SINGAPORE — Part of Market Street in the Central Business District (CBD) will be permanently closed from Feb 17 and converted into a public park as part of plans to redevelop the former Golden Shoe Car Park site into an integrated development.

Spanning about 1,000 sqm, the new park will allow the public to reach nearby attractions such as the Singapore River and Boat Quay.

The partial closure of the road between Church Street and Malacca Street is part of those redevelopment plans, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in an announcement on its One Motoring website on Friday (Feb 1).

Motorists at Church Street heading to Chulia Street will have to travel through D’Almeida Street, after Cecil Street junction.

In February last year, the LTA, Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and National Parks Board announced plans to beautify and transform the area around Raffles Place MRT Station with more greenery by the first half of 2021.

URA also announced in September last year that public spaces at Market Street — which is part of the Raffles Place precinct — may be used to host community events to make it more lively and attractive to the public.

Costing S$1.82 billion, the 51-storey integrated development at Market Street is estimated to be completed in two years’ time.