KUALA LUMPUR – The Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and the Singapore government, have agreed to a land swap involving parcels at Holland Road, Singapore.
In a joint statement, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced that Tunku Mahkota Ismail will transfer 13 hectares (ha) of his land, located near the Singapore Botanic Gardens UNESCO World Heritage Site, to the Singapore government, Bernama reported.
In exchange, the Singapore government will transfer 8.5 ha of state land to Tunku Mahkota Ismail.
“The land parcels to be swapped are of comparable value,” the joint statement said.
Johor royal land ownership
Tunku Mahkota Ismail currently owns 21.1 ha of land at Holland Road, a property that has remained under the Johor royal family’s private ownership for generations.
The SLA and URA stated that Tunku Mahkota Ismail intends to develop his land following the swap.
Both parties agreed to the arrangement to position future developments further away from the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“The Regent of Johor may develop his land after the swap, which is suitable for low-rise and low-density residential uses,” the statement said.
Development subject to due process
The SLA and URA emphasised that any development plans will be subject to regulatory approvals.
“URA and agencies will assess development applications and ensure that the proposed development is sensitive to the surrounding site context,” the statement said.
Additionally, before any construction begins, environmental studies will be conducted to mitigate potential impacts.
Meanwhile, the Singapore government will retain the land received from Tunku Mahkota Ismail in an undeveloped state for now, but remains open to future plans for the area. – June 10, 2025