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AsiaOne
23-07-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kick in, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — The Housing Board launched 5,547 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats on July 23 for sale across eight projects in Bukit Merah, Bukit Panjang, Clementi, Sembawang, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Woodlands, including the first units in the new estate of Sembawang North. Another 4,662 balance flats have also been put on offer, including 1,733 Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) units that are completed and ready for home buyers to move into. The bulk of the balance flats are in Kallang/Whampoa, Tengah and Geylang. A slew of policy changes that benefit singles and families looking to upgrade or right-size their homes will also take effect from this sales exercise. HDB announced it would increase the subsidies for four Prime projects in Bukit Merah, Toa Payoh and Clementi to keep the flats affordable for more Singaporeans. It did not specify the extent of this increase. Owners of these flats will be subject to a higher subsidy clawback upon the resale of their flats. The clawback is set at 11 per cent for Toa Payoh Ascent, and Alexandra Peaks and Alexandra Vista in Bukit Merah. At Clementi Emerald, it is 12 per cent. These correspond to the extent of the extra subsidies offered, said HDB. There is also a 10-year minimum occupation period (MOP) for these flats. The clawback for Prime flats was nine per cent in the past two sales exercises. The remaining four projects fall under the Standard classification. Sembawang Beacon, the first project in the new Sembawang North neighbourhood, comprises 775 two-room flexi and three-, four- and five-room flats, as well as three-generation units, on a site bounded by Admiralty Link, Admiralty Lane and Canberra Road. The project, which has a wait of three years, will be near amenities such as a neighbourhood park and Sembawang MRT station. Flats in Standard projects will not have a subsidy recovery clause when they are sold, and come with a five-year MOP. Prices (without grants) range from $148,000 to $207,000 for a two-room flexi flat, $267,000 to $323,000 for a three-room flat, $328,000 to 413,000 for a four-room flat, $487,000 to $586,000 for a five-room flat, and $497,000 to $585,000 for a three-generation unit. A Standard project in Simei — which HDB classifies as part of Tampines — will have 380 units of two-room flexi, four- and five-room flats on a plot bounded by Simei Road and Upper Changi Road East. They are the first public housing flats in Simei in more than a decade. Toa Payoh Ascent, a Prime project, will house 741 two-room flexi, three- and four-room flats on a site bounded by Toa Payoh Rise and Braddell Rise. It is about a five-minute walk to Caldecott MRT station. Prices (without grants) range from $212,000 to $354,000 for a two-room flexi flat, $406,000 to $514,000 for a three-room unit, and $583,000 to $777,000 for a four-room flat. For comparison, three-room resale flats in Toa Payoh transacted at between $780,000 - $830,000, and four-room resale flats at between $1.07 million and $1.17 million, said HDB. From July's BTO exercise, the new Family Care Scheme comes into effect. Under the scheme, first-timer singles will be granted priority access within the existing quota for single buyers when they buy a two-room flexi flat near or with their parents. A second component of the scheme, which grants singles priority if they jointly apply for two units in the same BTO project with their parents, will kick in from the October sales exercise. There will be no change to the existing priority access for married couples and seniors — up to 30 per cent of flat supply in a BTO launch is allocated to first-timer families, while at least 40 per cent of two-room flexi flats are set aside for seniors. Another change that takes place from this sales exercise is a larger allocation quota for second-time home buyers applying for three-room and larger flats. Up to 20 per cent of three-room Standard flats and up to 10 per cent of three-room Plus and Prime flats and four-room and larger flats would be set aside for second-timer families. First-timer families would still have at least 80 per cent to 90 per cent of three-room and larger flats set aside for them. The deferred income assessment criteria was also relaxed from this sales exercise, allowing couples the option to delay their income assessment for a housing loan until just before they collect the keys to their flat, as long as one party is a full-time student or national serviceman. Previously, both parties needed to meet this requirement. Lastly, the Fresh Start Housing Grant was increased from $50,000 to $75,000 for eligible families who are second-time home buyers currently living in public rental flats. The grant will help them to buy a new two-room flexi or three-room standard BTO or balance flat on a shorter lease. HDB said applicants who wish to improve their chances of securing a flat are encouraged to apply for Standard flats, where at least 90 per cent of the four-room and larger flats are set aside for first-timer families. Flat applications will close at 11.59pm on July 30 on the HDB Flat Portal. In the next BTO exercise in October, HDB will offer about 9,100 flats in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bishan, Bukit Merah, Jurong East, Sengkang, Toa Payoh and Yishun. A fifth assisted living project in Sengkang will also be on offer. [[nid:719872]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Straits Times
26-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Work on hawker centre, polyclinic in Bishan town centre to start in this term of govt: Chee Hong Tat
Artist impression of pedestrian mall linking future developments and community facilities within the Bishan Sub-Regional Centre. PHOTO: URA Work on hawker centre, polyclinic in Bishan town centre to start in this term of govt: Chee Hong Tat SINGAPORE - Work on the new hawker centre, polyclinic and revamped bus interchange in the Bishan town centre will start within the current term of government and take several years to complete, said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat. About 200,000 sqm of new office space could also be built in the town centre, matching the scale of that in Paya Lebar Central, Mr Chee said in a Facebook post on June 26. The Government is studying plans to develop Bishan into a new business hub as part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) 2025 draft masterplan, which was unveiled on June 25. Several government agencies are exploring the feasibility of relocating their offices to the area, to jump-start the development of this business district, URA said earlier. Plans are afoot to develop Bishan into a sub-regional centre. Such areas are business hubs, such as those in Paya Lebar and Serangoon, that bring jobs closer to homes. They are smaller than the regional centres in Woodlands, Jurong East and Tampines. Efforts to improve connectivity in Bishan will make it easier for residents to move around the town and access neighbouring facilities, Mr Chee said. For instance , cycling paths in the Bishan town centre will allow residents to cycle to upcoming recreational spaces such as the North-South Corridor and Kallang River. Bishan Place – a road behind Junction 8 shopping centre – will be transformed into a pedestrian mall and be linked to transport hubs and facilities, he added. There are also plans for a walking and cycling street along the developments in Bishan Road that will be connected to Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. These plans are on top of that for the Toa Payoh Integrated Development on the site of the former Toa Payoh Sport Centre in Lorong 6 Toa Payoh , which will be completed within this term of government, said Mr Chee. The integrated development will have an improved sports centre, an upgraded polyclinic, a bigger library and a rejuvenated town park. It will have sheltered linkways to Toa Payoh MRT station and bus interchange. The Draft Master Plan 2025 includes plans to continue driving Singapore's economic growth by strengthening its economic gateways and business districts, rejuvenating key precincts and supporting innovation. The exhibition for the draft masterplan will be displayed at the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh from Aug 9 to 17. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
