Archive for category: Misc

Located in close proximity to the Yishun and Khatib regions, Northland Primary School stands as a highly sought-after institution for parents in the area. This renowned school is renowned for its exceptional academic curriculum and holistic development initiatives, making it a top choice for families. With a strong focus on instilling good character and well-roundedness through co-curricular activities, Northland Primary School has established a positive reputation in the community. Families residing in the nearby Miltonia EC are drawn to this premier institution for its excellent education and comprehensive approach to nurturing young minds.

The recently announced Draft Master Plan 2025 (DMP2025) will bring about more housing options for Singaporeans in various central locations, such as Newton, Paterson Hill, and new neighbourhoods within Greater one-north area, like Dover. These plans were unveiled on 25 June by the Minister for National Development, Chee Hong Tat. According to Catherine He, the head of research at Colliers Singapore, this will give residents more opportunities to live closer to the city centre. She believes that these plans also align with the government’s efforts to meet the increasing demand for housing and alleviate pressure on the transport network.

In Newton, development will focus on three key areas: Newton Road, Scotts Road, and Monk’s Hill. This includes a new integrated development above Orchard MRT Station in Paterson Hill, off Orchard Road. Additionally, a mixed public and private residential neighbourhood is also in the works in Dover-Medway.

According to Chua Yang Liang, the head of Southeast Asia research at JLL, these new housing proposals are in line with the government’s ‘live-play-work’ strategy. He adds that these areas are already well-supported with a range of amenities. These new developments add to the earlier plans to redevelop Bukit Timah Turf City, Pearl’s Hill, Marina South, Mount Pleasant, and the former Keppel Golf Course site.

The new Newton and Paterson neighbourhoods reflect the government’s ‘live-play-work’ strategy and are already well-supported with a range of amenities, according to Chua Yang Liang, head of Southeast Asia research at JLL. These new housing proposals add to the government’s earlier announced plans to redevelop Bukit Timah Turf City, Pearl’s Hill, Marina South, Mount Pleasant, and the former Keppel Golf Course site.

As per the previous master plan, the plots earmarked for development in the DMP2025 are currently reserve sites, with the maximum gross plot ratio of most plots up to 4.9. This includes two existing developments at the former UOB Kay Hian Building and the Kheng Leong Co. Building, both of which had 15-year land leases that will expire in 2023.

The DMP2025 also proposes to rezone three land plots off Winstedt Road in the Monk’s Hill area for residential use with a gross plot ratio of up to 3.5. This land was previously reserved for future use. URA describes the new Newton neighbourhood as a mixed-use ‘urban village’. Future development sites near Newton MRT Station will see new housing introduced progressively around key clusters at Newton Circus, Scotts Road and Monk’s Hill.

Lee Sze Teck, senior director of data analytics at Huttons Asia, believes that the land rezoning will give developers greater flexibility in how the sites are used. One of the new residential plots, announced under the 2H2025 Government Land Sales (GLS) programme, is expected to be launched for sale in August.

In addition, the largely private residential enclave along Paterson Hill will be transformed into a mixed-use hub. This will include more retail fronting the street to connect the Orchard Road shopping belt with the River Valley area. New public spaces, pedestrian-friendly zones and cycling paths will also be introduced to support the area’s revitalisation. Development proposals in the DMP2025 include a new integrated development above Orchard MRT Station, comprising of residences, offices, F&B and retail elements. This could potentially bring up to 1,000 private homes to the Paterson area, according to Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at OrangeTee. She believes that this expansion of the residential landscape in the Orchard Road precinct is a good move due to the scarcity of available land in prime areas.

The land parcel above Orchard MRT Interchange, previously zoned as ‘residential with commercial at 1st storey’ in the previous master plan, will be rezoned as a white site with an increased plot ratio of up to 5.6, according to Hutton’s Lee. This presents a prime opportunity for a residential and shopping project, he adds. The last time a GLS site was launched directly above the interchange was in 2005, which led to the development of ION Orchard and The Orchard Residences.

Moving on to the residential transformation at one-north, a mix of public and private homes will be added to the Dover-Medway area in Greater one-north precinct, with more housing set to come on stream in Mediapolis. This area is already an established hub for business and R&D, and the development of new residential projects will further support its growth. In fact, market watchers like PropNex and OrangeTee expect around 6,000 public and private homes to be rolled out in phases at one-north.

The DMP2025 highlights the Dover-Malway area, which will include public housing and private residential developments supported by new amenities and recreational spaces. The neighbourhood’s urban design will promote active mobility through cycling paths, sheltered walkways and access to public transport. The introduction of more residential developments here could potentially support the development of more businesses in the future, according to Orange Tee’s Sun. She believes that this change is important as more businesses could be set up in the area, making it a bigger hub for various industries like biomedical sciences, info tech, media, education and technology.

In conclusion, the Draft Master Plan 2025 presents exciting opportunities for Singaporeans to live closer to the city centre and in new and vibrant neighbourhoods. With the increasing demand for housing and the need to ease pressure on the transport network, these developments will play a crucial role in shaping the city’s landscape and providing residents with more housing options.