130 meters from the coastline, with clearly marked work zones using silt curtains and floating barriers.

All preparatory work will be completed in two phases. Phase one is scheduled to begin by the end of 2026, covering waters west of Bedok Jetty, spanning approximately 570 hectares, with an east-west length of about 7 kilometers and a north-south width of about 1 kilometer. Phase two will be located in waters east of Bedok Jetty, covering an area of approximately 155 hectares.

To ensure that parts of the sea area in front of East Coast Park can continue to be used for water sports and major international events such as the 2029 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), construction for phase two will only commence after these activities have concluded.