_Singapore’s economic gateways: powerhouse engines of opportunity and innovation
Singapore’s economic gateways: powerhouse engines of opportunity and innovation
Urban planners’ bold vision for the future is bearing fruit as Tampines, Jurong, and Woodlands ensure long-term economic resilience
Alice Tan & Jason Chan
Urban planners in land-scarce Singapore face a unique and ongoing challenge: balancing the diverse and evolving needs of its population to carve out spaces for housing, industry, transport, greenery, water catchment, commercial activity and other needs within a limited land area of just 735 km².
With no natural hinterland and a population that continues to grow, every square metre of land in Singapore must be carefully considered. Meeting these competing demands requires sustainable, innovative strategies that not only maximise land use, but support long-term growth.
Reflecting shrewd foresight, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) pulled off a masterclass in strategic, long-term planning by earmarking three key economic gateways in the east, west, and north regions under its Draft Master Plan 2025. URA’s strategy is clear; each of these gateways serve as a vibrant business ecosystem beyond the central region of Singapore to facilitate global trade and investment.
These initiatives signal a bold shift that builds on a decentralisation strategy first introduced in the 1991 Concept Plan. Within each gateway, transport connectivity was enhanced and innovation districts with higher learning institutions were clustered to create regional centres—localised business nodes that provide a range of services and amenities.
These regional centres, in turn, further fostered business collaboration and talent development to balance economic growth and expand job opportunities island wide.
Tampines: An established, integrated business node in the East
As Singapore’s first regional centre established since 1992, Tampines has matured into a strategic node that continues to grow in relevance and vibrancy, supported by robust infrastructure, mixed-use developments and proximity to key economic drivers Changi Business Park and Changi Airport.
Anchored by shopping malls such as Tampines Mall, Century Square, and Tampines 1 that provide retail amenities, the regional centre is also home to commercial developments OCBC Tampines Centre and Tampines Grande, whose anchor tenants include established financial institutions and multinational firms like AIA, Hitachi Singapore and BNP Paribas.
Together, these commercial assets contribute to a well-integrated live-work-play environment, essential for serving the needs of Tampines’ sizeable residential population of 257,110—the third largest catchment among Singapore’s Planning Areas, following Bedok and Jurong West.
Thanks to its strategic location, Tampines serves as a vital employment hub for businesses in the Changi East region. As the upcoming Changi East Urban District and Terminal 5 take shape, businesses in Tampines can expect to benefit from increased connectivity, expanded commercial opportunities, and greater access to a skilled workforce.
Tampines’ exceptional transport infrastructure of a bus and MRT interchange served by East-West and Downtown MRT lines will receive a further boost through Tampines Town Council’s Five-Year Master Plan (2025 to 2030) which outlines ambitious accessibility upgrades. The authorities plan to develop a new Integrated Transport Hub in Tampines Central to seamlessly connect MRT stations, bus interchanges and pedestrian routes, paving the way for a car-lite environment with pedestrian-friendly streets lined with shops, cafes, and greenery.
Residents can also expect a new cycling bridge over the Tampines Expressway and an additional 7.7 km of cycling paths by 2027 for active mobility. These initiatives align with the Land Transport Authority's vision of a "20-minute town," where residents can access various amenities quickly and easily.
With these improvements, Tampines will be a model for sustainable urban mobility, offering residents and visitors unparalleled convenience and a higher quality of life.
Jurong: A future growth engine in the West
Jurong Gateway, the commercial hub of Jurong Lake District (JLD), has long been positioned as Singapore’s most ambitious decentralised urban hub and the largest commercial node outside the CBD. However, its growth momentum has slowed since 2023, following the URA’s decision not to award a 6.5ha master developer white site to a consortium of five prominent real estate developers.
This unexpected development has resulted in the delay for JLD’s flagship development. The site is currently on the Reserve List, with future activation potentially on the cards when market conditions and proposals are aligned more closely.
Despite this, JLD remains a strategically located, multi-use eco-district with long-term potential. Integrating commercial, residential, recreational and transport functions, it is ideally situated near Singapore’s new advanced manufacturing corridor—a unique cluster of the thriving Jurong Innovation District (JID), Tuas industrial estate, and the upcoming Tuas Port.
The industrial, research, and innovation synergies generated by these commercial areas could fuel economic growth and attract global talent. A vast talent pool lies just a 10-minute drive away in JLD, home to a potential workforce catchment of over 300,000 employees. This figure is comparable to Tampines Regional Centre, and larger than Woodlands’ access to a 230,000-strong labour pool.
The new West Coast MRT extension Jurong Region Line, scheduled to open in stages from 2027, will significantly boost connectivity across the west and link all the way to Tengah New Town where 42,000 new HDB flats are under construction.
Lifestyle attractions such as Jurong Lake Gardens and major retail hubs IMM, JEM, Westgate, and Jurong Point further elevate the precinct’s appeal. Proximity to leading universities Nanyang Technological University and National University of Singapore ensures a steady supply of skilled talent and fosters research collaborations. However, with key parcels like the white site still awaiting confirmed timelines, near-term growth in JLD is expected to be incremental.
