2.7ha site in Sin Ming being prepared for new housing development
A 2.7ha plot of land in Sin Ming, about the size of 3½ football fields, is being prepared for what analysts say could be hundreds of new homes.
A proposed amendment to the Master Plan 2019 published by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Nov 11 raises the residential site’s gross plot ratio from 3.5 to 3.9, to help provide more housing options in the area.
The masterplan is Singapore’s blueprint for future land development, and shows the permissible land use and density for developments in Singapore. A gross plot ratio of 3.9 means the development’s total floor area can be 3.9 times the land area, subject to site conditions and approvals.
The new housing plot is located just metres from the Sin Ming Residences Build-To-Order project by the Housing Board that was launched in December 2023.
A block of rental flats at 26 Sector A Sin Ming Industrial Estate and rows of HDB industrial units once occupied this plot, but were demolished in recent years.
Analysts said the plot could yield about 800 to 900 flats, or about 1,200 private condominium units.
Mr Nicholas Mak, chief research officer at property search portal Mogul.sg, said it is more likely that the site will be used for public housing as there is unmet demand in the area, given how the Sin Ming Residences project was oversubscribed.
The project’s 627 four-room flats drew 2,293 applicants, while its 105 three-room units had 177 applicants. These were the first new HDB units launched in the area since 1988.
Mr Mak said that adding new flats in the area, which is close to Bishan – a hot bed for million-dollar HDB resale flats – will help moderate the area’s flat prices.
He noted that while the area may be less desirable than central Bishan because of its proximity to industrial sites and after-death services, it is within walking distance of Catholic High School, which has a popular primary school.
Should new flats be built on the site, said Mr Mak, they would likely be classified as Plus flats as they are in the central region, but are not close to an MRT station.
Ms Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at OrangeTee Group, noted that there has also been a dearth of new private housing supply in the area, which has added to pent-up demand.
The last Government Land Sales programme site nearby, in Lorong Puntong, was awarded in October 2014, while Jadescape, a condominium built on the site of Shunfu Ville following a collective sale, was launched in September 2018.
Two other proposed amendments to URA’s masterplan were published on Nov 11, involving the designation of Adam Park and Mun San Fook Tuck Chee temple as conservation areas.
The public has until Dec 10 to submit feedback on the three proposed amendments.
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