Chinese development giant, Country Garden, has embarked on a massive project to build a mega-city for 700,000 residents on four man-made islands in the Johor Stait between Singapore and Malaysia.

Forest City is the vision of Yeung Kwok Keung, Chairman of Country Garden, who is proposing a city of high-rise apartment towers above three underground levels of roads and parking.

"The public would not see any vehicles on the road as the city would be filled with greenery on the top layer while underneath is for roads and parking", said Yeung.

The city will be planned vertically. Cars will park and drive on roads underground, housing will be in high-rise towers, and gardens will be built into the building facades. Public transport will traverse the ground levels, linking the major areas. With 10 kilometres of coastline, rooftop gardens, the vertical gardens, and absence of cars, the island is intended to be a quiet, forest-like environment.

World-leading architecture firm, SASAKI, has developed the master plan.

The islands will circle 130 acres of seagrass reserve, and the developer has committed to preserving the natural environment, including mangrove areas and wetlands.

Forest City has launched in Singapore, China and Malaysia, and a sales gallery is taking bookings. Around 700 residential apartments have been sold, mainly in China, creating a significant pool of capital.

The project will be located in the Malaysia-Singapore Economic Zone, and owners will receive a complimentary green card granting them residency in Malaysia. The project's proximity to both Malaysia and Singapore is considered a strong selling point for families. A number of world-famous schools, such as Marlborough College, have established campuses in Malaysia. And many families are choosing the lower-cost lifestyle of Malaysia, while working and sending their children to world-class schools in Singapore. 

The developer, Country Garden Pacificview, is jointly owned by Chinese property giant, Country Garden Holdings, and Johor's Esplanade Danga 88. Country Gardens Holdings currently has 200 projects underway around the world, with Forest City being the largest.

The developer is looking to build a light-rail transit link with Malaysia, a ferry link to Singapore, and a high-speed rail network linking Singapore and Malaysia.

The massive project has sparked controversy. The region is already experiencing a surge in construction, and critics have flagged concerns about oversupply.

Yeung is not worried. "Our philosophy is that we will create the market and the customers will arrive", he said. 

Forest City is scheduled for completion in 2035. 
 

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