Jurong Regional Centre’s long-term potential as Singapore’s largest business district outside the CBD remains strong, but its development will be reliant on the coordinated efforts of the government and private developers.\\
Woodlands: the rising Northern Gateway for cross border opportunities
Meanwhile, Woodlands is forging ahead as an emerging economic hub. The wheels of its urban transformation journey were set in motion with the launch of URA Draft Master Plan 2013, which emphasised housing options, green spaces and bringing quality jobs to residents in the area.
As Singapore’s next growth node for sustainable scalability, innovation and opportunity, Woodlands boasts impressive connectivity infrastructure. With the completion of the first four stages of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) in June 2024, the journey from Woodlands to Orchard Road that previously took 50 minutes by bus and MRT is now reduced to 35 minutes on the TEL. Feasibility studies are underway for the proposed construction of the Seletar Line as part of the Land Transport Master Plan 2040. This line will serve areas such as Woodlands and the Greater Southern Waterfront, shortening commutes even further.
Seamless connectivity between Woodlands and Johor Bahru (JB) is also in the works with the upcoming Rapid Transit System (RTS). This project has been complemented by an agreement between Singapore and Malaysia to establish a Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), announced earlier this year.
In a recent Knight Frank survey among 1,200 respondents across Singapore’s suburban areas —north, north-east, east and west regions—data showed that improved connectivity would lead to more cross-border travel for work and meetings.
Exhibit 1: Estimated travel frequency to Johor Bahru for work trips and meetings
The same survey respondents were also cognizant of Woodlands’ rising appeal. Some 35% of 1,200 respondents view Woodlands as Singapore’s most exciting regional centre to work at compared to Tampines (33%) and Jurong (32%).
Strategic industry anchors-led differentiation
A look at URA's apportionment of land space to support the sustained growth of these regional centres further suggests that Woodlands is the leading regional centre on the real estate development front.
Exhibit 2: Land area changes zoned for commercial use across the Regional Centres
Comparing URA’s 2008 and 2019 Masterplans, Tampines saw minimal growth in future commercial land allocation, given how it is already largely built-up with little vacant land for future developments apart from the upcoming mixed-use ITH in Tampines Central.
Contrastingly, the Jurong East/JLD area gained over 13.1ha of additional land area for commercial/white use. As a result, property developers will enjoy greater flexibility to create new development concepts, typologies, and innovative ways to integrate living, working and leisure spaces. There would also be more room for the creation of integrated campuses tailored to various business needs.
Woodlands bagged the largest increase of commercial/white use land space—a whopping 16.6ha mostly in the North Coast area beside Woodlands North MRT station and the upcoming RTS station. This expansion puts the enclave in prime position for transformation into a vibrant, mixed-use regional hub that could generate 100,000 new jobs over the next 15 years.
Notably, there is a strong correlation between each regional centre’s development and its distinct industry specialisations, which will foster balanced growth and allow each region to play to strengths. Knight Frank’s survey findings reflect this strategy; the top five industry sectors of residents’ occupations per regional centre closely align with the location of their workplaces and the region’s industry orientation. This underscores how targeted urban planning supports national economic objectives while addressing the evolving needs of Singapore’s workforce and communities.
Exhibit 3: Top Five Industry Sectors of Residents’ Occupation, based on their Workplace Location
Business owners seeking strata workspaces in 2025 and beyond can glean insights into where strategic opportunities lie, from one regional centre to another.
Those requiring international market access and talent mobility can look east. Anchored by Changi Airport and Changi Business Park, and home to high-value sectors like aerospace, air cargo, and fintech, the East Region is Singapore’s hub for aviation, logistics, and global services. With the development of Changi East and Terminal 5, capacity for aviation, manufacturing, logistics and tourism will be boosted, further strengthening Singapore’s international connectivity.
Businesses related to advanced manufacturing, maritime technology, and sustainable industries will do well to go west, Singapore’s industrial and innovation powerhouse. JID integrates research, education, and production facilities to foster collaboration and technological advancement, while Tuas Port will consolidate container operations and improve logistics efficiency.
Meanwhile, cross-border trade, food and agri-tech, and sustainability-related businesses could feel at home in the north. Companies located in Woodlands gain from enhanced cross-border synergies, market access, and operational efficiency.
For instance, wholesale trade firms could benefit from proximity to JB for faster cross-border distribution, efficient warehousing, and streamlined logistics. Manufacturers can base administrative and R&D functions in Woodlands while operating cost-effective production facilities in JB. Interior design and renovation companies can access a larger pool of skilled labour and affordable materials from Malaysia. And when the RTS is up and running, short commutes will make travelling for business meetings more efficient.
Unlocking innovation and opportunity
By decentralising growth and nurturing vibrant hubs in Tampines, Jurong, and Woodlands, Singapore's urban planners overcome the challenges of land scarcity and unlocked new opportunities for businesses.
Each gateway, with its unique industry anchors and enhanced connectivity closer to homes, will continue to drive job creation, foster innovation, and strengthen Singapore’s position as a global business hub—which has become even more crucial in today’s climate of economic volatility. Continued collaboration between the government, industries, and business communities remains crucial for long-term success.
In our view, the north will be the first to grow its workforce base with an enlarged commercial and white site development canvas. Landmark cross-border rail connectivity will also expedite workforce growth on both sides of the Causeway, possibly enabling new live-work-play typologies to be created within the next three to 10 years.
Prospective enterprises and investors of commercial and industrial property, as well as aspiring residents who look for wider choices, should consider Woodlands as their next destination of choice.