Jurong West used to contain swamps, low hills and thick jungle. In the 1960s, the government filled the swamps with land from the hill and the place was developed into an industrial estate with low-cost housing built for workers in the industrial area.

The development of the Jurong area started in the 1970s when estates such as Boon Lay, Taman Jurong and Hong Kah formed Jurong West New Town. Under the Jurong West Extension, Pioneer estate was also added to the area.

Like Jurong East, the revitalisation of the Jurong Lake District in the coming years is expected to transform the area into an attractive location to live, work and play.

The Japanese Garden, Chinese Garden and Jurong Lake Park will be merged into a single set of gardens which PM Lee said will be a "people's garden" bigger than Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.

The 70-ha Jurong Lake Gardens will be a place where community gardeners can create and maintain "show gardens". 

The Jurong Gateway is already a new commercial region with shopping malls such as J-Cube, Westgate and Jem.

The Big Box Warehouse Retail Outlet, which will house electronics and furniture companies as well as a hypermart, will open in 2015. 

The upcoming Jurong Region Line and Cross-Island Line, together with the improved North-South and East-West MRT lines, will improve traffic in the region.

The terminus for the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail may even come to Jurong.