The first housing projects at Bidadari and Tampines North will yield more than 2,500 units, and residents can look forward to more greenery, open spaces and seamless connectivity to transportation networks, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) announced on Tuesday (Sep 9).
Development plans for the two areas were first announced last year. The first public housing project for Bidadari, a former cemetery, will be launched next year. It will be located in the Alkaff neighbourhood, which is adjacent to Upper Serangoon Road.
Residents can expect roof gardens, community terraces, and garden courtyards. There will also be an underpass to connect residents to the Alkaff Lake and Bidadari Park.
At Tampines North, the first project to be launched will be located in Park West District, located along Tampines Avenue 9. This will yield about 1,500 HDB flats.
There will be a park and landscaped decks at Tampines North. The carparks both here and in Bidadari will be hidden under walkways and gardens. It is not just a green feature – it also enhances connectivity and safety for pedestrians when commuting from one end of the precinct to another.
Said Mr Fong Chun Wah, Group Director of Development and Procurement at HDB: “We have put a lot of effort into the landscaping to make landscape decks and also the ground greenery, so that it is a conducive environment for the residents. We have also looked at how we can create more overhead pedestrian links, so that it is a safe environment for residents, especially now that we have more elderly and children in the estates. This will create very safe pedestrian paths.”
The two districts will also boast smart features such as a pneumatic waste conveyance system that has sensors to monitor disposal patterns.
Mr Steven Tan, Managing Director of real estate agency OrangeTee, expects Bidadari to be the most popular among home-buyers due to its location: “For HDB estates in centralised locations, the demand is usually much higher.”
Those interested in applying for Bidadari will have to wait till next year, while applications for Tampines North will open in November.
On Tuesday, HDB also detailed plans for a seafront district at Punggol Northshore, which will be a testbed for smart technologies.
Source : Channel NewsAsia – 10 Sep 2014