SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board’s (HDB) launch of eight Build-To-Order (BTO) projects in July includes the first BTO flats in Simei in over 10 years. About 5,400 flats will be available in Bukit Merah, Bukit Panjang, Clementi, Sembawang, Tampines, Toa Payoh, and Woodlands, HDB announced on Feb 10. Five of the eight projects will be within 600 metres of an MRT station.
The Simei project, classified by HDB as part of Tampines, will have around 380 units, including two-room flexi, four-room, and five-room flats, located between Simei Road and Upper Changi Road East. The development will include an eatery, supermarket, shops, a restaurant, and a preschool.
Previously home to Changkat Changi primary and secondary schools, the site is a five-minute walk from Upper Changi MRT station. Nearby landmarks include the Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore Expo, and Changi Business Park.
According to The Straits Times, Lee Sze Teck, senior director of data analytics at Huttons Asia, said there could be strong demand for the Simei project since the last public housing there, Parc Lumiere, was completed in 2011. He noted that Simei is “desirable” due to its proximity to shopping malls, schools, and job opportunities, with the airport also nearby, adding that he expects the project to be classified under the Standard category.
Under HDB’s new classification system, BTO flats fall into Standard, Plus, and Prime categories based on location, transport connectivity, and amenities.
Another key project in the July launch is a 1,130-unit development in Woodlands, with two-room flexi, three-room, four-room, and five-room flats near Woodlands North MRT station, Woodlands Checkpoint, and Admiralty Park.
The development is adjacent to Woodlands North Verge, the first project in the new Woodlands North Coast precinct, which was launched on Feb 10. Woodlands North Coast is being developed as a mixed-use waterfront district and will eventually have around 4,000 flats.
Two projects will be launched in Bukit Merah, likely falling under the Prime category due to their city-fringe location, property analysts said.
Around 490 three-room and four-room flats will be built where the Alexandra Post Office once stood, along with a pre-school, eatery, supermarket, and shops. The site is within a 10-minute walk of Redhill MRT station and is bordered by Alexandra Road, Prince Charles Crescent, and Alexandra Canal, near the Alexandra Park Connector.
Another 590-unit project with two-room flexi, three-room, and four-room flats will be developed on Tanglin Road, beside Crescent Girls’ School.
Other notable projects include a 720-unit development in Toa Payoh, located between Toa Payoh Rise and Braddell Rise, near Caldecott MRT station. Analysts said it could be classified as Plus or Prime due to its central location and proximity to both Caldecott and Braddell MRT stations.
Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at property firm OrangeTee Group said she expects it to be popular as it is also near Raffles Girls’ School, Raffles Institution, and Marymount Convent School.
Analysts expect the 750-unit Clementi BTO project to fall under the Plus category due to its proximity to the Clementi MRT station. The development, along Clementi Avenue 9, will have two-room flexi, three-room, and four-room flats next to Clementi Primary School and Clementi Town Secondary School.
The last BTO project in Clementi was launched in February 2017, which could drive high demand, especially from buyers who prefer the location but have a tighter budget, said Ismail Gafoor, CEO of PropNex Realty.
In Sembawang, a 750-unit project that may be built along Admiralty Link and Admiralty Lane, about one kilometre from Sembawang MRT station, will include two-room flexi, three-room, four-room, five-room, and three-generation flats. Meanwhile, Bukit Panjang’s 620-unit project near Zhenghua Nature Park and Bangkit LRT station, will include an eatery, minimart, and shops.
Analysts said the two latter projects are expected to be Standard flats, as they are further from major transport hubs and have fewer amenities.
According to Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, HDB will launch over 25,000 new flats this year, including 19,600 BTO flats and over 5,500 Sale of Balance (SBF) flats. /TISG
Read also: 8 out of 10 of the 5,032 BTO flats offered this month have waiting time of 4 years or less — HDB
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