Singapore and Johor's Crown Prince agree to land swap near Botanic Gardens to preserve heritage site
The Singapore government has finalised a land swap deal with Johor's Crown Prince, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, involving property near the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
The agreement, announced on 10 June 2025 by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), aims to protect the integrity of Singapore's only UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tunku Ismail currently owns 21.1 hectares of land in the Holland Road area. Under the new agreement, 13 hectares of this land—adjacent to Tyersall Avenue and beside the Botanic Gardens—will be transferred to the Singapore government.
In return, the government will transfer 8.5 hectares of state-owned land to the Johor regent. This land lies west of his remaining privately held area and is similarly zoned for 'special use'.
According to the URA and SLA, the parcels being exchanged are of 'comparable value'. The remaining 8.1 hectares of the regent's land will remain under his private ownership.
The government has stated that the newly acquired 13-hectare parcel will remain undeveloped for now. Future plans for the area have not yet been finalised, but development will be approached cautiously to preserve the site's historical and ecological value.
The decision to relocate the regent's development plans follows concerns about the proximity of construction to the Botanic Gardens, which has been a UNESCO site since 2015. The Gardens, now 166 years old, play a significant cultural and ecological role in Singapore's landscape.
Authorities highlighted that Tunku Ismail's intention to develop the land dates back several years. A 2021 Bloomberg report revealed that the Crown Prince had plans for a multibillion-dollar luxury residential development within Tyersall Park, on land historically linked to the Johor royal family.
The site includes the ruins of Istana Woodneuk, once a residence of Temenggong Abu Bakar Daeng Ibrahim, the father of Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor. The adjacent Istana Tyersall was also part of the royal family's holdings before being demolished.
While the Johor regent retains rights over his remaining land, any future development plans will be subject to regulatory approval. URA emphasised that the development must be 'sensitive to the surrounding site context'.
This includes conducting environmental impact studies and adhering to zoning restrictions. The land transferred to the regent has been earmarked as suitable for low-rise, low-density residential development, and any project will require formal submissions and evaluation.
Portions of the regent's current land are labelled for 'special use' or 'open space', with any re-zoning needing proper justification and compliance with planning policies.
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