MORE VERSE HOUSING MIX
Places near to Bukit Timah Turf City, quite as Watten Estate, Sixth Avenue, Namly Drive, and Coronation Road, are home to a large number of wealthy Singaporean people. These lands were previously protected by top restrictions on brand-new homes.
In contrast, substantial- density, high- increase personal condominiums such as Maplewood, the Tessarina, the Nexus and the Cascadia are found along the stretch of Bukit Timah Road between Sixth Avenue and Jalan Anak Bukit.
Some parents relocate to Bukit Timah to increase the chances of their children getting accepted into well-known major colleges. But, new launches have been limited in the area, which considerably drives up home prices. Great Ten, launched in 2021 by Pacific Enterprises Development, has sold at over S$ 3, 600 per square foot, while Watten House, launched in 2023 by UOL, has sold at over S$ 3, 200 per square foot.
Many families had, therefore, been priced out of living in Bukit Timah. If they are unable to afford to own or lease home close to the common schools in the area and if they are unable to secure a place for their children through distance-based prioritization in the Primary 1 membership training.
Developers may improve the offer and lower the cost of new houses in Bukit Timah with more area set aside for fresh private residential developments in Turf City.
New BTO flats and moderately priced private enclosure will expand the area’s housing mix, reducing in the future the concentration of high-income families. The 20 000 brand-new, affordable housing options for Bukit Timah and its well-known colleges may reduce segregation and promote inclusion.
Sing Tien Foo is the Provost’s Chair Professor at the Department of Real Estate, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore. Opinions are those of the publisher and do not reflect those of NUS and its members.