06-07-2025
First Sembawang North BTO flats to be launched in July
[SINGAPORE] The first batch of Housing & Development Board (HDB) Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in the new Sembawang North neighbourhood will be launched in July this year.
The development, Sembawang Beacon, will comprise 775 flats ranging from two-room flexi to five-room as well as 3Gen flats. The project will have a waiting time of about three years, said HDB in a statement on Sunday (Jul 6).
The flats form part of about 5,500 BTO units to be offered in the upcoming BTO sales exercise. Other projects to be offered include those in Bukit Merah, Bukit Panjang, Clementi, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Woodlands.
The new project is located near amenities and public transport nodes, including a neighbourhood park, Sembawang MRT station and the Sembawang Mart, which houses a supermarket, food court and retail shops.
HDB is also planning new amenities in the area, such as a neighbourhood centre, a one-hectare park with playgrounds and fitness stations, as well as an extensive network of cycling paths and walkways.
Analysts expect healthy demand for the project. Lee Sze Teck, senior director of data analytics at Huttons Asia, noted: 'It has been five years since the last BTO launch in Sembawang. This BTO is less than 10 minutes' walk from Sembawang MRT station, and there are several primary schools nearby.'
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He estimated that the application rate for a four-room flat could range between three and four times, with prices potentially starting from S$300,000 – possibly making Sembawang Beacon the 'most affordable project' in the July BTO exercise.
However, compared to the last BTO project in the area, Sembawang Beacon is located further away from key amenities, which may affect its 'overall appeal', said Eugene Lim, key executive officer at ERA Singapore.
The last BTO project, Sun Sails, was launched in November 2020 and drew reasonable subscription rates among first-timers, at three times for three-roomers, 3.7 times for four-roomers, and 4.6 times for five-room flats, he noted.
Still, looking beyond location, Lim said Sembawang Beacon could see 'reasonable interest', given its affordable price point and shorter construction timeline. 'Taking cue from the last BTO launch, we expect the five-room flats to see stronger demand compared to other flat types.'
Both Lim and Lee expect the project to be classified as Standard flats, given its distance from the city centre and the MRT station.
The agency noted that the design of Sembawang Beacon was inspired by the area's maritime identity and colonial architecture. For instance, the residential blocks and drop-off porches feature white facades outlined by bold black frames, drawing inspiration from the nearby black-and-white bungalows.
Spanning 53 hectares, the new Sembawang North housing estate is expected to yield close to 10,000 new homes, comprising about 8,000 BTO flats and 2,000 private housing units.
It is located not far from Sembawang Shipyard, which was previously a British naval base, and in its vicinity is a cluster of black-and-white bungalows, currently managed by the Singapore Land Authority.
A portion of the land parcel, along Admiralty Road West, is currently occupied by foreign workers dormitories, operated by dormitory management company Vobis Enterprise.
The new Sembawang North housing estate was first announced in October 2024. HDB said: 'When fully developed, homes in Sembawang North will be well-served by a comprehensive range of amenities, green spaces and public transport.'
Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat said in a social media post that HDB and NParks are working with other agencies to 'ensure that residents can enjoy convenient access to various amenities, lush green spaces, and well-connected public transport nodes'.
Separately, a nearby executive condominium site along Sembawang Road was launched for tender in May 2025 under the government land sales programme. The site, which can yield about 265 homes, is expected to garner strong interest from developers, given the lack of supply of executive condo units in the north. The tender closes on Sep 11.
