Singapore weighs preserving 38 Oxley Road despite Lee Hsien Yang’s demolition bid

Announcing on Thursday, Singapore’s National Heritage Board (NHB) said the government recognised that “there will be a diverse range of views among Singaporeans on this matter”.

NHB noted in its statement that following the death of Lee Wei Ling on October 9, Lee Hsien Yang said that he intended to get permission to demolish the home and made an application to the Urban Redevelopment Authority to do so on Monday.

However, the board said making such a move now would rule out a “proper and full consideration” of the options set out in a 2018 report by a ministerial committee for 38 Oxley Road.

The ministerial committee found that the building has architectural, heritage and historical significance and set out three options for a future government: gazette the property as a national monument, retain the basement dining room and tear down the rest, or demolish the entire building.