Artist's impression of the neighbourhood centre and Community Avenue at Woodlands North Coast (Picture: HDB)
14,000 new homes are planned for development across two new housing areas in Sembawang and Woodlands. Of these homes, 12,000 will be set aside for public housing flats, according to an Oct 22 press release by HDB. Build-to-order (BTO) projects in the two housing areas will be launched progressively beginning in 2025.
Sembawang North occupies a 53ha site that will house close to 10,000 units, including 8,000 BTO flats and 2,000 private housing units. The estate will feature a neighbourhood centre with shops and dining options, spaces for community gatherings, and a 1ha park with recreational facilities.
Woodlands North Coast spans 21ha and will yield 4,000 new homes when fully developed. According to HDB, the area will be transformed into a mixed-use waterfront destination as part of its Remaking Our Heartland plans for Woodlands that were first announced in 2017. The first BTO in Woodlands North Coast will be launched in February 2025.
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Other plans for the new housing area include a 1.9km WoodsVista Gallery – a walking and cycling path – and new amenities such as eating houses and shops. Woodlands Gateway, an industrial development, along with the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System are also currently under development.
Lee Sze Teck, senior director of data analytics at Huttons, believes the BTOs at Sembawang North and Woodlands North Coast will likely be categorised as Standard flats under the new classification framework. “The price of a four-room flat in the BTOs could start from $350,000,” he says. In comparison, the average price of a four-room flat in Sembawang and Woodlands stood at $590,000 and $540,000 respectively in 3Q2024.
Eugene Lim, key executive officer at ERA Singapore, notes that the 10,000 new homes in Sembawang North will give a significant boost to Sembawang’s current housing stock which comprises some 30,000 HDB flats and 6,000 private residences. “We believe this expansion will be accompanied by extensive township planning, catering for more amenities, schools, and healthcare facilities to meet the growing population’s needs,” he adds.
Lee views that transport links in Sembawang could be enhanced in the coming years. “There may be train stations to serve Sembawang North or the future housing area in the previous Sembawang Shipyard,” he observes.
The February 2025 BTO launch is slated to offer 1,500 new flats at Woodlands North Coast, with nearly 1,100 comprising four-room and five-room flats. The project is located close to the Woodlands North MRT Station.
ERA’s Lim points out that at least one-third of the HDB flats in Woodlands are 30 years or older, while another 53% are between 20 to 29 years old. “The new initiative is poised to rejuvenate this mature town while increasing its housing supply.”
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