November 27, 2020, 10:38 AM
Demolition work has started at one of the first public housing estates in Singapore, located at Dakota Crescent.
The cluster of blocks was built in 1958 by Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), the precursor to the Housing Development Board (HDB).
While the central cluster of the estate will be preserved, a video by Facebook user Patrick Ng on Nov. 10 shows the work on Block 2 of the estate in progress:
Push for conservation by community groups
When news of the estate's impending redevelopment broke a few years ago, community groups such as Save Dakota Crescent and Dakota Adventures sprung up to advocate for its conservation.
Lim Biow Chuan, the Member of Parliament for Mountbatten, which includes Dakota Crescent, put forward a motion in Parliament in 2016, calling for Dakota Crescent to be conserved.
In 2019, Lim also asked for details on future plans for the six blocks being retained.
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Top screenshot from video by Patrick Ng on Facebook
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