New preservation study for 38 Oxley Road needed as past findings not presented to monuments board: Edwin Tong

SINGAPORE: Another preservation study on 38 Oxley Road was needed as the findings of a previous assessment of the property were not presented to the Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board (PSM AB), said Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong on Monday (Nov 11).

Mr Tong was responding to parliamentary questions from Progress Singapore Party Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leong Mun Wai and MP Louis Chua (WP-Sengkang) on the former home of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

Mr Leong had asked why another study was required when the ministerial committee formed to consider the fate of 38 Oxley Road had previously determined that it had “architectural, heritage and historical significance” based on a National Heritage Board (NHB) assessment of the property.

Mr Chua had asked for the terms of reference for NHB’s current study of the property and how they differ from those of the ministerial committee.

In a written reply to their questions, Mr Tong said that while NHB’s previous findings were incorporated into the ministerial committee’s 2018 report on the property, they had not been presented to the PSM AB. 

“The ministerial committee concluded that no decision had to be made at that point in time, and all options would be kept open,” he said.

“Hence, the research was not presented to the PSM AB for their assessment then on the suitability of 38 Oxley Road as a national monument.”

When NHB conducts research on a building, site or structure with the potential to be designated a national monument, the research is typically presented to the advisory board.

The board would then conduct an independent assessment of this research to determine whether its subject should be preserved as a national monument.

“The PSM AB makes this assessment based on objective criteria, for all sites which have the potential to be preserved as a national monument,” said Mr Tong.

The minister said that the decision to begin the new study was linked to Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s move to begin proceedings to have the house on the site demolished.

“In view of the recent application by the owner to demolish the building, which would immediately rule out a proper and full consideration of options, NHB has commenced the process to determine 38 Oxley Road’s eligibility and suitability for preservation as a national monument,” said Mr Tong. 

“This includes presenting the research to the PSM AB for their independent assessment. Based on the assessment, NHB would then provide a recommendation to the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth to decide whether to issue a preservation order for the site under the Preservation of Monuments Act.”

He added: “This follows the usual assessment process before any building, site or structure can be preserved as a National Monument, and we will apply this accordingly to 38 Oxley Road.”