SINGAPORE: A new funeral and columbarium complex could be built at Tanah Merah Coast Road in view of the need for after-death facilities in Singapore with an ageing population.

The government has identified a site at Tanah Merah Coast Road to be studied for the potential development of after-death facilities, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Thursday (Mar 6).

This is in addition to the Mandai Avenue site that is currently under study.

"The site at Tanah Merah Coast Road was identified following consultations with other agencies on factors such as readiness for development and traffic impact," NEA said.

"NEA is working with these agencies to further assess the suitability of the newly identified site and conduct a technical feasibility study."

For the site at Mandai Avenue, environmental studies on its suitability are ongoing, NEA added.

"A decision on the location of the funeral services and columbarium complex will be made after considering the outcome of the studies on the Mandai Avenue and Tanah Merah Coast Road sites."

Based on the location map provided by NEA, the identified site at Tanah Merah Coast Road is near a dormitory, Changi Lodge 2, as well PUB's Changi Water Reclamation Plant.

Singapore has three government-operated columbaria - in Choa Chu Kang, Yishun and Mandai - as well as other private columbaria.

NEA said in its Integrated Sustainability Report 2023/2024 that it is expanding its after-death facilities and services while ensuring the use of land is optimised. 

It also noted that construction for the Mount Vernon Funeral Parlour Complex started in 2023.

NEA added this complex will provide additional wake spaces upon completion and complement other ongoing projects. These include the upcoming Mandai North Crematorium, slated to be completed in 2025, and a second inland ash scattering garden – the Garden of Serenity.

With an ageing population, NEA projected in its Integrated Sustainability Report 2021/2022 a doubling in the annual number of deaths in Singapore from about 20,000 in 2016 to 40,000 in 2040.